Hong Kong Wetland Park 🌳
Location: Tin Shui Wai, Wetland Park Road
Introduction: Hong Kong's Wetland Park is one of Hong Kong's few ecotourism locations. Here, visitors can explore the park's natural wetland reserve areas while learning about the biodiversity in Hong Kong. There is also an activities centre in the park which provides a playground for young children to rest and play.
Ticket costs:
Standard ticket $30
Concession ticket $15 - Children aged 3 to 17, full-time students and senior citizens aged 65 or above)
Free ticket - Children aged below
Introduction: Hong Kong's Wetland Park is one of Hong Kong's few ecotourism locations. Here, visitors can explore the park's natural wetland reserve areas while learning about the biodiversity in Hong Kong. There is also an activities centre in the park which provides a playground for young children to rest and play.
Ticket costs:
Standard ticket $30
Concession ticket $15 - Children aged 3 to 17, full-time students and senior citizens aged 65 or above)
Free ticket - Children aged below
History 🏟In 1998, a project named International Wetland Park and Visitor Centre Feasibility Study was initiated by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of HK and the Hong Kong tourism board in hope to inspire more of the younger generation in Hong Kong to get close with Hong Kong's natural side. The government looked at the plans and then decided this plan was accomplishable and the Hong Kong wetland park became what it is today. Nowadays the park is a popular tourism location and many school's go to education centre for learning about the biodiversity here in Hong Kong.
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Getting There 🚎
The most ideal way to get to the wetland park is probably though the MTR. If you go from Central there are three paths you can choose from.
Route 1: Take the orange line to Nam Cheong and then change to the purple line to get to Tin Shui Wai. Route 2: Take the red line to Tsim Sha Tsui and then walk to Tsim Sha Tsui East. Then change to the purple line to get to Tin Shui Wai. Route 2: Take the red line to Mei Foo and then take the purple line to Tin Shui Wai. When you get to Tin Shui Wai you can choose to either take number 705 on the light rail or take a taxi. Taking Number 705 on the light rail will be cheaper than the taxi. It takes around $7.50 per person for a taxi for five. You need an octopus for the light rail but it would only cost $2.45. A MTR ticket from Admiralty to Tin Shui Wai only costs $28.50 for adult and $15 for confessionary. It will be even cheaper if you travel with an octopus. |
Things to Do and See 💫
The Wetland Park is a great day trip for family and friends. It has a wide variety of workshops, food and drink pit stops and other play and rest areas if you are tired of all the walking around. The park offers great activities from educational workshops about birds and plants to origami stations. A new addition to the wetland's activities is the family farming experience programme. Participants can experience the whole process of rice production from sowing to harvesting, and learn more about the importance of wetlands in food production. Other than the workshops and activities held by the park, there are many other things to do and see. The park is home to hundreds of species of plants and animals which make for great photos and memories. Some of the wetland plants include freshwater plants, mangroves, shrubs, herbs and trees. The range of vegetation and plants is very diverse and there's something for everyone. Some of the wetland animals include birds, butterflies, dragonflies, amphibians & reptiles, crabs & mudskippers and freshwater fish. Many of these animals and sea creatures and exclusive to Hong Kong so it is highly recommended for you to pop by and see them!
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Activities 🏆
B.S.H. (Bird Species hangman) 🐦
Number of players - 2 or more
After a long day of walking around the park have a nice sit down at one of the viewpoints, and sit in front of the list of bird species, which is widely available around the park. Tell one person to choose a bird species and play hangman! If you don’t know how to play hangman well I’m here to explain! First off start to draw a blank straight line for each letter in the word. Then start guessing letters ( A-Z ) if you are the player. The player should also be aware of the bird names. After that, fill the letter in the blanks if the player guesses correctly, and lastly If the player gets it wrong draw part of the hangman.
Number of players - 2 or more
After a long day of walking around the park have a nice sit down at one of the viewpoints, and sit in front of the list of bird species, which is widely available around the park. Tell one person to choose a bird species and play hangman! If you don’t know how to play hangman well I’m here to explain! First off start to draw a blank straight line for each letter in the word. Then start guessing letters ( A-Z ) if you are the player. The player should also be aware of the bird names. After that, fill the letter in the blanks if the player guesses correctly, and lastly If the player gets it wrong draw part of the hangman.
Flower Hunt 🌸
In a group, some people are 'planted' in specific locations prior to the start of the game. Each location has flowers growing close by. The group draw up several sketch maps of the park and include all the flowers and their areas. You then have to highlight the areas in which the "planted" people are growing with the flowers. Divide the group into teams. Each team is given a sketch map, and pencil and paper. The teams assemble at a central starting area, where the "flowers" explain what they have to do and how long they have. The "flowers" will then assemble to their areas and the rest of the group will try and find them with their maps.
The object of the game is to:
1) find the people who are hidden in the flower areas and
2) to identify the flower found in the general location of each person. Each team writes down the name of the flower and the name of the person; a dot can be put on the map to indicate the proper location.
Teams search for as many people and flowers as they can find in 30 minutes. When the whistle sounds, all teams and leaders return to the starting area;
the game leader then collects the maps and tallies the results. The team with the highest number of correct identifications wins.
The entire group can then discuss the types of flowers that grow in the area, and the characteristics of the various locations in which they can be found!
In a group, some people are 'planted' in specific locations prior to the start of the game. Each location has flowers growing close by. The group draw up several sketch maps of the park and include all the flowers and their areas. You then have to highlight the areas in which the "planted" people are growing with the flowers. Divide the group into teams. Each team is given a sketch map, and pencil and paper. The teams assemble at a central starting area, where the "flowers" explain what they have to do and how long they have. The "flowers" will then assemble to their areas and the rest of the group will try and find them with their maps.
The object of the game is to:
1) find the people who are hidden in the flower areas and
2) to identify the flower found in the general location of each person. Each team writes down the name of the flower and the name of the person; a dot can be put on the map to indicate the proper location.
Teams search for as many people and flowers as they can find in 30 minutes. When the whistle sounds, all teams and leaders return to the starting area;
the game leader then collects the maps and tallies the results. The team with the highest number of correct identifications wins.
The entire group can then discuss the types of flowers that grow in the area, and the characteristics of the various locations in which they can be found!
Flora 🌻
Flowers not only beautify the environment, but are essential for the local biome. Many animals rely on flowers as a source of food. Butterflies and bees collect pollen and nectar from flowers. The mangrove boardwalk in the wetland is a popular spot which has a long walkway exposing many flowers and plants. Spring is the best time to visit the wetland park, as it is the best season for them.
The Water Lily
One of the most attracting sights in the Wetland Park must be the blooms of water-lilies in the Freshwater Marshes. A water-lily has floating leaves connected to the underwater rhizome with soft petioles. There is an indentation at the edge of the leaves. Flowers of Water-lily often open at daytime and close at dusk.
One of the most attracting sights in the Wetland Park must be the blooms of water-lilies in the Freshwater Marshes. A water-lily has floating leaves connected to the underwater rhizome with soft petioles. There is an indentation at the edge of the leaves. Flowers of Water-lily often open at daytime and close at dusk.
Animals 🐾
The Chinese pond heron
The chinese pond heron is also called “Ardeola bacchus” The nonbreeding adult has a golden brown to buff streaked head. The bill is yellow and has a dark tip. The irises are gold yellow, giving a gold glow. The chin is white but the neck and throat are streaked white, brown and gold-brown. The back is olive brown, with the feathers long enough to cover the wings. The legs are yellow. They are typically found in shallow wetlands and ponds in China and survive on a diet of insects, fishes and crustaceans. They can grow up to 47cm in length and are native to HK. |
The sooty-headed bulbul
The sooty-headed bulbul has a white tummy, black head and grey wings and is a species of songbird. It can be found in grassy areas, woodland clearings, towns and gardens. They have a chatty and cheerful voice and are found throughout China and near Indonesia and grow up to 20cm. Their diet consists of fruits, nuts, insects and sometimes even small invertebrates. The wetland is perfect for them as it is full of insects and plant varieties. |
The Fiddler Crab
They can be found walking along the mangrove boardwalk in the Wetland park. Male crabs have an over-sized claw which they use to communicate as well as battling in courtship. It's smaller claw helps it grab food, which makes the crab a detritivore. They live up to three years and shed their skin as they do so, they're normally brown/orange. |
The Mudskipper
Mudskippers normally live in intertidal locations. In the wetland park they can be found near the fiddler crabs. They are unlike normal fishes and can breathe from their skin and the lining in their mouths. However this is only possible if they keep their body moist, leaving them in wet and humid habitats. They can flip and 'jump' from the land, giving them their name. |
Risks Assessment ‼️
Parks can be very fun, but you have to stay careful and aware of your surroundings!
Risk |
Hazard |
Emergency action plan |
Consequences |
Falling into the water |
The paths have no railings that you can hold on to so you could easily lose balance |
They have some life savers around the place so you could grab onto one of those and help yourself up or someone could help you |
you might drown or choke on water |
Slipping on water |
When it rains the hills can become very slippery |
Wear trainers not high heels (if you wear something that your not quite stable on, you have a higher chance of slipping) |
Twisting your ankle, breaking your bones |
Tripping on rocks, wood, etc. |
They have a bridge that is not stable so it moves when the weight is unbalanced |
You could balance your weight on the bridge or hold on to the railing |
Twisting your ankle, breaking your bones, scraping your skin |