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Sea kayaking in January in Hong Kong
The amazing shell islands of the Tolo Channel
It’s the most beautiful time of year to go sea kayaking in Hong Kong. Before the onset of ‘the wet’, the skies are clear and the oceans are clean (being pushed in from the pacific ocean by the north easterly winds) and it is not too hot!
In summer the winds blow from the south but in winter they are northerlies. That means we can do different trips in winter too so its a good time to experience some different destinations too (see map below).
As part of our Xmas gift specials we are offering a 25% discount for anyone who books and travels before the Chinese New Year.
Use the discount code XMAS2021 when doing a booking.
The ancient Tolo Channel
Hong Kong’s Jurassic Park!
Created by a series of faults that almost split Hong Kong in two that flooded, this remote and beautiful part of Hong Kong is rarely visited.
The crystal clear waters once were the home of pearl divers seeking their fortune. Shell islands are created by the remains of these and other mollusks.
On the southern shore of the channel you will find the Devil’s Washboard and Jurassic volcanic rocks with an age approximately 146.6 ± 0.2 million years old. This is dinosaur territory.
For more details click here.
High Island sea kayak journey
A classic sea kayak journey.
This is a one way experience, departing Sai Kung and paddling the west to east length of Port Shelter to High Island or vice versa.
A sea kayak journey is in someways a more rewarding experience because the entire trip is different, never covering the same ground twice.
It requires more preparation too, making sure you carry your clothes, food and water with you (exactly what sea kayaks are made to do).
There is also a destination – an end to the trip that is known at the beginning, a goal, a challenge, an achievement.
For more details click here.
UNESCO Geopark Coastal cleanup 18 Sep 2021
OCEAN LITERACY INTERNATIONAL
OCEAN STEWARDSHIP AWARD
UNESCO Geopark Coastal cleanup 18 Sep 2021
Our new kayak shop is OPEN for business
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Private Tours, Courses or Events
Private tours, course or events.
Sea Kayak Hong Kong offers regular sea kayak tours, courses, school & holiday camps and special events. However, we can also offer private sea kayak tours events etc or even develop specific one off events for special occasions.
All our standard tours can be private.
If you wish to create a private tour from one of the existing range, you simply need to complete the online form asking for the tour providing which dates you are interested in (please plan at least 2 weeks in advance as we are usually very busy).
We will require a booking for the equivalent of a minimum of 6 people on a private tour. Any additional people over 6 will cost the normal tour rate (we do not charge extra for private tours). Our maximum number for private tours depends on the tour selected. A half-day or full-day trip is usually less than 12. If you want a larger group, then special arrangements will need to be discussed.
All private tours will be operated to the same logistics as the regular tours.
Contact info@seakayakhongkong.com for more details.
Bespoke private tours or events.
We can also work with any person or group to create one-off events or tours designed specifically around your needs.
The price person will be determined by the factors involved in the trip. If you have a firm idea of the trip you want, send us an email for a quotation.
Please understand that if the trip you describe is in the open ocean or location that can have safety issues, we may not be able to accommodate your requests unless the participants have the necessary skills and capabilities.
Complete the form below to request a private sea kayak tour or event.
Foodie Seakayaking – Yin Tim Tsai
Not your average sea kayak journey! Perfect for foodies & beginners.
A perfect beginner sea kayaker to enjoy a relaxing day exploring local islands and eating local food.
Starting at 11:30 AM we depart Sai Kung for a short paddle to Yin Tim Tsai. This will take about an hour, depending on the weather conditions of the day.
Here we stop to take our (potentially first) food break for the day “noodles at the church”.
This is an island with a very distinct history in Hong Kong and deserves a short walk to explore.
We depart after lunch to attempt a circumnavigation of Sharp Island, the very rim of the ancient ‘super volcano’ that actually created the UNESCO Global Geopark. On the way, we may stop at the cafe to sample some more simple cuisine before heading back to Sai Kung.
A total distance of 12 kms will mean you will burn enough calories for the day to justify enjoying the food you have eaten!
If you are interested in taking this club trip, visit our club event page at www.meetup.com/Sea-Kayak-Hong-Kong/ .
If you are not a member of our sea kayak club, you can apply for your free membership at the same page.
The Inner Islands of Shelter Bay
Top 5 easy sea kayak trips in Hong Kong – #2
A full day trip – 5 hours kayaking.
This sea kayak trip is approximately 11 km in length and takes 5 hours. Shelter Bay is aptly named as it is protected is from winds coming from all directions except the south-east. If the winds are strong from the south-east then this is not an easy beginners trip.
Shelter Bay is part of the UNESCO Global Geopark and as such is one of the most unique places on the globe.
The Global Geopark was formed by the explosion of a huge volcano 140 million years ago. This cataclysmic event pulverised 70 cubic kilometres of the Earth’s crust, rocketing it into the atmosphere as dust particles. As the atmosphere was still superheated from ‘The Event’, on the return to the surface, the dust still molten, reformed to create a type of volcanic rock called tuff.
When these dust particles cool slowly they form into crystals. These crystals grow as more particles land, growing five and six-sided columns of volcanic rock. Obviously, these columns grew vertically (gravity), some to heights of 150m or more. Later, an earthquake tilted these columns at a 10-degree angle so now they sit at 80 degrees to the surface. The volcanic tuff, and these basaltic columns create the amazing coastal features of the UNESCO Global Geopark.
For the sea kayaker, where these columns meet the ocean, is a dramatic seascape.
As the ocean pounds into these columns of volcanic rock, they wear away the weak points. The weakest points on these coastal features are the joints between the columns. Over the millennia, the ocean has created sea caves, sea tunnels and sea arches through the islands of the Global Geopark. A sea kayaker’s paradise.
This sea kayak trip departs from Sai Kung, a beautiful village in the north-east corner of Hong Kong. Sitting on the edge of the entire Global Geopark (comprising 9 individual sections) Shelter Bay is the perfect place to commence exploring this unique part of Hong Kong.
Today you will visit the three islands, by name, Sharp Island, Kau Sai Chau and Yim Tin Tsai. Each Island has its own unique character. Sharp Island is the edge of the volcanic caldera and is now the home to many blossoming colonies of coral reef. It is long and thin with a high ridge running down its spine. It is aligned from north to south with a beautiful white sand beach at either end and some sculpted sea caves on the southern most point.
From here, cross to Kau Sai Chau for a very welcome lunch break on the infamous whiskey beach (many stories to be told). As a direct result of the oceans warming temperatures, we have corals growing abundantly, creating a great place to take a refreshing swim and snorkel. Note! There is still a distinct shortage of fish life in Hong Kong waters (due to decades of over fishing), so don’t expect to be excited by the life under the waves.
The vista here looks south across Shelter Bay towards on Hong Kong island.
After lunch, we cross back to Sharp Island to land our kayaks and take a short hike up to a vantage point where we can view the places we have been. Returning to our kayaks we paddle north along the coast of Sharp Island until we reach the shortest crossing point between Sharp Is. and Yim Tin Tsai, one of the most historically important islands in Southern China.
The crossing from Sharp island takes us to another unique location. If the tide and sun is right you will paddle over some of the most prolifically growing corals in Hong Kong, alongside a traditional Tanka floating village and a late neolithic stone carving (3,500 years old). Where else in the world is this possible?
Passing through the floating village we enter into a calm lagoon that looks completely landlocked. Take the northen most waterway and you will find a sand bottomed channel with magrove trees on both sides. This is the entrance to the ancient salt flats created by the local Chinese over 2,000 years ago. Once you pass through the mangrove, its time to leave the kayaks to explore the island on foot. This island has been inhabited since 2,000 BC but now is becoming a tourist trap for the mass Chinese tourism market. However, it is worth the visit to see the natural salt fields, old village houses and the feel of an ancient culture.
Back to the kayaks for the last paddle home to Sai Kung, into the sunset and to watch the birds feeding over ‘bird island’, the home of over 50 black kites and 1 dominant breeding pair for white breasted sea eagle. A fantastic end to a glorious day’s paddle.
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