Poh Pin Chau is a magnificent breakaway island with 100-metre-tall hexagonal rock columns that dominate the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark area. The hexagonal rock column is formed when volcanic molten materials cooled down 140 million years. These geological wanders can be seen everywhere in this area which make the scenery here truly amazing, especially against the backdrop of a huge reservoir that has since become a part of the Hong Kong UNESCO Geopark.

High Island Reservoir is the biggest dam in Hong Kong. Its turquoise water is truly photogenic, especially on a sunny day. This area is very popular with hikers as there are many hiking trails that lead to pristine beaches, hidden caves, rock pools and sharp peaks. Once you arrived at the East Dam, looks towards the sea and you’ll notice a small island. That is Po Pin Chau, in Chinese it means “split island”.

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The Poh Pin Chau trail starts at the East dam of High Island Reservoir. There are 2 dams at the reservoir: East and West. The East Dam is the farther location and reaching the start of the trail is perhaps the most challenging part of this hike. The nearest town is Sai Kung and unfortunately there is no direct bus from Sai Kung to East Dam. If cost is not big concern, then taking a taxi is the most convenient method (~around 160 hkd). Otherwise, you could opt to take a bus (94) or minibus (7) from Sai Kung Pier to Pak Tam Chung, and then take a taxi from there (~ 75 hkg). Recently there is a new minibus service (9A) running only on Sunday or public holiday from Pak Tam Chung to the East Dam. However, timing is limited (from 1500 to 1900) and on public holidays there could be 200+ more hikers queuing in line for the bus. Strongly suggest to get the number of taxi centers just in case you do not want to wait for the mini bus.

Click the play button below if you prefer to see a video instead of reading. Otherwise scroll down to read further.

Poh Pin Chau Trail – Hiking Video

The Hike Begin

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The trail starts from a flight of steps just beside the light blue monument at the East dam. It will take 45 mins to an hour to reach the end of Poh Pin Chau trail. The trail is easy to find and well managed. If you intend to visit Kim Chu Wan beach, add another 20 mins to your hiking time.

After 10 mins of gentle climb, you will reach a small hill summit where you can take in the view of the whole High Island Reservoir. Here you could also see the trail to Long Ke and Tai Long Wan. If you bring along young children and do not want to hike further, then this is the place to go. But you hang on, the view further down the hike is spectacular.

In the initial descent you will see the upper part of Poh Pin Chau already. Continuing on for another 15 mins you will encounter a secluded beach. Here you could see the trail winding up to the top of hill on your right and the side view of East dam on the left. Follow the trail on your right to continue.

From the junction at the secluded beach, the trail follows the edge of the steep cliff allowing spectacular view below. One needs to be careful on the steep cliff especially when taking selfie or photos. So many accidents happened when we are not careful in these scenic spots.

The Scenic Part

The first scenic spot: Kim Chu Wan Beach (Rolling Pebble beach). This beach is lined not with sand but large round pebble/rocks. Even from afar, I could hear the rolling pebble sound when the waves retreat; hence the name of the beach. We planned to go down to the beach on the return journey.

As the trail goes higher, we started to have a glimpse of Poh Pin Chau and it’s surrounding area. The view here is spectacular 360 degree. Everywhere you look is photogenic. When we were there, the wind was so strong that we have to hold on to each other for balance. Even so, we could not resist taking photos.

After an hour of hike, we reached the end of the Poh Pin Chau trail. The 100 m high hexagonal column is clearly visible on this part of the trail. There is also a trio of rock pools at the base of the island. Apparently, we could hire a boat to drop us on the island or a short swim (~4 m) from the main land. Not sure it is legal though as this area is designated as Hong Kong UNESCO GEO park.

After spending some time at the end of the trail, we retraced our way back to the junction that have passed before. You could see a cliffy escarpment on the left. Along the side path, it leads down to Kim Chu Wan beach.

Kim Chu Wan Beach

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The trail going down to the beach is quite steep and slippery. Luckily there is a rope for us to hold on while scrambling down. There is a danger sign at the junction indicating that a serious accident has occurred at this part of the trail.

I really like Kim Chu Wan beach. Its unique compare to other beaches. First, it has millions of round pebble instead of sand. It has spectacular high hexagonal column that you can touch and climb on. And, the color of the rocks is also awesome. Great spot for selfie and photo binging.

Picnic at the Beach

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Its a nice picnic area. You could just relax here having your snacks, admiring the view and listening to the rolling pebble. You cant swim here though, as the waves are strong. All-in-all, this is a great trail with many spectacular photo spot. It is also quite an easy hike despite some steep section towards the end. I have been living in Hong Kong for over 20 plus years, and only recently I discover this beautiful area. We are blessed with so many natural beauty. The pandemic has forced us to realize that perhaps the grass is greener on our side.

The Return Journey via East Dam

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On our return journey, we chose the trail that goes to the East Dam instead retracing our journey to the entrance. It is actually easier as the trail is quite flat. Worth hiking this part of the trail as it gives a different perspective of Poh Pin Chau. I will leave you with some of our pictures taken at the East Dam. Thank you for reading.