How to Bike from Shatin to Tai Mei Tuk
Contents
- Essential Information
- Biking Trail Highlights
- Google Route Map
- How to Get There
- How to Pick a Good Bike and How Much to Pay
- Quick Route Summary
- Start at the Shing Mun River
- Ma Liu Shui Promenade
- Pak Shek Kok Promenade and Science Park
- IMPORTANT: Where Everyone Gets Lost
- Villages and Factories
- Village and Mountain Scenery
- Tai Mei Tuk Village
- Plover Cove Reservoir and Dam
- Getting Back
Essential Tai Mei Tuk Biking Details
- District: New Territories
- Duration: 3.5 hours (round trip), Just under 2 hours (one way) - this is at a decent clip. If you bike at a gentle pace and take a lot of pictures, expect to take much longer.
- Distance: 46km (round trip). 23km (one way)
- Facilities: Toilets, restaurants, vending machines, etc throughout
Why Bike from Shatin to Tai Mei Tuk?
Biking from Shatin to Tai Mei Tuk is one of those adventures that is likely to take a lot out of you physically, but what it gives back to you in terms of breathtaking views is truly spectacular.
The cycling track is reserved only for cyclists, meaning you won't be competing for space with cars and traffic. This makes the journey much safer than biking on roads choked up with vehicular traffic.
The main highlights of the route include:
- Biking beside the Shing Mun River and enjoying a blend of city and mountain views
- Cycling beside the South China Sea with incredible ocean and mountain vistas
- Passing through little villages right at the base of the impressive Pat Sin Leng Mountain Range
- Going past the towering white Guanyin (goddess of mercy) statue
- Biking across the Plover Cove Reservoir Dam
*Try to avoid weekends, if possible. The biking track is choked with slow-moving families, large groups and impatient people.
Google Route Map
How to Get to the Shatin Waterfront Bike Rental Kiosks (Start Point)
Take the MTR to Shatin Station and leave through Exit A.
Walk through New Town Plaza shopping mall and take the escalators downward at the far end.
At the bottom of the first set of escalators, take another escalator down (it's directly in front of you).
Exit New Town Plaza and walk up the stairs at the sitting-out area. From there, walk to the far side of the public library. Take the stairs down to the park and then another set of stairs to Shing Mun River.
Turn left and walk along the river for a few minutes until you arrive at the bike rental kiosks.
Bike Kiosk Opening Hours
9:30am - 7:30pm daily (according to their Google listing)
How to Rent a Good Bike and Not Get Ripped Off
Renting A Good Bike
There's nothing that'll ruin a scenic bike trip quite like an immensely uncomfortable seat paired with brakes that squeak every time you apply them. To avoid such a calamity, here are 6 things you should look for when renting a bike:
- A wide seat with some cushioning - At the rental kiosks, bikes of the same make and model will often be outfitted with different seats. Make sure the one you pick isn't rock-hard or too small for your tush.
- Test both brakes individually - Be sure to test your front and back brakes independently. When applied together, it's hard to tell if one of them is working poorly.
- Get a bike that's the correct height - Don't get pressured into taking a bike that's too small or too big. Test out a few differently-sized bikes and pick the one that's right for you.
- Test the gears - All rental bikes will come with gears. Run through the range of gears (while you are in motion) to make sure they all work. Very often the gears won't engage, meaning that you'll possibly be stuck going at a snail's pace.
- Check the tyre pressure - Give both tyres a proper squeeze and make sure none of them are soft. If you're able to make the tyres flex when you squeeze, it might be worth asking for a top-up of air (it's free).
- Ask for a lock and key - you may need to get off your bike and explore or use the toilet. Without a lock and key, you can't safely leave your bike anywhere.
How Much Should You Pay?
Renting a bike for the entire day should cost between 70-90 HKD (as of 2023).
You can arrange with shop owners to drop your bike off in Tai Mei Tuk so you don't need to make the trip back again. You can also arrange to drop off your bike at Tai Po Waterfront Park if you want a much shorter ride.
Quick Tai Mei Tuk Biking Route Summary
- Bike along the Shing Mun River for just under 5 km
- At the end of the river (just after the small uphill ramp), turn left. Do not take the bridge across the river to the right
- Follow the biking road as it takes you along the Ma Liu Shui Waterfront
- Head into both successive tunnels and cycle along Pak Shek Kok Waterfront (by Science Park)
- A few km later, you'll go past the Tai Po Tai Wong Yeh Temple
- Take the biking trail to the right just after the temple (follow the blue sign to 'Tai Po Waterfront Park')
- Go straight and IGNORE the next signs pointing to 'Tai Po Waterfront Park'
- Head downward into a tunnel and turn immediately right (there's a small blue sign that says 'Tai Mei Tuk' to let you know you're going the right way
- Follow the biking trail straight for a while. IGNORE the first turn to your right. Take the right turn immediately after with the pink 'Tai Mei Tuk' sign beside it
- The turn takes you into a small tunnel, after which you should turn right again (there's a blue 'Tai Mei Tuk' sign to point you in the right direction
- Go straight for a few km. Don't cross over to the other side of the road until the road ends and forces you to cross (there's a blue 'Cyclists Dismount Use Pedestrian Crossing' sign there)
- Turn left, going past the fire station and up the big slope
- Continue straight, going past the pedestrian crossing and then heading down into a tunnel
- Out of the tunnel, keep going straight. You'll pass by small villages and the large, white Guanyin Buddha statue
- You will eventually arrive at another uphill section, though much less steep than the previous one
- Keep going straight and you'll arrive in Tai Mei Tuk (loads of bike rental shops here)
- After the bike rental stores, turn right and cross the road (follow the pink 'Plover Cove Reservoir' sign)
- Follow the biking trail and you'll eventually see a silver sign with a car barrier next to it
- Head up the slope behind the silver sign and you'll arrive at the Plover Cove Reservoir Dam
Start Your Journey Along the Shing Mun River
After getting your bike, you'll be following the Shing Mun River for around 5 km to complete this section of your journey.
You'll head under a pedestrian footbridge after a bit and then go up a small slope. Look out for epic views around here.
You'll then ride straight along the second half of the Shing Mun River where you'll be able to see Ma On Shan towering majestically in the distance.
Behind the white wall on your left is Penfold Park, where there are occasionally horse races held.
At the end of this section, you'll head up a small slope.
Getting to Ma Liu Shui Promenade
After turning left at the end of the Shing Mun River section, keep following the cycling path straight until you find yourself under a flyover.
Cross the street below the flyover and you'll see the ocean and Ma Liu Shui Promenade.
The cycling road continues past Ma Liu Shui Promenade and takes you down a steep tunnel with an equally steep climb out of it.
After the tunnel, head straight and into a second tunnel, after which you'll begin the next section of cycling.
Pak Shek Kok Promenade and Science Park
This section of cycling is one of the most scenic. You'll be biking straight ahead for the entire way, so there's nowhere to get lost.
Along the way, you'll have epic views of Cloudy Hill, Pat Sin Leng and Ma On Shan to your right!
Just keep in mind that you can stop off in Science Park for refreshments and to use the toilets. Don't forget to lock up your bike if you do head into a restaurant or use the restroom.
When you arrive at the Tai Po Tai Wong Yeh Temple, you're at the end of this stretch of cycling.
The Twisty, Turny, Tunnel Section Where Everyone Gets Lost
This section is by far the trickiest to navigate. The first thing you'll want to do is turn right after going past the temple.
There'll be a sign pointing to 'Tai Po Waterfront Park'. Follow the sign until you cross a bridge. At this point DO NOT turn right into Tai Po Waterfront Park.
Go straight and down into a tunnel before turning immediately to the right, following the 'Tai Mei Tuk' sign.
After a short uphill, go straight past the Education University sign. DO NOT turn right at the first turn. The second turn will have a pink 'Tai Mei Tuk' sign that you should follow through a tunnel.
After the tunnel, you'll see another 'Tai Mei Tuk' sign pointing you right.
This is the end of the trickiest section of the whole biking route. Good luck!
Going Past Peaceful Villages and Iconic Factories
After turning right at the blue 'Tai Mei Tuk' sign, you'll want to keep following the cycling path straight.
You'll pass by a few village homes to your left and some really interesting architecture, too!
Be careful at the first crossing as you'll be on the main road immediately after for a few meters.
After that, it's all straight as you witness the brutal factory architecture that emerges on your right in stark juxtaposition to the verdant greenery on your left.
Once the biking road comes to an end, cross to the opposite side of the street and head left past the fire station.
Immediately after, you'll have to cycle up a brutal slope. Have fun!
Scenic Villages, Mountain Views and the Huge Guanyin Statue
After the massive uphill from the previous section, head straight through the trees before you arrive at a crossing.
While waiting at the crossing, check out the weird and wonderful architecture of The Beverly Hills, which is a luxurious property development that's home to some of Hong Kong's elite. The units kind of resemble European-style housing, but are all crammed together in true Hong Kong fashion.
Anyway, follow the biking trail straight before heading down into a tunnel. You'll climb a small slope after the tunnel and then the glorious village portion of the bike track begins.
Immediately, you'll pass by several unique styles of modern village homes. A short while later, Pat Sin Leng (The Eight Immortals) reveals itself in full glory.
As if that wasn't epic enough, you'll bike past Po Sam Pai Village on your left, which has a large, white Guanyin (goddess of mercy) Statue behind it.
Head past Po Sam Pai Village and climb up another slope. At the top of the slope, you'll arrive at Ting Kok Village, where there's a small kiosk that sells food and drinks.
Getting to Tai Mei Tuk Village
Follow the biking trail past the Ting Kok refreshment shop and around the edge of the village. Keep following the trail, passing by some interesting traditional architecture and coastal scenery to your right.
You'll eventually arrive in Tai Mei Tuk, which is full of bike rental shops. Stay on the bike trail until you see a pink sign pointing to 'Plover Cove Reservoir'. Follow this sign across the street and stay on the biking trail after the crossing.
You'll go past a few shops on your right before arriving at a silver sign with a car barrier beside it.
Head through the pedestrian opening and climb the slope to reach Plover Cove Reservoir Dam.
Plover Cove Reservoir and Dam
This section is where you truly enjoy all your hard work. Cycling across the Plover Cove Reservoir Dam is a super scenic experience. On a clear day, it's easily one of Hong Kong's most awe-inspiring seawaterplaces.
The length of the dam is roughly 2 km each way, so expect to add 4 km if you cycle the entire length and back.
Plover Cove Reservoir is Hong Kong's second-largest reservoir (after High Island Reservoir in Sai Kung) and is also an engineering marvel.
The Reservoir's construction began in 1960 and was completed in 1968. It involved damming the inlet, draining the seawater, and filling it with fresh water - making it the world's first 'reservoir in the sea'.
The reservoir's initial capacity was an impressive 170 million cubic meters, but over time, the height of the dam was increased and in 1973 the reservoir's capacity increased to a whopping 230 million cubic meters.
Getting Back
Either bike the same way back to Shatin or return your bike at Tai Mei Tuk and take any of the following buses back to Tai Po MTR Station:
- 20C Green Minibus to Tai Po MTR Station
- 75K double-decker bus to Tai Po MTR Station
