Pui O
A Lantau beach and wetland behind it where feral water buffalo graze in the mud.
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Pui O has a wide grey-sand beach with a campsite behind it, but what people come to see is inland: the flat wetland between the village and the road, once rice paddy, is grazed by a herd of feral water buffalo, descendants of animals left behind when farming stopped, who wallow in the mud, cross the road at their own pace and lie in the fields with egrets on their backs. They are protected and monitored by volunteers, and drivers on the South Lantau Road are warned about them. The wetland is also good for dragonflies and marsh birds, and the beach is one of the few in Hong Kong where camping is straightforward.
What you actually see
- Feral water buffalo - the herd grazing the old paddy fields.
- Egrets riding the buffalo - the birds working the same ground.
- The wetland behind the beach - former rice paddy now marsh.
- Beach camping - one of the easier legal campsites on the coast.
When to go
October to April for comfortable weather and easier buffalo watching; summer is hot and the wetland is buggy. Half a day. Keep well back from the animals.
Honest expectations
The buffalo are large wild animals with calves and should not be approached or fed; people are hurt doing it. The beach is grey and less attractive than Cheung Sha. Facilities are basic. Buses are infrequent.
Nearby
Mui Wo is east; Cheung Sha lies west.
What to pack for Pui O
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
