Thousand Islands: Reservoir Island viewpoint in Tai Lam Country Park

lower rock reservoir island viewpoint tai lam country park yuen long hong kong - laugh travel eat
  1. Dazzling… Dazzling Cafe
  2. 5 reasons why I ditched London and move back to Hong Kong
  3. Wine and dine at Stone Nullah Tavern
  4. Sai Kung rock pools: the 4 consecutive pools and falls
  5. The Ultimate Guide to a Sai Kung Boat trip
  6. 5 transportations to take in Hong Kong
  7. Top 5 dessert place of Hong Kong (as of Sept 2016)
  8. 5+ amazing Sai Kung beaches in Hong Kong
  9. The Ultimate First Timer’s info guide to Hong Kong
  10. The Ultimate Guide to visiting the Peak, Hong Kong
  11. Best Egg Waffle Hong Kong: tried and tested
  12. Best brunch Hong Kong: my top 5 western restaurant
  13. Night Hike in Hong Kong: Suicide Cliff, Kowloon Peak
  14. The Best Time to Visit Hong Kong
  15. Pineapple Mountain: a visit to the Hong Kong Grand Canyon
  16. Top things to do in Admiralty and Central Hong Kong
  17. The Best Place to Stay in Hong Kong for First Timers
  18. Alternative places to stay in Hong Kong
  19. The Ultimate Guide to Temples of Hong Kong (ALL free entry!)  
  20. Moreish and Malt Afternoon tea: a review
  21. West High Hill – an adventurous alternative to the Peak
  22. Ham and Sherry Brunch Review – Tapas in Hong Kong
  23. My top restaurants in Hong Kong
  24. Hiking Tsz Wan Shan: the most underrated view of Kowloon
  25. Bubble tea Hong Kong: a Laugh Travel Eat guide
  26. A Shop and Eat Guide to Mongkok Hong Kong:
  27. Tung Ping Chau Day trip: hidden Hong Kong
  28. Ninepin Island: the hidden hexagonal column paradise of Hong Kong
  29. Tai Tun Shan – the thousand islands view of Sai Kung
  30. 15+ most instagrammed place in Hong Kong that’s not the Peak and how to get there
  31. My 1 Day Itinerary in Hong Kong
  32. Best of Sai Kung’s nature: Lai Chi Chong, Sham Chung, and Yung Shue O hike
  33. MacLehose Trail Stage 4 – Shui Long Wo
  34. Wu Gau Tang to Tiu Tang Lung hike: Hong Kong’s mountain and bays
  35. Easy hikes in Hong Kong that aren’t Dragon’s Back
  36. Needle Hill Hong Kong – conquering the third sharpest peak
  37. High Junk Peak: hike the second sharpest peak of Hong Kong
  38. Lung Ha Wan Country Trail: a hike up Tai Tun Leng Hong Kong
  39. Sham Shui Po local guide: fabric, electronics, and food galore
  40. A local’s guide to Sai Kung Hong Kong
  41. Iris Hong Kong review: the annual yoga and wellness weekend festival
  42. A hike up Ma On Shan via Tiu Shau Ngam, Hong Kong
  43. Lion Rock Hike: how to hike up the iconic Hong Kong mountain
  44. Tai To Yan: a Hong Kong razor ridge hike
  45. Buffalo Hills: hike up rocky outcrops and silver grass in Hong Kong
  46. Robin’s Nest: hike between Hong Kong and Shenzhen
  47. Devil’s Peak: fortifications and urban views galore
  48. Qipao rental in Hong Kong: experience old Hong Kong charm
  49. Kai Kung Leng: the velvet trail of Yuen Long
  50. Tai O Hong Kong: a day trip from the city
  51. Hung Heung Lo Fung: shortest hike in Hong Kong with a view
  52. Top things to do in Lantau Island on a day trip (or two)
  53. Wo Yang Shan hike: frolic under Tai Mo Shan
  54. Things to do in Sheung Wan Hong Kong
  55. Things to do in Hong Kong at night
  56. Sheung Wan Restaurants: best eateries and cafes
  57. Cheung Chau Island: a Hong Kong day trip
  58. What to do in Hong Kong in 4 days – advice from a local
  59. Nui Po Shan: finding the phallic rock hike in Hong Kong
  60. Sharp Peak: conquering one of Hong Kong’s toughest trails
  61. Lui Ta Shek hike: a quiet hike in Sai Kung
  62. Hiking Middle Hill – a fly by from Kowloon Peak
  63. Kayaking in Sai Kung: where to rent and paddle to
  64. Green Egg Island – an unusual oasis in Sai Kung, Hong Kong
  65. Seeking Kam Kui Shek Teng, Sai Kung Hong Kong
  66. Ping Nam Stream: hidden waterfall in Hong Kong
  67. Madai Stream: chasing waterfalls in Ma On Shan
  68. Grass Island Tap Mun- a Sai Kung getaway
  69. Pak Lung Stream: a Lantau stream hike
  70. Top Hong Kong Staycation deals
  71. Ap Lei Pai adventure via Yuk Kwai Shan
  72. Po Kwu Wan: a hidden Sai Kung bay
  73. Wang Chung Stream: the most scenic waterfall hike
  74. Tai Shing Stream – seeking birds and dragons
  75. Basalt Island: an adventure in Sai Kung Geo Park
  76. Jin Island: a day trip to Tiu Chung Chau
  77. Rhino Rock Stanley: a short hike with a view
  78. Tsing Tam Reservoir and Ho Pui Reservoir: an easy hike
  79. Lantau Peak from Ngong Ping: the easy route
  80. Bluff Island: an island adventure in Sai Kung
  81. Lo Fu Tau Country Trail: a Lantau Island hike
  82. Wilson Trail Stage 4: Tung Yeung Shan – an unexpected silver grass heaven
  83. Middle Dog Teeth Ridge – Mid Kau Nga Ling up Lantau Peak
  84. Kau To Shan: the hidden hike in Fo Tan
  85. Lau Shui Heung Reservoir to Hok Tau Reservoir: a Fanling easy day hike
  86. Tai Mo Shan hike: 5 ways to go up the Highest peak in Hong Kong
  87. 10 best hikes Hong Kong
  88. Devil’s Fist – a Plover Cove Reservoir hike out Wong Chuk Kok Tsui
  89. Cape d’Aguilar Hike Hong Kong: a complete guide
  90. Violet Hill hike + Twins Peak
  91. Sham Shui Po Food: a tried and tested guide
  92. Thousand Islands: Reservoir Island viewpoint in Tai Lam Country Park
  93. Tai Tong: Hong Kong’s red leaves haven
  94. Mau Ping Ancient Trail: seeking the Vine King and Bamboo Tunnels
  95. Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden: a sustainable and education day trip
  96. Pat Sin Leng hike: conquering the 8 immortals peak
  97. Shek Uk Shan: highest peak in Sai Kung
  98. Nam Sang Wai: cycling to the Yuen Long scenic wetland
  99. Tsang Pang Kok Tsui: the hidden headline
  100. Seeking Devil’s Claw along Chung Hom Kok
  101. Things to do in Aberdeen Hong Kong
  102. Sok Kwu Wan: hidden Lamma Island
  103. Best Burgers in Hong Kong
  104. Wang Chau: Sai Kung’s hidden tombolo
  105. Yim Tin Tsai: the salt farming island of Sai Kung
  106. Top things to do in Tsim Sha Tsui
  107. Checkerboard Hill: a Hidden Kowloon hike
  108. Hidden Hindu Temple Fanling: low level urban exploration
  109. Shark Rock Hong Kong: a hidden Kowloon hike
  110. Cloudy Hill: the easy way to hike Wilson Trail Section 8
  111. Ngau Wu Reservoir hike: a quick trip to the forgotten Ma On Shan reservoir
  112. 134 hike Sai Kung: Sharp Peak-3 Peninsula-4 beaches
  113. Ng Tung Chai Waterfalls hike: Bali vibes in Hong Kong
  114. Little Hawaii Trail: easy waterfall hike with tropical vibes
  115. Maclehose Trail Section 3: Ka Kung Shan hike
  116. MacLehose Trail Section 2: Sai Wan, Ham Tin Beach, and Chek Keng
  117. Po Toi Island Guide: hikes, attractions, and where to eat
  118. Tsz Sha Ancient Trail: an easy hike between Shatin and Kowloon
  119. Easter Island Rock Hike: Sunny Bay to Discovery Bay on Lantau Island
  120. Fan Lau Trail: the southwestern most part of Lantau Island
  121. Shek Nga Tau: the hidden hill of Sai Kung

The Reservoir Island Viewpoint is the window to the famed thousand islands view of Hong Kong. It overlooks the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir and its many islands, and the easy hike from the Tai Lam Country Park made it ever so popular. Located between Yuen Long and Tuen Mun, the trail is part of MacLehose Trail Stage 10 and does take a little time to reach. During late November to early January, you can also combine the hike with Tai Tong to see the red leaves.

Summary of Reservoir Island Viewpoint in Tai Lam Country Park

thousand island reservoir island hike tai tong yuen long hong kong - laugh travel eat

Time taken: 2-3 hours

Difficulty: 2/5

Pros: a beautiful and relatively short hike that’s not very taxing. You can combine red leaves and lake view in one too in fall!

Cons: a quite popular trail and potentially lengthy commute to get to and from

How to get to Tai Lam Country Park (Tai Tong)

You can start from either Yuen Long or Tuen Mun, I prefer to start at Yuen Long since it is generally harder to get out of there.

Bus: K66 goes to Tai Tong and goes past both the Long Ping Station and Fung Nin Road Light Rail station. It stops at 

From the end stop, it’s a 20 minutes walk to the Country Park:

There is also a car park right by the entrance that’s free to use, although you might want to arrive early to snatch a spot. We drove there and arrived at 9am on a weekday and there were still a few spots left.

car park tai lam country park yuen long hong kong - laugh travel eat

Here is the location of the car park. It’s basically on the right of the block on the end of the road. Or you can just google Tai Tong Shan Road Car Park.

Tai Lam Country Park trail start

tai lam country park to tai tong sweet gum woods and reservoir island viewpoint yuen long hong kong - laugh travel eat-4

You can easily follow the main tarmac road from the country park entrance, as there is no branch off for the first half an hour. There are signposts, too, in case you need reassurance.

First, follow the sign to Sweet Gum Tree Woods until you reach a triple junction.

getting back out reservoir island viewpoint tai lam country park yuen long hong kong - laugh travel eat-4

This is where the MacLehose Trail Stage 10 starts, with the Sweet Gum Woods to the left and the trail to Reservoir Island Viewpoint to the right.

Reservoir Island Viewpoint along MacLehose Trail Stage 10

From the junction where you can turn right to go to the Sweet Gum Woods, you can turn left to go to the Reservoir Island Viewpoint, which is also part of the MacLehose Trail Stage 10.

The Reservoir Island Viewpoint refers to the view of Tai Lam Reservoir, and the numerous islands in the reservoir has earned it the name of ‘Hong Kong Thousand Islands Lake’.

Personally, I think Tai Tun Shan is a better candidate for that, or even the Plover Cove Reservoir Country Trail, but the Reservoir Island Viewpoint is a lot easier to reach.

sweet gum woods junction to reservoir island viewpoint tai lam country park

The journey from the junction only takes around 40 minutes. The initial stretch is still on tarmac road, passing a branch off that can take you down to the reservoir.

bridge sweet gum woods junction to reservoir island viewpoint tai lam country park

At the end of the paved road is a flight of stairs, but there are relatively long stretches of trail that are flat for you to catch your breath.

The terrain is relatively loose and gravelly, so good shoes are recommended!

About half way there is a Kwan Tai Temple with the famous red horse statue, please be respectful and don’t climb on it.

temple reservoir island viewpoint tai lam country park yuen long hong kong - laugh travel eat

That was the only downhill part of the trek up.

Then you’ll pass under a transformer, get a good view of Yuen Long and across the river to Shenzhen as well.

Resevoir Island Viewpoint

The Reservoir Island Viewpoint is marked by a sign that’s beautifully painted, and then it’s up the stairs.

sign of reservoir island viewpoint tai lam country park yuen long hong kong - laugh travel eat

You won’t immediately reach the viewpoint, but the trail turns right giving you a splendid view of the whole Tai Tam Reservoir.

panorama thousand island reservoir island hike tai tong yuen long hong kong - laugh travel eat

You can even take a break at one of the many benches that are scattered there!

bench by reservoir island viewpoint tai lam country park yuen long hong kong - laugh travel eat

The viewpoint is at the very end and overlooks the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir. The sandy grainy terrain is quite slippery so watch your footing.

official reservoir island viewpoint tai lam country park yuen long hong kong - laugh travel eat

There is rock platform just below that you can go down for photo.

lower rock reservoir island viewpoint tai lam country park yuen long hong kong - laugh travel eat

This is a dead end so one you’ve finished, make your way back out!

Getting out of Tai Lam Country Park

To exit the viewpoint, you’ve to go back down to where the painted sign is.

signpost next to reservoir island viewpoint tai lam country park yuen long hong kong - laugh travel eat

You can then continue out on MacLehose Trail Stage 10, which takes you to So Kwun Wat San Tsuen where you can take the minibus 43 to Tuen Mun West Rail Station.

Note: since we drove there, we turn back and it took us just over an hour to get back to the car park!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ad Blocker Detected!

Advertisements fund this website. Please disable your adblocking software or whitelist our website.
Thank You!
Want an off-line guide for Cinque Terre?
Including exclusive photo spots and tips Plus more travel tips in my FREE resource library
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download THE travel planning spreadsheet
Get THE travel planning spreadsheet I use to plan your trip and track your finance!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Get a free travel plan & finance spreadsheet!
And get access to my exclusive resource library with map itineraries, travel checklist and more
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download a one-page price list for reference on your trip to Chiang Mai!
Have it handy so you know what price you should pay when you haggle!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for Ljubljana
Get a copy of the map for your trip to the Slovenia captial! You can probably do everything in 1 day
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for the Lake Bohinj region
Lake Bohinj region is big - so get a map of my favourite spots to make the most of your trip!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for Lake Bled
Get a free map of best viewpoints, sights and restaurants in Bled for your trip!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for Milan
Get your map of what to see in Milan in 48 hours - including tips and tricks
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for Taormina
Know where the best spots in Taormina is with this Google My Map
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for the Lake Bohinj region
Get this comprehensive map with transport stops and routes clearly marked for your trip to Bohinj!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for your trip to the Peak!
Get this comprehensive map with transport stops and routes clearly marked for your trip to The Peak
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for Prague!
Get this all-in-one map for the best viewpoints, top 5 and restaurants pick in Prague!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Get free destination maps for your travels
Join my exclusive resource library with map itineraries, travel checklist and more. Currently most popular: Milan, Lake Bled and Hong Kong maps
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download the free 1 day Itinerary for Hong Kong!
Make it easy to find all the spots and follow with the infographic
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your map for Eze and Monaco
the all-in-one day trip map with bus stops, sights and viewpoints labeled for you
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your 3 day map itinerary for Danang
Enjoy a 3 day trip that you don't need to plan!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Do you want to know all my blogging secret?
Sign up to hear first about my Ultimate blogging beginners course
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for Hoi AN!
Get this all-in-one map for the Hoi An old town and best restaurants
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for Hue!
See Hue in 2-3 days with this guide!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for Phong Nha!
Where the caves are, what there's to do and where to eat in Phong Nha!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your map for Padua!
It include my entire day's itinerary, not just the top 5!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your map for Sirmione
This might be a small town, but knowing where to go will still help your day!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your map for Sirmione
This might be a small town, but knowing where to go will still help your day!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your map for Verona!
My all in one guide to Veona including secret spots, restaurants and top sights!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your map for Chiang Mai
Get the exact map hat I prepped for the trip with restaurants, sights and spa locations marked on!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your map for Nara!
Get the itinerary for food, temples and deer spotting in Nara!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your map for Macau!
Get my 48 hours itinerary for Macau
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your map for Macau!
From how to get there to what to eat after in Yuen Long
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your map for Central & Admiralty
get your half day itinerary to the heart of Hong Kong!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your Shui Long Wo Hiking Map
It isn't hard - but better safe than sorry ;)
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Get all 9 spots with 1 map!
For the hiking views, you'll need to read their respective articles for transport options!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Let's hike West High Hill!
Let's get you from the Peak to some stunning vista!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Get a map of my favourite restaurants in Hong Kong
This map would be updated as I add more!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Get my Angkor + Siem Reap Itinerary
Restaurants, markets and more
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Get my 7 days Tokyo Itinerary!
Including all the spots in the post and more!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Get your FREE Nusa Penida Map
Including all the spots in the post and more!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Get my Singapore map!
Including all the spots in the post!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.