Easily accessible World War 2 relics. There are more known British defense positions, with bunkers and trenches, elsewhere. In this case, you will access Japanese-built tunnels.
- A bit more than two kilometers hike, 1/3 of it in overgrown out of the main paths area.
- Easy till you arrive at the tunnels themselves. Inside it can be a bit tight for bigger people and to access higher floors you will need to feel comfortable climbing, using your hands and feet.
- The map
And a better map that you can download to your phone.
Blue lines are on the main paths, brown on an overgrown area. Start next to Park View. Different public transportation options, mainly to the gas station next to the Hong Kong Cricket Club. Or taxi up to the residential area. From here you will start hiking on the Tai Tam country trail.
Till you arrive at this junction. Go up to the Station 5.
You will see a British WW2 bunker. Continue walking in NE direction (follow the ribbons) and you will get to the overgrown area.
There are not many opportunities to get lost here. Just continue up and not even 100 meters from connecting the Hong Kong trail section 5 you will arrive at this point. Can you see the cross with the white dot within? That is the marker. You are just above the tunnels! Retrace some steps and go down through that black spot you can see more or less in the middle of the picture in the middle of the vegetation.
You will see the entrance. Which is really small. A 1.85m friend of mine getting into it.
Mission accomplished.
It is more spacious inside.
Although in most sections you definitely can not stand up.
Roots are starting to crack some of the walls. Although overall the structure looks reasonably sturdy. In any case, keep sounds to the minimum, and if you see any cracks in the structure head out fast…
There are some slight ups and downs.
And some crossroads. My first time there I was a bit afraid of it being kind of a maze.
However, after researching a bit, in gwulo’s web page I confirmed that the structure is quite simple. Part of the map taken from there.
You can see all the other levels on their web. Cause after crawling a bit more
it was time for some climbing and stretching. Going to the second level.
To give you some perspective, the legs are positioned on each parallel wall two-three meters above him, who took the previous pic from below.
If you are flexible enough easiest way to go up, using your hands and feet to push you up like through a siphon. Otherwise, climb up the wall with the help of the person below. It can be a bit slippery, so be careful.
The upper level is similar with another exit out. You can walk back to the starting point through a short but a bit dense (vegetation) path. The third level yet pending to be explored. Update Sep 17: I visited the third level already. It is a bit more tricky to climb to on your own. I could not find any viable exit but yes a family of bats and a centipede… Ouch!
Continue hiking NE and in no time you will get to HK trail. Turn right and you will go back down to Park View.
Pics in a short visit of all the levels in 2021. In clean, out quite dirty as pushing against the walls for easier climb to higher levels.
On a cold & rainy Feb 2022 day we went again to the tunnels.
This time (Garmin track) starting from North Point, checking a tunnel that we had not seen before, under a Brit construction. Pics 2-4. Quite short, as partly collapsed. There is another entry around. Pics 5 to start of the video within the big tunnel written about in the Jardine’s Lookout NE tunnels. This time I brought the red filter and we were able to enter the bat chamber. Really warm in this tunnel, super comfy Vs the outdoor cold. All the rest in this, my first tunnel, including the initial pic. In the 9th pic, you can see the second-level entry we used. Then climb to the third and back down to the lower floor. All the tunnels in the Island written about in one map here.
Jan 2024: After going to the Tai Tam East tunnel we went back to this one. Pics
Video including both tunnels.
The first level has had a few small collapses. The most clear one on the passageway heading up to the climb to the second level. Be careful when going in. The video is a bit confusing as we started from level 2 and then re-started again from level 1.
September 5, 2016 at 1:39 am
Looks great! Making a note of this for when I go back. Still so much of Hong Kong I haven’t explored.
November 8, 2016 at 9:03 pm
Indeed! The funny thing is that I had hiked/run above that place several times without knowing that there were tunnels under my feet. Surprising HK
November 8, 2016 at 8:32 am
Wow that looks amazing. I didn’t realise there are some Japanese ww2 tunnels still out there on HK island. Got to have a explore there. Is it possible to go inside the tunnel from one end and come on another?
November 8, 2016 at 8:59 pm
Actually the tunnel has different levels and there are some exits indeed. I was there just some weekends ago, cause a friend told me that it had been boarded up, but nop. Main entrance is still completely open