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public holidays only, bus 275R links Bride’s Pool with Tai Po. If you carry on north from Bride’s Pool to Luk Keng on Starling Inlet, you can catch green minibus 56K, which will take you to Fanling MTR station. Those looking for a more strenuous hike can join stage No 9 of the Wilson Trail (Click here) at Tai Mei Tuk on the Plover Cove Reservoir and head west into the steep Pat Sin Leng range of hills (named after the ‘Eight Immortals’ of Taoism) to Wong Leng Shan (639m). The trail then carries on westward to Hok Tau Reservoir and Hok Tau Wai (12km, four hours).

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TRANSPORT – PLOVER COVE

Bus Take bus 75K (and additionally 74K or 275R on Sundays and holidays) from Tai Po Market MTR East Rail station ( Map) in Tai Po.

Green Minibus Bus 20C passes through Tai Po Market MTR station and Heung Sze Wui St ( Map) in Tai Po on its way to Plover Cove.

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PLOVER COVE RESERVOIR Map

75K

Plover Cove Reservoir was completed in 1968 and holds 230 million cubic metres of water; before then Hong Kong suffered from critical water shortages and rationing was not uncommon. Even after the reservoir opened, water sometimes had to be rationed; taps were turned on for only eight hours a day through the dry winter of 1980–81. The reservoir was built in a very unusual way. Rather than build a dam across a river, of which Hong Kong has very few, a barrier was erected across the mouth of a great bay. The sea water was siphoned out and fresh water – mostly piped in from the mainland – was pumped in.

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TAI PO KAU

South of Tai Po is the small settlement of Tai Po Kau, to which most visitors wouldn’t give a second thought were it not for the wonderful nature reserve here. Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve lies south of Tai Po, less than 1km inland from Tolo Harbour. The main entrance and the information centre are at the village of Tsung Tsai Yuen in the northernmost part of the reserve along Tai Po Rd.

TAI PO KAU NATURE RESERVE Map

Tai Po Rd; 70 or 72

The Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve is a thickly forested 460-hectare ‘special area’ and is Hong Kong’s most extensive woodlands. It is home to many species of butterflies, amphibians, birds, dragonflies and trees, and is a superb place in which to enjoy a quiet walk. The reserve is crisscrossed with four main tracks ranging in length from 3km (red trail) to 10km (yellow trail), plus a short nature trail of less than 1km. If possible, avoid the reserve on Sunday and public holidays, when the crowds descend upon the place.

The reserve is supposed to emphasise conservation and education rather than recreation, and about 1km northwest of the reserve entrance and down steep Hung Lam Drive is the Kerry Lake Egret Nature Park and the much-touted, over-priced Museum of Ethnology ( 2657 6657; www.taipokau.org; 2 Hung Lam Dr; adult/concession $18/12; 2pm-3pm & 5pm-6pm Sun & public holidays). In the same complex is the delightful, multicuisine Little Egret Restaurant ( 2657 6628; meals around $200).

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TRANSPORT – TAI PO KAU

Bus Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve is well served by buses. Bus 70 passes through Jordan and Mong Kok on its way here. Bus 72 can be used to get here from nearby the Sha Tin and Tai Po Market MTR East Rail stations.

MTR A taxi from Tai Po Market MTR East Rail station will cost around $20, and from the University MTR East Rail station about $38.

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UNIVERSITY

It’s well worth making time to see the art museum at the Chinese University of Hong Kong ( Map; 2609 7000; www.cuhk.edu.hk/v6/en/), established in 1963, which is in Ma Liu Shui and served by University MTR East Rail station.

The University MTR East Rail station is southeast of the four campuses (Chung Chi Campus, New Asia Campus, Shaw Campus and United Campus). Ferries from Ma Liu Shui ferry pier, opposite the university on the eastern side of Tolo Hwy and about 500m northeast of University station, serve the Sai Kung Peninsula ( Click here) and Tap Mun Chau ( Click here) twice daily (Click here). A taxi from the station to the