Hong Kong Plant Walk 5: Little Hawaii Trail

About this outing:
Autumn is finally here, so I’d like to invite you to Hong Kong Plant Walk 5! For this outing, we will be exploring the “Little Hawaii” waterfall trail in the hills behind Tseung Kwan O. As always, our aim is to get familiar with Hong Kong’s native plants by using the iNaturalist app. We will gather at Po Lam MTR station and stroll together to the starting point of the walk (10-15 minutes). I will share a quick overview about iNaturalist and how to make and upload an observation – by doing so, you’ll be contributing useful biodiversity data to a huge citizen science database! Then, we will wander at a comfortable pace up the trail pausing to look more closely at plants and record what we see. This 7km route winds into the hills, along the stream valley, past the falls and through village land before looping back towards the city. We will see varied plant habitats: woodland, moist stream banks, and village margins. We will also see the impact that invasive plants have on local ecosystems.

This event is beginner-friendly, but it is longer than previous walks I have organized. You need reasonable fitness and comfortable hiking shoes with good grip. The hike involves a gradual ascent of around 200m, there are stairs and the trail is uneven in places. Please read the walk details below if you’re not sure.

About the organizer:
I am a regular hiker, plant lover and iNaturalist ambassador. However, I am not a botanist or expert! The aim of this walk is to discover plants together, document Hong Kong’s native biodiversity and work on removing our plant blindness.

Please:
✔Have a true profile photo of yourself on Meetup, so that I can recognize you
✔Download the iNaturalist app on your phone before the walk and create an account (it's free and nonprofit - no ads)
✔Have breakfast and hydrate before the hike
✔Plan your transportation to Po Lam MTR station and show up on time!

Do bring:
✔Water or sports drink (at least 1L) and a snack for energy
✔ Comfortable walking or hiking shoes
✔Mosquito repellent
✔Sun protection (hat / sunscreen / long sleeves)
✔Umbrella

Don't:
❌Wear inappropriate clothes/shoes (flip flops, heels)
❌Be late
❌Bring guests (all participants must sign up separately)
❌Smoke or drop litter on the trail

Route description: Starting from Po Lam MTR, we will walk out of the urban area and head up Little Hawaii Trail towards Tseng Lan Shue. Near the village we will turn around and return via part of Wilson Trail sec 3 back to the starting point.

Walk details: Approx. 7km with a mixture of trail (stone steps) and tarmac road/paths. The route involves 200m ascent. There is a gradual but steady climb in the first half. Part of the climb is in shaded forest, but some of it is exposed to the sun.

Difficulty note: If you are an experienced/regular hiker, you will find this walk easy; but if you do not hike regularly, this walk may be moderately challenging and require some stamina. The walk may take up to 3.5 hours. I plan to finish by or before 1pm. It is a circular route and we will return to our starting point in Po Lam.

There is an optional exit point halfway along the route at Tseng Lan Shue 井欗樹 village, with buses towards Diamond Hill and other destinations on Clearwater Bay Road, if you prefer not to walk the full distance (though that will mean missing out on some plants!).

Meeting time and place: 9.30 am at Po Lam 寶琳 MTR station exit C.
I will wait at exit C, just inside the station. This exit is in the middle of the station and opens onto the street.
Meeting point as seen from the street: https://maps.app.goo.gl/XhieatyZ7FoEyfod9

Transportation info

By MTR
The best way to get to the meeting point is by MTR. Po Lam Station is the last station on the Tseung Kwan O Line. Use the MTR app to plan your journey time from your starting point. Note that every third train on the TKO line goes to Lohas Park. Make sure you get on a train with Po Lam 寶琳 as the destination, NOT Lohas Park 康城.

Example journey times from connecting stations:
· North Point (Island Line) to Po Lam: 20 minutes
· Yau Tong (Kwun Tong Line) to Po Lam: 15 minutes.

Taxi or Uber
Your destination is Po Lam MTR station. The taxi might drop you off in front of the station, or at the public transport interchange behind the MTR station, in which case you will need to follow the signs to the MTR trains to find our meeting point.

By bus
There is a public transport interchange behind Po Lam MTR station, with bus services from Diamond Hill (91M), Kwun Tong (93A) and others. Follow signs to MTR trains to find our meeting point. But it’s simpler to just take the MTR.

Important notes:

I will make a list of participants with visible profile photos on Meetup. If you cannot make it, please update your RSVP on Meetup as soon as possible.
Out of respect for all participants, we will not wait a long time for latecomers and will start the walk promptly, so please arrive in good time. You can leave a message in the chat before 9.30am if you need to get in touch.
The walk may be cancelled in the event of heavy rain/thunderstorm or for other reasons.
I will not check messages after the walk begins.
There is a convenience store at the MTR station, but no stores along the route. Please carry enough water and a snack for energy.
The weather could be warm and sunny. Remember sun protection/hat/umbrella.
We will pass by a public toilet near the start of the walk.
Participants join this walk at their own choosing and at their own risk.