What’s at the end of the MTR lines? Here are some of the hidden local treasures you'll want to explore with your friends
- If you’ve got a spare afternoon or two, hop on the MTR and travel all the way to its last stop
- You'll be surprised by what you can find!
There's a lot to do at some of the last stops on the MTR. Have you ever wondered what lies at the end of each MTR line? You might not often, if ever, ride the MTR all the way to its last stop, but there are tonnes of things to do at the far ends of Hong Kong if you’re there. Here are some of the things you can do and see at the end of five of the MTR lines.
West Rail Line – Tuen Mun
Although the Tsing Shan Monastery is a bit of a walk from the Tuen Mun MTR exits, it is well worth the 30-minute hike it takes to get there.
The monastery, which is one of the oldest in Hong Kong, is made up of several shrines and temples. Walk around and explore all the different buildings, some of which are painted a bright yellow, scattered along the hillside.
Kung fu film fans might already know this, but the monastery was one of the locations used to film Bruce Lee’s 1973 masterpiece, Enter the Dragon. There are information signs on Lee dotted about the paths around the monastery, as well as several spooky-looking cardboard cut-outs of the martial artist.
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Island Line – Chai Wan
The Law Uk Folk Museum is an 18th century Hakka village house that has been turned into a mini exhibition on traditional Hakka village life.
The museum is the last remaining Hakka village house in Chai Wan. Inside the house, there are items you would typically expect to find in a Hakka home, including furniture, cooking utensils, and farming tools.
The museum is only a five-minute walk from Chai Wan MTR station and, although it isn’t very large, it is a good place to wander around if you’ve got an hour to spare.
Tseung Kwan O Line – Lohas Park
The Tseung Kwan O line splits into two at Tseung Kwan O, with one line branching off to Po Lam and the other heading towards Lohas Park.
Lohas Park is a great place to start a cycling trip around Junk Bay. A wide cycle-path begins from just outside the station and goes around the bay towards Tseung Kwan O’s town centre.
Take in the great views of the bay and Tseung Kwan O, but don’t feel like you have to stick to the coastline – there are cycle paths all over Tseung Kwan O, and they are a great way of exploring the area.
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Tung Chung Line – Tung Chung
There are several historical monuments and old fishing villages at the end of this line that are worth exploring. The Tung Chung Battery was built in 1817 and was used to defend the area against pirates. Not much remains of the battery (another word for a military unit that uses cannons that are fixed in place), but if you visit, you’ll see the remains of an L-shaped wall that probably once held guns and cannons.
A short walk away from the battery is Ma Wan Chung Village, which lies on the coast of Tung Chung Bay. The houses sit on stilts on top of the water, and a footbridge spans a river running through the village. Take a moment to stop here and get a few shots for ’gram.
On the other side of Yat Tung Estate is an old Qing dynasty (1644-1912) naval building called the Tung Chung Fort. The fortress is currently being used as a school as well as the Rural Committee Office, but there are still six old cannons on display.
Ma On Shan Line – Wu Kai Sha
There are several beaches around Wu Kai Sha Station that offer stunning views of Tolo Harbour.
To Tau Wan Village, a short walk from the station, has a long, sandy beach that provides a panoramic view of the harbour and Ma On Shan. If you are at the beach during low tide, you might even see shellfish and crabs crawling about on the beach.
This is a great place to watch the sun go down, and a fantastic spot to Instagram – make sure to capture the shadows cast by the boats in the bay, as the sun falls below the horizon.