The SUN HK : Tso Kung Tam Waterfalls offer quick access to nature

By Vir B. Lumicao

Rock climbing for the intrepid by Tso Kung Tam Waterfalls

Tucked in an inconspicuous nook where the urban area of Tsuen Wan ends and its mountain range begins, Tso Kung Tam Waterfalls continue to draw visitors.

The tourist site is where young and old nature lovers go for a cool and quiet place to laze around on a weekend. The attraction of the hidden cascade lies in its accessibility.

The shallow pools by the falls provide a venue for group fun

The scenic spot is just a kilometer away from the northwestern end of the MTR Red Line, near the Discovery Park shopping mall that is served by both double-deck buses and green minibuses, yet it is untouched by the rapid urban development of the town.

Its nearness to the shopping centers makes Tso Kung Tam Waterfalls a preferred destination of visitors, hikers and plain picnickers alike. They don’t have to worry about where to pick up food and beverage in case they want to just visit the spot, have a picnic and then leave.

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For those who want to stay there until sundown to relax, they can easily replenish their food and drink stock.

It takes only a few hundred meters’ walk to get to the nearest supermarket in a cluster of high-rise buildings that make up Tsuen King Circuit, a residential district on the western bank of the Tso Kung Tam Stream.

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A visitor does not have to climb a mountain to reach Tso Kung Tam Waterfalls. The walk from the Tsuen Wan MTR station Exit A is only about 20 minutes.

One can take the air-conditioned covered footbridge from the station, go past Tsuen Wan Regional Library to the newly renovated D-Park mall, then descend to street level at the end of the bridge.

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From there, take the service road just outside the security fence of the rail yard that ends where a slightly inclined concrete path begins. About 100 meters on, the path leads to the rocky banks of the stream, a risky route as the granite rocks are slippery when wet.

But one can take an alternative route that cuts through brush, weeds and grass.

Party on the rocks is another way to enjoy a trip to the falls

The concrete trail was built in the 1960s when Tso Kung Tam Park was obviously the only nearby nature getaway for Tsuen Wan residents. Now the park’s facilities have long fallen into disrepair.

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At the beginning of the footpath one can see a disused toilet with walls darkened by the elements in the passage of time. There is no working toilet in the area. A few meters away stands a neglected pavilion where concrete benches have toppled long ago.

A little further up the trail, one runs into ruins of former village houses or perhaps noodle shops that catered for visitors in bygone days. They are now overgrown with weeds and shrubs that have also covered what used to be a safe route to the cascade.

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Its being in a state of neglect made the periphery of the waterfalls a dumping ground for rubbish by undisciplined picnickers who are too lazy to carry their garbage back to the bus terminal where there are bins.

Even so, the main waterfall and its dark, deep pool remain a magnet to people who want to dip in the cool water.

Not a lot of people visit the falls despite its accesibility

On Saturdays, about 50 to 100 visitors, mostly migrant workers, gather in small groups on their favorite spots atop the shady rocky banks of the stream. On Sundays, the number easily doubles as FDHs find a corner when they can celebrate a birthday or simply gather.

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A handful of members of the DWC Help Group, an informal Facebook group of Filipino domestic workers, have a favorite place at the site, a shallow and shady pool where they sit or recline in the water and share food, drinks and stories until dusk.

“We always come here on Saturdays, except when we volunteer for community projects or go elsewhere with the group,” said Rachell Cipriano, an administrator of DWC Help.