There are a lot of abandoned buildings all around Hong Kong hills. Testament of the old ages and nature’s power, conquering back its territory.

During my runs and hikes I have seen a lot of them. There have been quite some readers that asked me about them. So moving forward I will compile in this post those I encounter on my way.

Map (how to download to your phone). Blue, villages themselves. Brown, isolated buildings. Green, abandoned military structures.

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If you want to see several abandoned villages in one go this route on the Northernmost side of Hong Kong might be one of the best. Far from the “civilization” most of the villagers decided to leave their houses behind and move to the city in the mid of XX century. The first spot is Lai Chi Wo (荔枝窩). The once prosperous Hakka walled village is now little inhabited. But most of the buildings around are well preserved.

Even its entrance (or in my usual route exit) gate.


If you continue further North you will find So Lo Pun (鎖羅盆). Nice easy hike in this area with several tombs around a concrete path

and quite some completely abandoned houses. Several times I have read that the area is haunted. So beware 😛

Yung Shue Au (榕樹凹) even further North has more abandoned houses.

The contrast in the area is considerable. With the abandoned rural Hong Kong villages on one side of the sea and on the opposite shore, less than a kilometer apart, the modern high-rises and port of Yantian, part of Shenzhen. Almost in the frontier you can find abandoned border observation points.

Significantly closer to the city you can find the Lau Clan village in Au Pui Wan.

We usually go there as the end of the wet part of the Au Pui Wan stream hike. But you could go directly there skipping the stream part.

In the MacLehose stage 4 area you have several small villages. On the Mau Ping Ancient trail you can find several old structures. One whose facade is completely up still.

Others with barely nothing to see.

If you continue though up the path and turn West (do not cross the bridge but continue straight here)

you can find a full village next to the river.

Marked on the map as Wong Chuk Shan, although I guess that is the name of the hill.

In SaiKung you can find several too. The old Hakka village, Yim Tin Tsai was famous for it salt fields, but the production ended long years ago and also several houses were completely abandoned. I have not been there recently and I know there have been plans to rebuilt it with the school now as a heritage centre and others.

Sham Chung. I have been running in the area several times and seen some abandoned houses. It seems there are quite more, including the school.

Tai She Wan village has been one of the creepiest things I have found while off path trail running. Dense vegetation path around High Island reservoir running on my own and suddenly find this

and this

Afterward, checking around I discovered an old diving resort or something similar. As per what I see in the Google Map pics it seems that since then the area is a bit tidier, but still full of old buildings.

Similarly Lin Fa Shan school in Tsuen Wan area.

With its creepy sledge, above all, if you find it at night 😀

For those interested in history you can also find WW2 old buildings in different levels of decrepitude. I like the barracks in Mount Davis, among others for fun night activities. Gin Drinkers’ Line is a tunnels classic. Check the full “caving” section for more tunnels and old mines.

The oldest military building seen was while running on the South of Lantau island: Fan Lau Fort, almost on the Southernmost point of the island.

Little more than 4 walls, a gate, and several information panels. The Fan Lau village itself is mainly abandoned.

The plants conquering the walls.

Although I have seen several villagers and repaired houses around the last times we have hiked on the area.

Devil’s Peak compound is also part of WW2 remains. Of which I have not written yet.

Just under it the Old Lei Yue Mun Quarry is a favorite for wedding and other portrait photo-shooting, the start of one of the easiest coasteering routes.

The most isolated abandoned area that I have been in is not Tung Ping Chau, which has several decrepit houses, but Waglan island.

Where we have gone to in a coasteering day out.

Related article in SCMP. More updates to come.

Update Jan2021: I recently found the HK Abandoned villages Facebook group. Tons of information and pics uploaded there almost daily. Perfect for all of you who enjoy this kind of content.