Activists at Greenpeace East Asia have responded to the latest influx of tourists in Sai Kung Country Park by asking the government convene an immediate cross-departmental taskforce. This is after Lunar New Year crowds left Ham Tin Wan and Sai Wan strewn with rubbish and evidence of illegal fires. .
The group posted that “field teams visiting popular camping sites on the evening of the second day of the Lunar New Year reported 585 tents across the two bays — 450 at Ham Tin Wan and 135 at Sai Wan — both within Sai Kung West Country Park. They believe the Ham Tin Wan tally is the highest on record. According to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, each of the two sites is classified as a large campsite with capacity for over 50 pitches, meaning Ham Tin Wan’s tent count exceeded the recommended level by roughly eight times.
“By this morning, newly installed holiday-period refuse bins were already overflowing, with camping waste scattered across the area. Photographs supplied by Greenpeace show littered packaging, much of it in simplified Chinese script, blocked washbasins and sanitary items strewn inside and outside the toilets”. The organisation added that, while daytime staff had been present to promote responsible behaviour, once officials left after dark environmental damage escalated, with some individuals lighting fires illegally.
As BUZZ reported on 14 January, AFCD responded to a previous influx over calendar New Year that the beach area of Ham Tin Wan in Sai Kung is a designated camping site, where visitors may set up tents, make fires, or use fire. To ensure public safety, the department will deploy additional staff to patrol popular locations in country parks on holidays, reminding campers to be careful with fire when necessary, and closely monitoring the situation of inbound tour groups from mainland China. If necessary, the department will contact relevant regulatory agencies for follow-up.
In response to Greenpeace’s accusations, the department said its staff have observed more tents at the campsites but that the overall situation was “under control”, with most campers pitching their tents in designated areas. “There was no problem with the order, facilities or hygiene of the campsites. The campers were cooperative with our staff and there was no serious act damaging the environment,” it said, vowing to continue monitoring the situation.
It added that it had deployed additional refuse collection facilities at campsites, while the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department had arranged for staff to be on duty at the Ham Tin public toilet daily.
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