Tai O stilt houses, Tiger Hill, and hike to Yi O

Less than a year ago, a visit to Tai O might have meant jostling with crowds along the narrow streets, and joining long winding queues to take a bus back towards the city. But in this strange new era for…

Taking Hong Kong landscape photos come rain or shine

Even if you don’t travel outside Hong Kong, your photos have to be much the same, week after week, day after day after day. Shooting from the same spot, it’s possible to take highly contrasting photos, such as by heading…

Alarming silting of Deep Bay mudflats by early 2000s

Last decade, the future looked bright for the Deep Bay wetland, in northwest Hong Kong. [I wrote this for the South China Morning Post in late 2004; it seems the mudflat level has about stabilised since, but still with issues including…

Birdwatching in Hong Kong gives insights into wonders of nature

While human life has lately been muted in Hong Kong during springtime, local birdlife remains vibrant, offering a chance to enjoy some of the wonders and mysteries of the natural world, right outside your home.             Notably, Hong Kong is a…

Watching Hong Kong mammals

With increasing reports of wild boars – including the large male dubbed “Pigzilla” on the Peak, a couple of hikers [March 2018] mistaking a leopard cat for a tiger, and an upturn in local porcupine photos appearing online, this seems…