Shing Mun River


The banks of this 7km-long river running from Tai Wai through downtown Sha Tin to end in Tolo Harbour are pleasant for a stroll or jog in the morning or evening when it's cool. You'll see egrets roosting in the quieter sections. The government uses African carp, a fish with high toxicity tolerance, to monitor the level of water pollution. The river is a major racing venue during the Dragonboat Festival.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Old House at Wong Uk Village

0.5 MILES

This grey-brick house inside Wong Uk Garden is all that's left of an 18th-century village that served as a hub for merchants who plied the trade route…

2. Po Fook Hill Columbarium

1.12 MILES

The vibe here is serene – Po Fook Hill is a storage place for cremated ashes. Once up here, you'll see pagodas, shrines, and a terraced hillside…

3. Tao Fong Shan Christian Centre

1.16 MILES

A representative of the 'Chinese Revival' architectural style, Tao Fung Shan is a Protestant retreat centre, seminary and hostel. In 1929 a Norwegian…

4. 10,000 Buddhas Monastery

1.21 MILES

Built in the 1950s, this quirky temple actually contains more than 10,000 Buddhas. Some 12,800 miniature statues line the walls of the main temple and…

5. Hong Kong Heritage Museum

1.29 MILES

Southwest of Sha Tin town centre, this spacious, high-quality museum inside an ugly building gives a peek into local history and culture. Highlights…

6. Che Kung Temple

1.57 MILES

This large Taoist temple complex, rebuilt in 1993, is on the opposite bank of the Shing Mun River channel. It’s dedicated to Che Kung, a Song-dynasty…

7. Amah Rock

2.04 MILES

This oddly shaped boulder southwest of Sha Tin carries a legend. For many years a fisherman’s wife would stand on this spot in the hills above Lion Rock…

8. Chinese University of Hong Kong

2.05 MILES

A koi-filled pond, views of Tolo Harbour, and lots of trees where migratory birds sometimes roost make this a very pleasant campus to have a stroll in.