sand and sea – for example, Shek O
Beach boasts an obstacle golf course
and Trio Beach in Sai Kung has
a playground. Check out all of the
options at
www.lcsd.gov.hk/beach
/.
Government-run beaches,
however, also have a reputation for
being a bit joyless in their rules and
regulations: no ball games, no kite
flying, etc. As your children get older,
you may need to seek out beaches that
are not managed by the government,
which sometimes only requires moving
along to the next bay.
You might be feeling a smidge
cautious about the water quality of
Hong Kong’s beaches. Regardless of
the venue, from pools to lakes to seas,
children should be taught not to drink
the water when they swim. For a bit
of peace of mind beyond that, you
can visit the water quality website
(
www.beachwq.gov.hk)
to check on
the latest readings. As a general
guide, beaches in Tuen Mun tend to
rate only “fair”, whereas most other
beaches get a “good” rating. You
should also avoid swimming after
heavy rains, which can adversely
affect the water quality as water
flushes from drains out into the sea.
However, despite our fears, children
usually survive a day at the beach
without any tummy upsets, and
come home happy, exhausted and
ready to sleep.
A dip in the pool
Even if you are lucky enough to have
access to a private swimming pool,
some of Hong Kong’s public swimming
pools are perfect for a family outing,
with some even providing theme park-
type slides and toys.
Along with Tsing Yi and Tseung
Kwan O swimming pools, Sai
Kung Swimming Pool has thrilling
adventure slides for older children as
well as wader pools for the young. It’s
a favourite for Hulda Thorey, midwife
and mother of four, who says, “It’s big,
April 2013
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