January 25, Hong Kong—The 300-year-old town of Kuk Po is attracting many tourists from Hong Kong because its dilapidated homes and reed fields provide a break from the city’s infamously fast-paced lifestyle.
Even as shiny skyscrapers appeared in neighbouring Shenzhen over the Chinese border, the beach community, which was formerly inhabited by Hakka people from southern China, was largely deserted in recent decades.
However, the government of Hong Kong is promoting off-the-beaten-path travel and has relaxed entry requirements to Sha Tau Kok, the city’s northernmost neighbourhood, which makes it simpler to travel to Kuk Po by speedboat.
On a recent January weekend, tourists flocked to the village’s attractive sites, which are encircled by gentle valleys on three sides,
“The skyline, the city area, and the financial hub are the first things that come to mind when people talk about Hong Kong,” 24-year-old Singaporean exchange student Kevin Choy told AFP.
He claimed that people hardly ever discuss the countryside.
“I never thought I’d see this side of Hong Kong.”
According to Lilian Lee, whose family has ties to Kuk Po, her parents moved back there during the COVID-19 pandemic to experience the joys of village life. This decision may strike a chord with anxious city inhabitants.
In 2022, she began allowing guests to enter her family’s two-story ancestral home, which was constructed about a century ago.
The 30-year-old told AFP, “The outside world is very hectic and stressful, but here you can relax and be at ease.”
“This place is a lovely setting that should be appreciated, and our family got together to show it to more people.”
Although their numbers declined as Hong Kong became more urbanized in the 1960s, the Hakka, whose name means “guest people,” are renowned for their lengthy history of migration and for having turned Kuk Po into a market town.
Paul Chan, the tour organizer, claimed that the nearly deserted hamlet was seeing an increase in visitors due to sustainable tourism.
“A virtuous cycle is created when the public is interested: houses and monuments are restored, and cultures are revitalized,” Chan stated.
In addition to bringing in money for the city, the Hong Kong government expects eco-tours will encourage the preservation of wildlife. Last month, a roadmap for a tourist policy included Kuk Po as one of the rural townships.
Despite the increased interest, Lee stated that it was challenging to fund revitalization initiatives that include workshops, tours, and tasting events. She expressed her hope that the city will make more investments in environmentally friendly travel.
“I hope the village will adopt an educational approach rather than becoming a tourist destination purely for sightseeing,” she stated.
“Many Hong Kong villages and their history are progressively vanishing… These are things I hope can be passed on. — AFP
