Wu Kai Sha


Wu Kai Sha, formerly known as Wu Kwai Sha or U Kwai Sha, is a place at the shore of Tolo Harbour, northwest of Ma On Shan in the New Territories, Hong Kong. Wu Kai Sha is within the Sha Tin District, one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. The name roughly translates as 'Black Sand Creek', based on the accumulation of black iron ore which traditionally flowed down from the Ma On Shan peak.

Administration

Wu Kai Sha is a recognized village under the New Territories Small House Policy. Wu Kai Sha is one of the villages represented within the Sha Tin Rural Committee. For electoral purposes, Wu Kai Sha is part of the Wu Kai Sha constituency, which is currently represented by Li Wing-shing.

History

Originally there were only a few villages in the area, like Wu Kai Sha Village. It is now an extension of the Ma On Shan New Town.
At the time of the 1911 census, the population of Wu Kai Sha Village was 135. The number of males was 59.
The vicinity to the northeast is called in English. The area was once home to the largest of the detention centres for Vietnamese boat people in Hong Kong.

Villages

Villages in the Wu Kai Sha area include:

Features

Wu Kai Sha is famous for a campsite, Wu Kwai Sha Youth Village of Chinese Y M C A of Hong Kong. There is also a beach near the Wu Kwai Sha Youth Village.
Now Wu Kai Sha consists of several high-end housing estates, including Lake Silver, Double Cove, The Altissimo, Seanorama, St Barths, Silversands, and The Entrance. It centers around Double Cove Place Shopping Arcade. The area also features a wet market.
Other features include:

Transport

Before the area was developed, there existed only rough roads to the area. Many residents and visitors took kaito boats from Ma Liu Shui, near the MTR University station, across Tolo Harbour to the area.
With the extension of the new town to the northwestern side of Ma On Shan, roads were extended and expanded. Sai Sha Road is an alternative route to Sai Kung. In 2001, the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation began construction of the Ma On Shan Rail, which currently terminates at Wu Kai Sha station.
There is a bus terminus with the following routes:
  • Kowloon/New Territories: 40X, 86P, 87E, 89D, 89S, 99, 274P, 581, X89D, N287
  • To Hong Kong Island: 680P, 680X, 682, 682A, 682P, 980X
  • To Lantau Island: A41P, NA40, X40
  • Minibus: 807B, 807K, 807X