Hong Kong Zoological and
Botanical Gardens is a pleasant place
to take your children for a stroll to see
animals such as monkeys, birds and
lizards – and even a snake. You can
then cross a footbridge and walk down
to Hong Kong Park to play in the well-
equipped playground.
Tai Tong Lychee Valley has
an organic farm where parents and
children can pick fresh fruit and learn
about various fruits, plants and flowers
that grow in Hong Kong. There’s
also a horse stable and farm animals
for children to see. Note that the
government is currently reviewing the
land use of Tai Tong, so call before
you go. For more information, visit
http://yl.hk/taitong
.
Hulda likes to take her children to
Lions Nature Education Centre near
Sai Kung because it has “lots of space
to run around and plenty of things
to do and see. There is a mixture
of indoor and outdoor activities.
It is clean and safe, with animals,
public washrooms, a picnic area
and playgrounds. It’s also not very
crowded and it’s free.”
Roughing it
In the cooler months, camping can be
a fun outdoor adventure. There are 43
government-run campgrounds to be
explored throughout Kowloon and the
New Territories. Pui O Beach is easily
accessible by public transport, and
is therefore very popular. Beachside
pitches are free and come with access
to showers, barbecue pits and a beach
kiosk, but you do need to take your own
tent and equipment. Also at the same
location you can “glamp” with Ooh La
La Restaurant (
www.oohlala-hk.com)
,
who run a private campsite behind
the restaurant.
If half the adventure is getting
there, consider the campsites on Wan
Tsai Peninsula in Sai Kung. Park the
car at the Pak Tam Chung entrance to
the Sai Kung East Country Park (no
cars are allowed in the park without
a permit), take the bus or a taxi to the
Wong Shek Pier, and from there take
the short boat trip to the campsite,
which has showers and barbecue pits.
For full details of these and the many
other campsites, check the LCSD
website
(www.lcsd.gov.hk/camp/
).
Once you start exploring Hong
Kong’s great outdoors, you’ll be
amazed by what you can find. Kids
just love to run and jump, and any
outdoor space is better than being
indoors all day, every day.
Kristrun Birgistdottir is a mother of two and
managing director at Annerley maternity and
early childhood professionals.
Playing outdoors
can help children
appreciate nature,
as well as improve
their immune
system and physical
development.
April 2013
45