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Shek O

Shek O, meaning rocky bay, is characterised by two beaches and a 701-hectare country park, all of which are situated on the south eastern coast of Hong Kong Island. Its northern beach - Big Wave Bay - is popular with surfers and is home to a prehistoric rock carving depicting geometric designs and animals. The south beach, called Shek O, is popular with swimmers and water sport enthusiasts.

last updated:

9 September, 2024

Shek O Road was forced to close for more than a day last September when record rainfall triggered two massive landslides along the route and cut off 200 residents living in the area. Photo: Antony Dickson

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong officials say 80 slopes on remote road to Shek O must be checked, fixed

Civil Engineering and Development Department says first phase of works to start in 2027, but residents urge authorities to speed up timeline.

3 Jul 2024 - 10:05PM

Accidents and personal safety

Hong Kong slopes at crucial points to get priority for work to cut landslide risks

28 May 2024 - 3:31AM

Accidents and personal safety

Editorial | Drownings in Hong Kong another heartbreak warning

16 Jan 2024 - 6:30AM

Accidents and personal safety

Mainland siblings drown at Hong Kong ‘hidden gem’ as rescue bid ends in tragedy

Man, 55, dies in rescue attempt after he and brother dive into sea to try and save sister, 57.

15 Jan 2024 - 1:39AM

The brother who survived is taken to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan. Photo: Handout

John Lee policy address 2023

Hi-tech methods to be deployed in Hong Kong’s battle against weather crises

Big data and artificial intelligence to be mobilised by government to improve responses to natural disasters and climate change.

26 Oct 2023 - 1:55PMvideocam

Hong Kong weather

Hong Kong areas hard-hit by last big storm, record rainfall brace for typhoon

Shau Kei Wan and Shek O, still clearing up after Super Typhoon Saola and later record rainstorm, fear further damage as Koinu nears.

4 Oct 2023 - 9:18AMvideocam

Hong Kong weather

Traffic lane to Hong Kong’s Shek O reopens after landslides cut off area

Authorities reopen traffic lane at 9pm on Saturday to allow light vehicles to pass.

9 Sep 2023 - 10:44PM

Workers begin repairing the road out of Shek O village on Hong Kong Island. Photo: Antony Dickson

Accidents and personal safety

Hong Kong emergency services rescue paraglider, 74, after crash on hillside

Paraglider was stranded for six hours near Dragon’s Back hiking trail, according to police.

27 May 2023 - 4:17PM

Hong Kong society

Lifeguards worked at only 18 of Hong Kong’s 42 beaches over weekend

Of city’s 42 public beaches 21 remained open without lifeguards and three have been temporarily closed.

3 Apr 2023 - 9:48PM

Fashion

‘I love that element of surprise’: Indonesian fashion designer’s ecoprints

Looking to keep her creative juices flowing amid the pandemic, Hong Kong-based Indonesian fashion designer Ika Butoni turned to ecoprinting, a sustainable technique incorporating natural dyeing.

26 Oct 2022 - 4:00PM

An ecoprint by Hong Kong-based Indonesian fashion designer Ika Butoni. Photo: Ika Butoni

Hong Kong police

Police called to Hong Kong beach after sex doll mistaken for human body

Online footage shows police unwrapping object and finding ‘human-like plastic toy’.

14 Mar 2022 - 5:20PM

Police were called to a Hong Kong beach after a discarded sex doll wrapped in plastic was mistaken for a human body. Photo: Handout

Apps

Letters | Hong Kong’s contact tracing app reinforces smart city goals

Readers discuss the decision to make the use of the Leave Home Safe app mandatory for entry to government buildings, the government’s zero-Covid strategy, the prohibition on surfing at a local beach, and Taiwan’s predicament.

3 Nov 2021 - 6:30AMvideocam

Environment

The couple trying to clean Hong Kong’s polluted waters

With the backing of HSBC, non-profit organisation Clean Waterways Initiative has launched two zero-emissions boats to help keep the seas clean.

7 Jan 2021 - 10:45AM

Hong Kong dining & recommendations

A pescatarian picks her go-to places to eat in Hong Kong

A lover of spicy Asian food, Hong Kong-born Kate Babington recalls a memorable meat-free meal in Yangon and tells us why Red Pepper is always the place to take visitors.

6 Aug 2020 - 7:45PM

Roasted beetroot salad with goma ponzu sauce from Zuma.

Climbing and mountaineering

Where to go outdoor bouldering in Hong Kong

Gym-goers are stuck for climbing spots as all facilities owing to coronavirus, but this might be the perfect time to transition outdoors.

27 Jul 2020 - 9:00PMvideocam

Shek O headland has accessible and varied options for boulders. Photo: SCMP

Accidents and personal safety

Shek O in rural Hong Kong hit by blackout from cable glitch

HK Electric is investigating matter and the company has arranged mobile generators for residents.

28 Nov 2019 - 4:13AM

Crime

More luxury homes burgled as police warn of manpower depleted by protests

Reports of burglaries have soared in the past three months in some districts with police resources devoted to anti-government protests.

23 Sep 2019 - 11:51PM

Beauty

Art you can’t see in aromatherapist’s Hong Kong installation

Haley Alexander van Oosten has a background in fragrances, and her art installation reflects this. She has filled atomisers with scents from objects and plant matter collected after Typhoon Mangkhut hit Hong Kong, which visitors can play with.

2 Sep 2019 - 7:31PM

Hong Kong environmental issues

Big Wave Bay beach closed as flood damage leads to finger pointing

Trail of rocks and debris leaves residents dismayed, officials flummoxed. Local shopkeeper says, ‘I’ve never seen anything like this.’

7 Jun 2019 - 10:29AM

Crime in Hong Kong

Opinion | Hate speech and tasteless messages are not art

Shek O, which means ‘rocky bay’, is surrounded by rugged granite and rocky volcanic cliffs, whose boulders have recently been spray-painted by mindless vandals

7 Apr 2019 - 10:48AM

Typhoon Mangkhut

Selfish? Not Hongkongers, as post-typhoon clean-up efforts show

26 Sep 2018 - 11:48PM

Typhoon Mangkhut

Sewage leaks into Hong Kong's ‘back garden’ after typhoon

Residents warned to avoid five beaches and environmentalists express serious concerns as officials say repairing the damage could take months.

21 Sep 2018 - 10:09AM

Sewage has been leaking into the sea from the treatment facility Sai Kung. Photo: Facebook

Typhoon Mangkhut

Monster Typhoon Mangkhut devastates Shek O golf course

18 Sep 2018 - 6:42PM

Killjoys close Hong Kong beach barbecue pits

Family-run businesses in Shek O, some dating back to the 1920s, no match for city’s legions of party poopers

8 Mar 2018 - 6:30PM

Signature drive under way to keep Shek O BBQ stalls open

Customers and beachgoers voice support for long-serving vendors and sign petition asking government to reconsider, but no sign of softening

4 Mar 2018 - 10:32AM

Liu’s BBQ stalls at Shek O Beach on Saturday. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Is this the end of the road for barbecue rental stalls on Shek O Beach?

Dating back to the 1920s, vendors provide necessary services to beachgoers but the leisure and cultural services department has received complaints about them

2 Mar 2018 - 11:33PM

Move sparks calls for a compromise as businesses which date back to the 1920s are popular with beachgoers

Property Digest, January 30, 2013

Tomson Group announced it had agreed to acquire two sites, with a total site area of 450,460.8 square metres, in Shanghai's Pudong for a total of 1.09 billion yuan (HK$1.34 billion).

30 Jan 2013 - 4:07AM

Outdoor & Extreme

Paraglider takes off on Dragon's Back trail in Hong Kong (video)

A paraglider takes off from the Dragon's Back trail near Shek O in Hong Kong on Sunday afternoon. The spot is known for high-flying enthusiasts, and the weather conditions - at 17 degrees, and cloudy and cool - were ideal for the adventure sport.

8 Aug 2017 - 2:33PMvideocam

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