Outdoor Family Activities

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Hong Kong provides a wealth of outdoor leisure and cultural activities in both rural and urban areas that you can enjoy with your family. Here you can learn more about Hong Kong’s numerous fascinating places and facilities for outdoor activities, including beaches, country parks and campgrounds and barbecue locations.

Public Beaches, Swimming Pools and Water Sports

Swimming is one of the most popular forms of recreation in Hong Kong. There are 41 gazetted beaches throughout the territory and 37 public swimming pools that are available to the public for a small fee with considerable concessions for children, senior citizens and full-time students.

Opening hours for swimming pools and lifeguard services at beaches vary by season and location.

More on public beach and swimming pool locations, opening hours and admission feeshttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/beach/en/index.php

Swimming can be a healthy activity with fun as long as you observe the following safety precautions:

Do a few warm-up exercises before swimming
Do not swim immediately after a meal
Never swim alone
Do not jump from a beach raft or dive underneath
Never swim after dark or during a thunderstorm

More water safety tipshttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/beach/en/atten-general.php
Information on warning signs posted at beacheshttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/beach/en/atten-warning.php

You should always check the weather conditions and the latest beach water quality before setting out.

More on weather conditions, visibility and UV readingshttp://www.weather.gov.hk/sports/watersports.shtml
More on the latest beach gradingshttp://www.beachwq.gov.hk/en/map.aspx

Surrounded by sea, Hong Kong is an ideal place to take part in – or learn – water sports. You can go sailing, kayaking or windsurfing at one of the five water sports centres on Hong Kong Island and in the New Territories. Training programmes are available, or you can hire different craft to practise those activities in which you are already skilled.

More on water sports centre locations and feeshttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/watersport/en/index.php
Information on water sports safetyhttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/watersport/en/guideline.php

Parks, Gardens and Zoos

While Hong Kong is renowned for its dazzling cityscape, it also offers plenty of greenery parks, gardens and zoos to keep away from the hustle and bustle of urban life. Other options include a variety of marine parks, the Hong Kong National Geopark and the 61-hectare Hong Kong Wetland Park in Tin Shui Wai.

More on Hong Kong's parks, gardens and zooshttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ls_park.php
More on Hong Kong's marine parkshttp://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/country/cou_vis/cou_vis_mar/cou_vis_mar.html
More on Hong Kong National Geoparkhttp://www.geopark.gov.hk/en_index.html
More on the Hong Kong Wetland Parkhttp://www.wetlandpark.com/en/index.asp

Hiking Trails, Holiday Camps and Campgrounds

The more adventurous may like to visit one of Hong Kong's many country parks, which cover about 40% of its territory. In addition to relaxing in rural surroundings, you and your family can enjoy a hiking or mountain bike trail. These vary in length and difficulty, and gentler family walks and tree walks are also an option.

More on hiking trails and family walkshttp://www.hkwalkers.net/eng/index2_3.htm
More on mountain bike trailshttp://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/country/cou_vis/cou_vis_mou/cou_vis_mou_mou/cou_vis_mou_mou.html
More on The Hiking Schemehttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/healthy/hiking/en/index.php

Hiking requires careful preparation to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey:

Familiarise yourself with the route before setting out
Use only paths that are clearly marked and maintained
Wear suitable clothing and footwear
Take all essentials, including maps, compass, drinking water, food, torch, rain gear, radio, first-aid kit, whistle and mobile phone – and be aware of mobile phone blind spots

More hiking safety tipshttp://www.hkwalkers.net/eng/index2_5.htm
More on mobile phone services in country parkshttp://www.ofca.gov.hk/en/consumer_focus/mobile_telecom/country_parks/index.html
More on staying in touch while hikinghttp://www.gov.hk/en/residents/communication/mobilecomm/stayingintouch/
Weather Information for Hiking and Mountaineeringhttp://www.hko.gov.hk/sports/hiking_e.html

The four holiday camps under the management of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) are ideal places to relieve the stress of city life. In addition to providing day, residential and evening camp services to visitors, the holiday camps are equipped with various kinds of leisure facilities such as archery, ropes course, sport climbing, badminton and table tennis for holiday makers.

More on LCSD's holiday campshttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/camp/en/index.php

For those who prefer to rough it, the territory's country parks feature 38 designated campsites.

More on public campgrounds, including locations, regulations and safety tipshttp://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/country/cou_vis/cou_vis_cam/cou_vis_cam_cam/cou_vis_cam_cam.html

Various golf facilities under the management of the LCSD also provide golf service of high quality at low hiring charge to you and your family.

More on LCSD's golf facilitieshttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/golf/en/index.php

For a quieter day out, you can take your family to fish in one of the territory's reservoirs during the non-spawning season, i.e. from 1 September of each year to 31 March of the next year.

More on fishing in reservoirshttp://www.wsd.gov.hk/en/education/fun_of_fishing_in_hong_kong/index.html

Barbecue

Having a barbecue is one of the most popular outdoor activities in Hong Kong. Check out the barbecue locations on the following links.

Barbecue site in beaches, parks, playgrounds and picnic areashttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/lsb/en/districts.php?ftid=9
Barbecue area in country parkshttp://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/country/cou_vis/cou_vis_rec/cou_vis_bar.html

Outdoor Cultural Activities

Free entertainment programmes and festive events are organised by the LCSD throughout Hong Kong all year round. You may access the following website to discover the various programmes and events: