Hong Kong
Overview
This former British colony is part of China and located in the south eastern part of the country.
For centuries, Hong Kong has been a major commercial hub in SE Asia. Today Hong Kong is as vibrant as ever, providing visitors with a blend of traditional and modern experiences that will make for a most enjoyable stay.
However, few if any visitors make the journey to Hong Kong just for the diving. The traveller may wish to do some diving whilst visiting Hong Kong as an aside to the main reason for visiting.
Mention Hong Kong to most people and they will conjure up images of sky scrapers set in a bustling metropolis of concrete and steel canyons. While this image is true of the central area, there is a lot more to see and do in Hong Kong that will be of interest to the visitor.
Take a tram ride with your camera up to Victoria Peak at 552 metres to catch the stunning vistas of Hong Kong. There are still signs of Hong Kong's colonial past. Climb the steps up to Battery Path to the Cathedral Precinct to get a feel for days gone by. Staying with cultural themes, the HK Museum of Art is also worth a visit.
There are large tracts of open countryside beyond the Kowloon Hills that are ideal for nature watching and hiking. The beaches of the north east New Territories are also worth considering for a relaxing day out.
For the kids (of all ages) there is the Ocean Park Outdoor Entertainment Complex which is one of the largest attractions of it's type in Asia and soon to be rivalled by Hong Kong Disneyland, which is currently under construction.
Eating out & night life
Any taxi driver will be able to take you to Lan Kwai Fong in Central. Here you will find a large concentration of bars & restaurants all in close proximity.
As you might expect, the quality and variety of food available in Hong Kong means that there is always something available to suit all tastes & budgets. If you only eat out once, make sure you sample the local Dim Sum - you won't be disappointed.
Vaccinations
Best check with your GP several weeks before departure. For further advice go to www.vaccine-administration.org.uk and www.who.int
Power
220 volts/ 50 hz, but take your international travel adaptor set.
Weather
September-February is the mild season with minimal rainfall.
May- September is very warm & humid with maximum rainfall in August.
Temperatures vary from a low of 14°C in winter, peaking at 30+ ° C in the steamy summer months.
Currency
HK Dollar. All major credit cards accepted
Further Information
www.hkta.org www.fco.gov.uk
The Diving
As previously stated, a dedicated visit just to go diving is not foremost in most diver's trip planning. Although HK is located in the tropics, the diving quality & variety is nothing like that found in other SE Asian countries more familiar to divers.
However if you do find yourself in HK and would like to go diving you will find that there are local BS-AC Clubs and a BSAC School who are welcoming and helpful & will be able to offer some local input to enable the visitor to get the best available sites.
The dive sites are well away from the main port & dock areas, which means dive sites are reached by boat and are situated in outlying areas.
The diving and viz are at the mercy of strong winds that are a common feature in this area of the South China Sea. Viz can vary from as low as 2-3 m to about an average 8 m.
The diving in Summer months is regularly affected by typhoons which create lumpy conditions and bad viz. Sea temperatures as low as 19 ° C have been reported by divers for the winter/spring seasons.
Dive Sites
North East Area - there are a variety of dive sites:
- Phoenix Inlet
- Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park
- Port Island
- Double Island
- Crescent Island
- Double Haven Marine Park
East
Big Wave Bay (so named because exposed to South Easterlies)
Maximum depth is 25 m. The site is suitable for both novice and advanced divers.
A good variety of marine life found here but not in large numbers. Expect to see:
Nudibranch, sea cucumber, lion fish, octopus, butterfly fish, shoaling species,anemome fish & hard /soft corals.
Big Wave Bay - The Sisters Gap inshore
Max depth 10 m. Exposed to S/SW winds. Nudibranch, butterfly fish, usual reef fish plus crabs & urchins
Cucumber Reef
Max depth 20m. Exposed to S/SW winds. Usual marine life and as the name suggests, many sea cucumbers are resident here.
South East
Little Palm Beach East.
Max depth 6m. Exposed to N/NE winds. Expect to see sea horses, stingrays, butterfly rays, shrimp, octopus, cuttlefish & puffer fish.
This site makes a good night dive.
Little Palm Beach West.
Max depth 10 m. Exposed to N.NE winds. Expect to see puffer fish, file fish & shoaling species. Also reports of a small, broken up
wreck at this location.
Artillery Ramp
Max depth 15 m. Exposed to N/NE winds. Good selection of marine life including: sea horse, squid, octopus, lion fish, cuttlefish, cardinals, chromis, demoiselle, damsel fish and hard corals.
There are quite a few artificial additions to this site- namely, tractors, a car & some old tyres. This site also good for a night dive.
Gin Island
Max depth 15 - 20m. Exposed to S/SW winds. Expect to see: anemone fish, urchins, Sting rays & corals. Also used as a training site.
Other Sites
- Basalt Island
- Trio Island
- Bluff
- Tsim Chau- barracuda, lobster, cuttle fish & large grouper
- Sharp Island - 8-12m. Popular for training
Wreck Diving
Considering Hong Kong has been a major port for centuries, wreck diving is not a major attraction in the area.
However, there are some wrecks that have been deliberately sunk to form artificial reefs.
One wreck worth mentioning is "The Concrete Wreck" or sometimes referred to by its location as "the Sai Wan wreck". This wreck is loaded with a cargo of cement bags which as you might suspect, have since solidified. The wreck lies in about 6-15m and is home to lion fish, puffer fish and the odd barracuda. Viz can be 10-15m in June but beware of 'lumpy' surface conditions at this time of year.
(the above information was supplied by Ginger Ayres- Chief Instructor at Marine Divers, a BS-AC School in HK)
Worldwise
The frequent winds off the South China Sea influence the weather and therefore the access to and viz at the dive sites.
|
BSAC TRAVEL CLUB BOOKSHOP SELECTION
in association with amazon.co.uk
|
|
 |
Marine Divers
Boxing Day in Hong Kong by SCDC
Crescent Island by SCDC
Diving Lamma Island by by Keith Wilson
High Island Reservoir by by Keith Wilson
Victor Rock by by by Andrew Waller
|
