Although Tai O is known for its bustling fishing village, there is another relatively unknown attraction. The Man Cheung Po Infinity Pool, popularly known as the Tai O Infinity Pool, is a man-made catchment for water supply to Tai O. It was once a popular spot for swimmers and selfie takers, but is now been closed to the public. In fact, when we went to the infinity pool in October 2018, there was a fence under construction to prevent anyone from entering.
Swimming and selfies aside, I still recommend the hike to the Tai O Infinity Pool. It’s very easy, and showcases a different side of Tai O. Not to mention the area around the infinity pool is really beautiful, as there are a series of waterfalls above and below.
How to get to the Tai O Infinity Pool?
The Tai O Infinity Pool is a relatively short and easy hike from Tai O fishing village. For starters, make your way over to Tai O.
From Central
- Take the ferry from Central Pier No. 6 to Mui Wo.
- Then from the Mui Wo Pier, take bus number 1.
- Or take the MTR to Tung Chung, and at Tung Chung take bus number 11.
From Kowloon
- Take the MTR to Tung Chung.
- And then bus number 11 from Tung Chung to Tai O.
From Ngong Ping Village
You can also make a trip from the Big Buddha to Tai O as both are in close proximity. Take bus number 21 from Ngong Ping Village.
If you find the frequency of the bus to be too low, you can also take a short blue taxi ride to Tai O fishing village.
From Tuen Mun
There’s a ferry that departs from Tuen Mun Ferry Pier to Tai O via Tung Chung and Sha Lo Wan. The ferry timetable can be found on the Fortune Ferry website.
Hike to Man Cheung Po Infinity Pool from Tai O
Once you reach Tai O, make your way to the ferry pier (unless you arrived by ferry). From the ferry pier, walk down the beautiful Tai O Promenade that connects to the village on the other side. Walk through the village till the path splits and you see a sign for Man Cheung Po.
Continue walking down this path as it wraps around the hill, slowly cutting out from your view Tai O and the Tai O Heritage Hotel. As the path starts to descend you’ll see beautiful views of the Yi O Bay.
Now be careful. Just as the path descends, you’ll see a sign for Man Cheung Po Infinity Pool. Don’t turn left here. Keep walking.
You’ll soon cross a camp site, and shortly after that reach the beach. At this point you should see steps going up the hill. Now turn left and go up these steps (shown in the pic below).
The Last Kilometre To Tai O Infinity Pool
From the steps, the infinity pool is another kilometre away. And this is also the only part that feels like a “real” hike.
At the half-way point you’ll come across two abandoned structures, which I believe belong to the water department. Walk past them till you finally hear the sounds of the waterfall.
The path gets slightly narrow at points, so walk carefully.
The Tai O Infinity Pool
When we hiked to the Tai O Infinity Pool in October 2018, a fence was being constructed around the pool to keep swimmers out. Over the years, the pool became an Instagram hotspot for hikers and swimmers alike. However, to prevent the contamination of the water, it is now illegal to swim in the infinity pool. Many have been fined.
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit Man Cheung Po Infinity Pool. We were more wowed by the beautiful waterfalls above and below the infinity pool. Although you can’t see the the waterfalls above, the one below the infinity pool is clearly visible.
Hike details
Click here to open the map of the hike in Google Maps.
Final words
The Tai O Infinity Pool hike adds another activity you can try the next time you visit Tai O. After-all, it’s super easy and a lot of fun. And let’s hope the pool re-opens, at least for viewing.
I hope you enjoyed this post. But if you’re looking for the most beautiful waterfalls in Hong Kong, that you can actually swim in, try hiking to Ng Tung Chai Waterfall.
2 Comments
Anyone know if it’s open now?
Hey Rob, did you ever end up going? The post says that many have been fined – I’m wondering if it’s still worth a visit next weekend.