Fan Lau is a peninsula on the southwest tip of Lantau Island in Hong Kong. In Cantonese, Fan Lau means “separating water flow”. It precisely describes the peninsula’s main characteristic: separating the Pearl River from the South China Sea.
In addition to the peninsula’s geographical property, the area has an ancient stone circle, an old military fort, a Tin Hau temple, abandoned villages, and panoramic views of Lantau South Country Park.
However, the area is only accessible on foot via the Fan Lau hike, which includes Lantau Trail Section 8, Fan Lau Country Trail, and Lantau Trail Section 7. The point-to-point coastal trail is easy but very long.
In this post, I’ll explain everything you need to know about Fan Lau Peninsula and how to spend the day hiking this long but rewarding trail on Lantau Island.
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What you need to know before starting Fan Lau Hike
Before you start hiking to Fan Lau, take a look at my Hong Kong solo travel guide and get an overview of HK first.
Here are a few additional tips for hiking the Fan Lau trail:
- The best times to hike to Fan Lau are late autumn, winter, and early spring. The trail is long and exposed to the sun, so I would not recommend hiking during summer.
- Bring enough water (at least 2-3L) and food for seven hiking hours.
- Bring sunscreen and other sun protection for the exposed trail.
- Get an Octopus Card, a rechargeable smartcard for public transportation in Lantau.
- Google Maps has enough information about the Fan Lau hiking trail. But if you really want to see all the trail details, especially around the Fan Lau Peninsula, download the “Hiking Trail HK” app on your smartphone.
How to hike to Fan Lau on Lantau Island
To hike to Fan Lau, you must first start hiking Lantau Trail Section 8 at Sha Tsui, which is west of Shek Pik Reservoir. As you approach the southwest tip of Lantau Island, the trail merges with Fan Lau Country Trail. Then follow the signs and see all the attractions in Fan Lau.
And to leave the peninsula, follow the Lantau Trail Section 7 north of Fan Lau. The trail ends in Tai O Village, where you can take the bus back to Tung Chung MTR Station.
Click on “more options” on the top left corner of Google Maps and the map will open in your browser or in the app on your smartphone. And I included the elevation profile for this hike too.
- Difficulty: intermediate (easy trail, not much elevation gain, but long duration)
- Duration: 7 hours
- Distance: 16km
- What to bring: hiking shoes, sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen), lots of water, snacks, smartphone (for taking photos and navigation)
How to get to the start of the hiking trail to Fan Lau
From anywhere in Hong Kong, take the MTR to Tung Chung Station. Then walk 1 minute from Exit B to the bus terminus and hop on bus 11 to Sha Tsui, which is west of Shek Pin Reservoir.
NLB Bus #11: from Tung Chung Station Bus Terminus to Sha Tsui Bus Stop
- Time: 50 minutes (every 10 to 20 minutes)
- Cost: $13.4HKD on weekdays and $22.3HKD on weekends and public holidays (pay with Octopus card)
There is a big sign for Lantau Country Park. You don’t have to walk around the sign – a short staircase is next to the bus stop. Shek Pik public toilet is in front of the bus stop if you need to use the facilities.
Fan Lau Hike 1-day Itinerary
Start hiking Lantau Trail Section 8 in Sha Tsui
The first part of the hike to Fan Lau is very easy. All you have to do is walk on the paved road. But beware of cars – this is an actual road.
There are signs along Lantau Trail Section 8. Keep following the road. When it splits, keep right. When it splits again, keep right again.
Hike up to the first viewpoint peak
After Tai Long Wan Camp Site (there is a sign along the trail), you’ll see a small hill on the left with a visible path.
I don’t know the name of this hill or area (and can’t find it anywhere online), but if you hike up the hill, you’ll see a triangulation station. Moreover, you can see the mountain range on the northeast side. The tip of the mountain range is Lantau Peak.
Descend the coast to Kau Ling Chung
Continue hiking in the direction of Fan Lau. And in about 20 minutes, you’ll approach the end of Lantau Trail Section 8. There is a big board with a map and a flight of stairs going down to Kau Ling Chung.
Kau Ling Chung is an area that has campsites and a secluded beach facing Fan Lau Tung Wan (Fan Lau East Bay). While we are not camping on this trip, we are going down the stairs to find the Lantau South Obelisk and a view compass.
Hike down the flight of stone steps, then turn left when you see the sign for Lantau South Obelisk. Remember this junction; you’ll return to it later and continue along the path to the campsites at Kau Ling Chung.
Lantau South Obelisk
After turning left on the path, there is a pavilion with the option of turning left or going straight. This part of the hiking trail is a loop. So turn left first. You’ll return to this spot after seeing the obelisk and the viewpoint.
As you descend the coast, you can see the South China Sea and the small islands in the distance. And in no time, you’ll see the Lantau South Obelisk on the right.
The British Navy built this landmark in 1902 to mark the south end of Lantau Island. It is symbolic but rather underwhelming, in my opinion. Nonetheless, it is a highlight along the hiking trail.
Kau Ling Chung View Compass
Continue hiking the trail around the coast. The trail follows the hill to the highest point at Kau Ling Chung. After hiking up the slippery slope, a view compass is at the top.
Take in the view here. When you look southwest, you can see the secluded beach and Fan Lau Tung Wan.
The triangulation station at Kau Ling Chung
Continue on the hiking path beyond the view compass. There is a grey triangulation station along the trail. This marks the highest point in the area of Kau Ling Chung. And at 94m, the views of the east side of Lantau Island are pretty incredible.
Hike through Kau Ling Chung campsite and beach
Remember the junction where you turned left to the Lantau South Obelisk? Return to that junction and take the path down the hill towards the Kau Ling Chung campground. First, you’ll walk towards the pavilion, walk through it and get back to the junction.
At the base of the descent are open spaces for camping and fire pits. This is the campground at Kau Ling Chung. There are public toilets here if you need to use them. Otherwise, keep walking towards Kau Ling Chung beach.
Return to the hiking trail from Kau Ling Chung Beach
Kau Ling Chung Beach is a lovely spot to rest. And the beach is pretty clean, too. And if you are keen, you can even dip in the water.
When you are ready to continue, find the path on the west end of Kau Ling Chung Beach. It is close to the beach’s signs.
Then, walk back to the hiking trail that crosses another campsite area. Keep walking straight until you see a small bridge. But don’t cross the bridge; take the path on the left to continue hiking to Fan Lau.
Turn left to Lantau Trail Section 7
The hiking trail continues up the hill until it ends at the perpendicular junction. Turn left here. This is Lantau Trail Section 7.
The trail continues around the coast. Some parts have railings, and other parts go up and down around the coast but not with too much elevation gain. Overall, the trail condition is fairly good and easy to hike.
As you continue on Lantau Trail Section 7, you’ll see the Fan Lau beach and the peninsula beyond it.
Keep left for the start of Fan Lau Country Trail
After a few hours of hiking, you have finally arrived at Fan Lau Country Trail. Wow! It is such a long journey to start hiking the actual trail. Ha!
Keep left to start your hike into Fan Lau when the path splits.
Fan Lau Country Trail loops around the peninsula and finishes at Fan Lau Tsuen. Along the way, you will see many attractions, including Fan Lau Fort, Fan Lau Stone Circle and other highlights.
Hike towards Fan Lau Beach
Keep hiking around the coast on Fan Lau Country Trail. The path will eventually descend to the beach. Once you are on the beach, walk across to the west side of the beach.
Not many people hang out at Fan Lau Beach. Most people walk across the beach and get back on the trail quickly. And I did the same – the midday sun is just too hot!
Follow the path in Fan Lau Peninsula
At the west end of Fan Lau Beach, there is a small trail behind the signs on the beach. Hike up this trail.
Near the top of the hill is an area with many large rocks. One stands vertically at the very top. And when you look around, you can see other stones at the tip of the Fan Lau Peninsula.
So look around—there is one specific relatively flat rock that looks like a small platform sticking out of the hill.
Rock platform at Fan Lau Peninsula
The only way to the flat rock platform is to meander through the paths through the bushes. The paths will look obvious, but you’ll have to walk through some bushes to get to the rock.
While you are in the area, look around and take in the views. You are directly in front of Fan Lau Tung Wan (East Bay), and you can see as far as the Lantau Peak, which you saw a couple of hours ago.
Fan Lau Fort
Get back on the Fan Lau Country Trail and continue forward. When you see a set of stone stairs on the left, turn left and enter the Fan Lau Fort.
Built in 1723, the coastal fort was built on the tip of Fan Lau overlooking Fan Lau Tung Wan (East Bay), where the strategically-placed fort can overlook the mouth of the Pearl River and protect the land from pirates who sailed around the South China Sea.
Fan Lau Fort was declared as a historical monument in 1981.
Today, you can visit the ruins of the fort while hiking towards the tip of Fan Lau.
Fan Lau Kok
Return to Fan Lau Country Trail and continue forward. And in no time, you’ll see a sign pointing towards Fan Lau Stone Circle. Turn left here.
Then you’ll reach a junction at Fan Lau Kok (分流角), which is the very tip of Fan Lau, where you have three choices: turn left for Fan Lau Stone Circle (as indicated by the sign), go straight for Fan Lau Peak and Lighthouse (no sign but can see a faint trail), and turn right for Tin Hau Temple (no sign again, but a faint trail).
For this itinerary, visit the Stone Circle first, return to the junction and hike up to the peak and lighthouse. Then, return to the junction again, and continue forward by hiking down to Tin Hau Temple.
Fan Lau Stone Circle
The hike to Fan Lau Stone Circle from the junction is about 5 minutes—not far at all. You’ll know when you reach the ancient stones—they are behind a wired fence.
The ancient stones may have been from the Neolithic (New Stone Age) and early Bronze Age. They were arranged in an oval shape, measuring 2.7m by 1.7m. Although these stones’ purpose is unknown, it is believed that they were part of a pagan ritual.
In 1983, Fan Lau Stone Circle was declared a historical monument protected under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance.
I wasn’t super impressed by this, but it was only a 5-minute hike from the junction. Moving on…
Fan Lau Peak and Fan Lau Lighthouse
Hike back up to the junction and take the path to Fan Lau Peak and Fan Lau Lighthouse. This means you take the path directly behind the sign and walk straight.
After about 15 minutes of cutting through the bushes and following the coloured markers, you’ll reach a height of 48m and at the top of Fan Lau Kok. There is an old trigonometrical station to mark the highest point on this trail.
Then, descend about 5 minutes to the tip, and you’ll see the Fan Lau Lighthouse.
I didn’t see any obvious hiking trails beyond the lighthouse, so I backtracked to the junction and continued forward.
Fan Lau Tin Hau Temple at Fan Lau Miu Wan
At the junction, turn right and descend a path to a secluded beach. The path to the beach doesn’t seem too obvious, but there are a few coloured markers along the way.
You’ll see Tin Hau Temple on the left at the base of the trail. The small temple is built facing Fan Lau Miu Wan, which means Fan Lau Temple Bay. It might have been built in 1820 and is considered a Grade III historic building.
This is one of many “Tin Hau Temples” in Hong Kong. They are dedicated to Tin Hau, a Chinese sea goddess, so many Tin Hau temples are built around the coast and outlying islands like Lamma Island, Peng Chau and Cheung Chau.
You don’t have to backtrack to the junction this time. There is a shortcut from the north side of the beach that will lead you back to the Fan Lau Country Trail. Take the shortcut; it is easier than backtracking.
The beach at Fan Lau Sai Wan and Fan Lau Tsuen
Fan Lau Country Trail ends at the beach at Fan Lau Sai Wan (Fan Lau West Bay). To the right of the beach is a small village called Fan Lau Tsuen, which I think is abandoned now.
There is a “convenience store” in Fan Lau Tsuen (it has a Google Maps pin), and you may be able to get food and water there. I didn’t check out the store to see if it is open, so bring enough food and water for at least 6 hours of hiking.
Hike north on Lantau Trail Section 7
To continue forward, find the trail at the north end of the beach. This is where you can join the Lantau Trail Section 7 again.
By the time you reach Lantau Trail Section 7, you will have already hiked several hours around the southwestern tip of Lantau Island. This means you could be quite tired or hungry and can’t wait to go home and rest (at least that’s how I felt)!
The good news is you only have 7km more to hike or about 1.5 hours more to go.
The bad news is that the last part of the hiking trail offers little to see.
So, I bolted the latter part of the hiking trail. I saw some excellent coastal views and passed by a few abandoned villages, like Yi O Kau Tsuen (Yi O old village) and Yi O San Tsuen (Yi O new village).
At this part of the trail, many signs point to Tai O. Follow these signs to the village.
Yi O San Tsuen
There are a few odd houses here and there in Yi O San Tsuen. They all look abandoned. So there’s not much to see. But at least the trail is flat and very easy to hike.
Yi O Bay and the red Buddhist Temple
After Yi O San Tsuen, the trail will become a concrete path and hug the entire coast.
Along the way, you can see the mudflats of Yi O Bay and a bright red Buddhist Temple.
Follow the path to Tai O Village
The latter part of Lantau Trail Section 7 passes several villages before reaching Tai O Village. Once you’ve walked past Nam Chung Tsuen Village, turn left at the pink bridge.
At the end of the pink bridge, turn right and walk 5 minutes to Tai O Bus Terminus.
Return to Tung Chung via NLB Bus #11
If you have the time and energy, wander around Tai O Village. It is a charming fishing village that has earned the name “Venice of Hong Kong.”
Otherwise, take bus #11 from Tai O to Tung Chung, where you can catch the next MTR train back to Kowloon or Hong Kong Island.
NLB Bus #11: from Tai O Bus Terminus to Tung Chung Town Centre Bus Terminus
- Time: 50 minutes (every 5 to 30 minutes)
- Cost: $13.4HKD on weekdays and $22.3HKD on weekends and public holidays (pay with Octopus card)
Hiking Fan Lau trail the opposite way
In theory, it is possible to hike the entire Fan Lau hiking trail path in the opposite direction.
However, I wouldn’t recommend doing that because the trail ends at Sha Tsui near Shek Pin Reservoir. Then, you must wait for the next NLB Bus to return to Tung Chung. There’s nothing to do in the Sha Tsui area, and the bus wait could be long. There might also not be any seats on the bus.
Finishing a full day of hiking in Tai O is better as there are more things to do in the village and more opportunities to sit on the bus on the way home.
Are you ready to hike to Fan Lau on Lantau Island?
Not many people know about Fan Lau, not even the locals. But if you love to hike and discover off-the-beaten-path places, you’ll have to hike this fantastic Lantau Island hike. The journey is long, but the views are all worth your time and effort.
If you have any other questions about Fan Lau Country Trail, please leave them below in the comment section.
If you are interested in hiking in other parts of Lantau Island, check out the Tung O Ancient Trail and Chi Ma Wan Country Trail.
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* Order a SIM card: order a SIM card in advance, collect it upon arrival, and set up your mobile phone before arriving at your destination.
* Join tours: check Klook or Get Your Guide for the best tours in Hong Kong.
Thank you for reading my Fan Lau hiking itinerary
I have many posts on Hong Kong, and you might also like these other posts on hiking in HK:
Hong Kong Island Hikes
- Victoria Peak Hike: See Hong Kong’s beautiful skyline
- High West Hike: 3 ways to hike up High West Peak
- Dragon’s Back Hike: the most popular day hike in HK
- Violet Hill and the Twins: hike over two mountains with over 1,000+ steps
- Rhino Rock Hike: see a rocky rhinoceros head in Stanley
- Red Incense Burner Summit on Braemar Hill: best spot for sunset and night views
- Mount Nicholson Hike: see hidden rock statues in the middle of HK Island
- Cape Collinson hike: visit an old battery used during WWII on Hong Kong Island
- Mount Davis Hike: see an old military site on HK Island
Island District Hikes
- Lamma Island: hike from Sok Kwu Wan to Yung Shue Wan
- Cheung Chau Island: 1-day itinerary around Cheung Chau
- Peng Chau: 1-day itinerary
- Tung O Ancient Trail: hike the coastal trail in Lantau North Country Park
- Lo Yan Shan Hike: hike Chi Ma Wan Country Trail in southern Lantau Island
- Po Toi Island: see Hong Kong’s South Pole
New Territories Hikes
- Pineapple Mountain: the Great Canyon of Hong Kong
- High Junk Peak: one of the three sharpest peaks in HK
- Ma On Shan Hike: hike across the horse-saddle mountain to Sai Kung
- Pat Sin Leng Hike: hike over 8 peaks named after Chinese Mythological immortals
- Po Pin Chau: hike around hexagonal rock columns in Sai Kung
- Plover Cove Reservoir Country Trail: hike around HK’s largest reservoir
- Kowloon Peak and Suicide Cliff: See HK’s most dramatic cliff
- Trio Beach Hike: see a secret beach and rocky headland in Sai Kung
- Tsing Yi Nature Trails: meander through the easy trails in Tsing Yi
- Tsing Yi Peak: hike the three peaks on Tsing Yi Island
- Ma Shi Chau Nature Trail: see 280 million-year-old rocks in Tai Po
- Tai Tan Country Trail: hike an easy coastal trail in Sai Kung
- Robin’s Nest Hike and Lin Ma Hang Cave: explore northern HK near the Shenzhen border
- Kai Kung Leng: hike the Rooster Ridge in Lam Tsuen Country Park
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Hi, my name is Queenie, and I’ve been a solo traveller for 20+ years and currently based in Hong Kong. Follow me on my adventures through Instagram and my blog!
2 comments
Hi Queenie! Thanks for your posts on hikes in Hong Kong as they are really well explained. Question, could you please clarify where Sha Tsui bus stop is exactly located? Google Maps is making ne confused as Sha Tsui appears to be a village near Lower Cheung Sha Beach and not really close to Shek Pik Reservoir. Unfortunately I can’t open the map you posted. Have a good day ahead!
Hi Paloma,
It looks like Google Maps changed the starting point of the map so that’s why the embedded map looked wonky. Thanks for letting me know.
I updated the map. But just in case you can see it from your side, Sha Tsui bus stop is in front of Shek Pik Public Toilet. If you search for “Shek Pik Public Toilet” in Google Maps, it’s at the southwest tip of Shek Pik Reservoir. And if you zoom right in, you can see the bus stop at the corner.
I hope this clarifies the starting point. Fan Lau is a good (but long) hike. I really enjoyed it and hope you will too! Happy hiking!