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New Territories 新界
Location within Hong Kong
Area
- Total	952 km2 (368 sq mi)
Population (2006)
- Total	3,573,635
- Density	3,748/km2 (9,707.3/sq mi)
Time zone	Hong Kong Time (UTC+8)

New Territories (abbreviated to NT or N.T.) is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon peninsula. Historically, it is the region described in The Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory. According to that the territories comprise the mainland area north of the Boundary Street of Kowloon Peninsula and south of the Sham Chun River which is the border between Hong Kong and Mainland China, as well as over 200 outlying Islands including Lantau Island, Lamma Island, Cheung Chau, and Peng Chau in the territory of Hong Kong.

Later, after New Kowloon was defined from the area between the Boundary Street and the Kowloon Ranges spanned from Lai Chi Kok to Lei Yue Mun, and the extension of the urban areas of Kowloon, New Kowloon was gradually urbanised and absorbed into Kowloon. In modern times New Kowloon is almost always considered part of Kowloon and instead of the New Territories – except statutorily.

Hence, the New Territories now comprises only the mainland north of the Kowloon Ranges and south of the Sham Chun River, as well as the Outlying Islands. It comprises an area of 952 km² (368 sq mi). [1] Nevertheless, New Kowloon has remained statutorily part of the New Territories instead of Kowloon.

The New Territories were leased from Qing China to the United Kingdom in 1898 for 99 years in the Second Convention of Peking (The Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory). Upon the expiration of the lease, sovereignty was transferred to People's Republic of China in 1997, together with the Qing ceded territories of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula.

In 2006, New Territories had a population of 3,573,635 and its population density was 3,748 per km².

History

Lease of New Territories

A map of the leased New Territories and New Kowloon during the 1898 Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory

Hong Kong Island was ceded to Britain in 1841 and Kowloon south of Boundary Street and Stonecutters Island in 1860. The colony of Hong Kong attracted a large number of Chinese and Westerners to seek their fortune in the city. Its population increased rapidly and the city became overcrowded. The outbreak of bubonic plague in 1894 became a concern to the Hong Kong Government. There was a need to expand the colony to accommodate its growing population. The Qing Dynasty's defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War has shown that it was incapable of defending itself. Victoria City and Victoria Harbour were vulnerable to any hostile forces launching attacks from the hills of Kowloon.

In January 1898, Germany was given a lease of Jiaozhouwan (Kiaochow) following the murder of two German missionaries by bandits in Shandong (Shantung) province. Seeking to expand its own influence in northeastern China, Russia demanded Port Arthur (Lüshunkou) in the nearby Liaodong (Liaotung) peninsula in March 1898. One month later, France was granted a lease for Guangzhouwan (Kwang-Chou-Wan) in Guangdong (Kwangtung), close to its existing colonies in Southeast Asia.

Alarmed by European encroachment in China, Britain also feared for the security of Hong Kong. Using the most favoured nation clause that it had negotiated with Peking, the United Kingdom demanded the extension of Kowloon to counter the influence of France in southern China in June 1898. In July, it secured Weihaiwei in Shandong in the north as a base for operations against the Germans in Qingdao (Tsingtao) and the Russians in Port Arthur. Chinese officials stayed in the walled cities of Kowloon City and Weihaiwei.

The extension of Kowloon was called the New Territories. The additional land was estimated to be 365 square miles (945 km²) or 12 times the size of the existing Colonial Hong Kong at the time^[1].

British assumption of sovereignty

Although the Convention was signed on the 9 June 1898 and became effective on 1 July, the British did not take over the New Territories immediately. During this period, there was no Hong Kong Governor and Wilsone Black acted as administrator. Steward Lockhart, the Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong, was sent back from England to make a survey of New Territories before formal transfer. The survey found that the new frontier at Sham Chun River (Shenzhen river) suggested by Wilsone Black was far from ideal. It excluded the town of Shenzhen (Sham Chun), and the boundary would divide the town. There was no mountain range as a natural border. Lockhard suggested moving the frontier to the line of hills north of Shenzhen. This suggestion was not received favorably and the Chinese official suggested the frontier be moved to the hill much further south of the Sham Chun River. It was settled in March 1899 that the boundary remain at the Sham Chun River.

The new Hong Kong Governor Henry Blake arrived in November 1898. The date for the takeover of the New Territories was fixed as 17 April 1899 and Tai Po was chosen as the administrative centre. However the transfer was not smooth and peaceful. Before the handover in early April, Captain Superintendent of Police, Francis Henry May and some policemen erected a flagstaff and temporary headquarters at Tai Po and posted the Governor's proclamation of the takeover date.

Lord Lugard was Governor from 1907 to 1912, and he proposed the return of Weihaiwei to the Chinese government, in return for the ceding of the leased New Territories in perpetuity. The proposal was not received favourably, although if it had been acted on, Hong Kong might have remained forever in British hands.

New town development

Much of the New Territories were, and to a limited extent still are, rural areas. Attempts at modernising the area did not become fully committed until the late 1970s, when many new towns were built to accommodate the population growth from urbanized areas of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. Despite rapid development of the new towns which has resulted in a population of over 3 million, the Hong Kong Government confines built-up areas to a few areas and reserves large parts of the region as parkland.

Sovereignty transfer to PRC

As the expiration date of the lease neared in the 1980s, talks between the United Kingdom and the People's Republic of China led to the signing of the Sino-British Joint Declaration (1984), in which the whole of Hong Kong would be returned, instead of only the New Territories. This is because Hong Kong's new airport, shipping ports, reservoirs and other vital installations were all in the New Territories. Had only the New Territories been returned to China, it would also have been difficult to accommodate those New Territories residents moving to the Kowloon Peninsula and Hong Kong Island.

Districts

The New Territories comprise two geographical constituencies in the Legislative Council, with nine districts each with their own District Council:

• New Territories East (7 seats)
  • North District
  • Sai Kung
  • Sha Tin
  • Tai Po

• New Territories West (8 seats)
  • Islands
  • Kwai Tsing District (Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi Island)
  • Tsuen Wan
  • Tuen Mun
  • Yuen Long

Population

According to the 2001 census, the population of the New Territories was 3,343,046, representing 49.8% of Hong Kong's total population.

New Kowloon

New Kowloon covers the entirety of the Wong Tai Sin and Kwun Tong districts, as well as the mainland portion of the Sham Shui Po District (i.e. excluding the Stonecutters Island) and the northern portion of the Kowloon City District (portion to the north of the Boundary Street/Prince Edward Road West, as well as reclaimed land including the Kai Tak Airport).

See also

• Boundary Street
• Country parks and conservation in Hong Kong
• Kowloon Peninsula
• List of areas of Hong Kong
• New Kowloon

References

External links

• Lease of the New Territories
• Lease of the New Territories
• Cap 1 Sched 5A - Area of the New Territories

Further reading

• Lee Ho Yin and Lynne D. DiStefano, A Tale of Two Villages: The Story of Changing Village Life in the New Territories (Hong Kong: Oxford University Press), 2002.

Districts of Hong Kong Hong Kong Island: Central and Western · Eastern · Southern · Wan Chai Kowloon East: Kwun Tong · Wong Tai Sin Kowloon West: Kowloon City · Sham Shui Po · Yau Tsim Mong New Territories East: North · Sai Kung · Sha Tin · Tai Po New Territories West: Islands · Kwai Tsing · Tsuen Wan · Tuen Mun · Yuen Long

From Wikitravel

10,000 Buddhas Monastery, Sha Tin

The New Territories (新界), so named when the British took more land from China in 1898. Often ignored by travellers who have little time to spare, the New Territories offers a diverse landscape that takes time to get to know. Mountainous country parks overlook New Towns that have a clinical form of modernity that has attracted many to move here from mainland China. Public transport and taxis make this area surprisingly accessible if you dare to get out and explore this offbeat place. You wont find many idyllic villages, but once you get over the stray dogs and the ramshackle buildings you will doubtlessly find something that will surprise and cause you to reach for your camera.

Get in

By train

The MTR has now absorbed the old Kowloon Canton Railway (KCR) to form a larger network that links the New Territories with Kowloon. Confusingly, you may find some local people still referring to the railways in the New Territories as the KCR.

The East Rail from Tsim Sha Tsui East, connected by a lengthy walkway to Tsim Sha Tsui station, connects to Sheung Shui, Fanling, Tai Po and Sha Tin on its way to the border with Shenzhen at Lo Wu. The Ma On Shan rail branches out at Tai Wai and is convenient for heading out east towards the Sai Kung peninsula.

The sparkling new West Rail from Mei Foo or Nam Cheong is the method of choice if you want to go to Tsuen Wan, Kam Tin, Yuen Long, Tin Shui Wai or Tuen Mun.

By bus

Kowloon Motor Bus Kowloon Motor Bus operates a large number of bus routes to the New Territories. Many routes depart from Kowloon to the New Territories.

• To Tai Po: 72, 72X, 73X, 74A, 74X, 75X, 271, 307(from Central, Hong Kong).

Bus 64K from Tai Po to Yuen Long provides a convenient (if rather slow) shortcut across the Territories, passing by some attractions including the Wishing Tree and the walled village of Kat Hing Wai along the way.

• To Sai Kung: take the MTR to Diamond Hill station, leave the MTR and follows signs to the bus station that is located at ground level above the station. Take bus 92 to Sai Kung and allow 45 minutes for the journey.

Nam Cheung Country Trail in the Pat Sin Leng Country Park, North East New Territories

The main attractions of the New Territories are about experiencing rural life in Hong Kong life, as opposed to the urban energy of Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon peninsula. Although Hong Kong island has some attractive country parks they are eclipsed by those in the more remote areas of the New Territories. The New Towns are of limited interest to many tourists but the most engaging settlement in the New Territories is Sai Kung which has a number of restaurants and bars that will appeal to visitors because of its slower pace of life. Sai Kung also acts as a gateway into some of the best countryside you are likely to find in Hong Kong.

• Hong Kong Heritage Museum, 1 Man Lam Rd, Sha Tin (MTR Sha Tin). For those with a serious interest in Chinese culture, this might appeal to you as one of Hong Kong's best museums. Modern, informative and attractively presented, this museum houses several permanent exhibitions of life in the New Territories, Cantonese opera, and Chinese art, as well as temporary exhibitions of a high calibre. Admission $10, open 10AM to 6PM daily except Tuesday and some public holidays.

Arhats in the bushes at 10,000 Buddhas Monastery

• 10,000 Buddhas Monastery (萬佛寺), off Sheung Wo Che St, Sha Tin (MTR Sha Tin exit B, down the left ramp, left to Pai Tau St, right to Sheung Wo Che St). This rather garish but enjoyable modern temple dating to the 1950s in fact contains no less than 12,800 Buddhas lining the walls of the main hall. There's also a nine-story pagoda and some smaller temples above the main complex. Half the fun is getting there; the 500-metre path climbing up the hill is lined with life-sized golden plastic statues of Buddhas in poses ranging from serene to outrageous. Free admission, but donations welcome.

• Kat Hing Wai, Kam Tin Rd (near MTR Kam Sheung). Of more historical than practical interest, this tiny walled village was one of the first settlements of the Tang clan, who arrived in Hong Kong in the 12th century and have dominated much of the area ever since. The village today, however, has lots of nondescript modern lowrise concrete housing blocks crammed behind a crumbling gray brick wall. $1 donation requested, and if you see the old Hakka women lounging near the sole entrance, expect to pay $10 or so if you want to take their picture.

• Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree, near Tai Po [1]. The Wishing Tree is an old tree. Traditionally, it is believed that it will bring good luck and fortune. Nowadays, it is a touristic spot for both Westerners and locals. Simply go to Tai Po Market Railway Station and take green minibus route 25K or bus 64K to get to the Wishing Tree. Alternatively, you are advised to take a green taxi from Tai Wo Railway Station if you have 4 or 5 people travelling together.

• Man Mo Temple, Tai Po Market. A temple built in the 1890s. It was regarded as a must-see tourist destination in Hong Kong. Get off the train at either Tai Po Market Station or Tai Wo Station and follow the signs to get there on foot.

Kat Hing Wai walled village

To learn about the living environment of Hong Kong's ordinary people, the best way is to have a half-day trip to a public housing estate. A public housing estate is a small community, where you can find residental flats in high-rise storeys as well as commercial complex and cultural facilities. Start the trip in the morning by "Yum Cha" in a Chinese restaurant or food stall in an estate, then visit the commercial centre and the fresh food market. See the life of school children in the afternoon on the lunch break, and visit the community hall and the library to experience Hong Kong life.

• Wan Tau Tong Estate is a 5-minute walk from Tai Po Market MTR Station.
• Kwong Fuk Estate can be reached by taking the free MTR feeder bus K18 from Tai Po Market MTR Station.
• Cheung Wah Estate can be reached on foot after arriving Fanling MTR Station.
• Choi Yuen Estate is adjacent to Sheung Shui MTR Station.

Do

The New Territories offer a wealth of hiking and sports opportunities as well as one favoured Hong Kong pastime, horse racing.

• Sha Tin Racecourse, Sha Tin Racecourse near Sha Tin (special services to MTR Racecourse on race days)[2]. Participate in the most popular sport in Hong Kong at games held most Saturday afternoons from September to June. Regular stand seats $10, but a special package rate Special package available to overseas tourists only allows box access for $50.

• Tai Po Waterfront Park [3]. The Tai Po Waterfront Park is the largest park in Tai Po District. The Park provides a wide range of facilities including a 1.2 long promenade, rest-gardens, sitting-out areas, a jogging trail with fitness stations, a cycling track and a 600-seat amphitheatre. There is also a 32.4-metre-high Lookout Tower in the Park. After visiting the tower, visitors may move on to the Insect House nearby. Take a green taxi instead of bus if you have 4 or 5 people travelling together from Tai Po Market Railway Station.
• Tai Mei Tuk [4]. Tai Mei Tuk is famous for the natural view of Pat Sin Leng and Plover Cove Reservoir, the largest reservoir in Hong Kong. You can also make use of the free barbecue site in Tai Mei Tuk and the adjoining country park. Get off from Tai Po Market Railway Station and take bus 75K or green minibus 20C.

• Kam Shan Country Park [5]. Kam Shan Country Park, also known as Monkey Hill, is famous for the wild monkeys. It is at the north of Kowloon, can can be easily accessed by taking the KMB route 72, 81 or 86B from Kowloon or New Territories. A free barbecue site is available in the country park.

• Tuen Mun (屯門), Tuen Mun MTR (West Rail Line). At the far western tip of the New Territories, Tuen Mun has the popular Golden Beach (actually an artificial beach, with sand imported from Hainan) and the Tuen Mun Kau Hui market.

• New Town Plaza in Sha Tin is a huge shopping complex which sells mid-range goods of all types. Well worth a visit but it will be crowded on weekends. Accessible through the MTR, change at Kowloon Tong station if travelling from Hong Kong island.

• Tai Po Megamall, Tai Po [6]. A group of shopping malls in the district. It is less crowded than New Town Plaza. Easily accessible by MTR and KMB buses. Take bus K12 from Tai Po Market Railway Station.

• Uptown Plaza next to Tai Po Market Railway Station is a regional shopping centre in Tai Po.

• Tai Wo Shopping Mall next to Tai Wo Station is a typical shopping centre in a public housing estate. Do not expect a variety choice of shops are available, but goods are at reasonable price because the customers are targeted on local people.

• Hang Heung(恒香), located in Yuen Long(元朗) at 64-66 Castle Peak Road, is arguably Hong Kong's most famous Chinese bakery and famous among ethnic Chinese worldwide for its Sweetheart cakes(老婆餅). Other products include egg rolls(蛋卷) and almond biscuits(杏仁餅). To get there, take the Light Rail from the Yuen Long MTR station and alight at Tai Tong Road(大棠道) station.

Eat

Compared with restaurants in Kowloon or Hong Kong Island, the New Territories offers a good range of local dishes at a cheaper price.

Budget

In New Territories, there are many places suitable for budget diners with surplus options of cuisine.

• Tai Po Hui Market [7]. A modern complex of small stalls. The must-try items are fried pork chop noodles and fish ball noodles. Alternatively, you can find Shanghai-style, Cantonese dim-sum and cuisine, as well as Japanese and South-Asian style food with a very low price as low as $10 per dish. Tai Po Hui Market cooked food centre is located near Tai Po Market MTR Station.

• Chan Kun Kee in Wo Che Estate, Sha Tin. A typical Dai Pai Dong in Hong Kong providing a variety of Cantonese dishes. Get off at Sha Tin Railway Station and take a taxi to Wo Che Estate.

• Cheung Wah Estate Cooked Food Centre near Fanling MTR Station. It is a cooked food centre in a public housing estate. Dishes start at $10 up.

• Pai Tau Restaurant, Pai Tau Rd, Sha Tin. This little eatery in a stretch of old shophouses near MTR Sha Tin offers basic Cantonese fare with lunch sets for around $25. No English menu, but the staff are happy to assist.
• The mall adjacent to the Tsuen Wan MTR station has many little cheap eateries, none of which have disappointed, and the blocks surrounding it have lots of small bakeries. There are worse ways to spend an early morning than wandering around, inhaling the scents of the neighbourhood and snacking on wonderfully flavoured buns and confections from these establishments.

If it swims, you can eat it in Sai Kung

If you're looking for an evening out whilst touring in the New Territories, head for Sai Kung (西貢) where you will find a good range of visitor-friendly pubs and restaurants. Sai Kung is rightly famous for its seafood restaurants along the quayside, where you can pick your dinner from an aquarium and have it served any way you like. However, if downing a bucket of bottled beers whilst munching on a plate of crustaceans is not your thing, there is also a fairly good selection of eateries and watering holes to be found in the town centre. Prices here can be reasonable and the cuisine ranges from local to western. Various well-known burger and coffee shops have also found their way to this otherwise secluded part of Hong Kong.

The fastest way to Sai Kung by public transport is to take the MTR to Choi Hung and transfer to minibus 1M (every 5 min) for a straight hop across the mountains. There are public KMB buses from Sha Tin (route 299) and Wu Kai Sha (route 99) as well, but they take the long way around and spend the better part of an hour in the process.

• Fu Ah Seafood Restaurant (富雅海鮮酒家), G/F 27, Hoi Pong St, Sai Kung, ☎ 27920069. The second-to-last in Sai Kung's seafood restaurant alley, this unassuming joint does good set meals for $150/person, with reasonably priced beer and no surprises in the bill.  edit

• Lung Wah Hotel is famous for roasted pigeons. It is easily accessible by Sha Tin MTR station. Walk in the direction of IKEA and along the path next to the railway line for around 10 minutes to get there.

• Sham Tseng Yue Kee Roast Goose Restaurant is renowned for its roast goose. You can get there by red minibus from Jordan or Tuen Mun, or regular KMB bus.

• ASRA Indian Restauant, Shop 15&19, 1/F Shatin Galleria, Shan Mei St, Fotan. This is a famous Indian restaurant in Shatin, they serves authentic Indian kebabs and curries. Affordable lunch sets and tasty dinner choices available with free parking. Near Fotan Station, exit B.

Drink

In addition to Sai Kung's watering holes (see above), in Tai Po Market there are a number of pubs and country clubs along Kwong Fuk Road and the adjacent Luk Heung Lane, Tung Cheong Street. While lacking the glamour of Hong Kong Island's Central district, the area offers more reasonable prices and a friendlier, more local feel. It is about a 5-minute walk from Tai Po Market MTR Station. Overnight transport is readily available on Kwong Fuk Road to take you back to downtown Kowloon and Hong Kong island.

• Bradbury Lodge Tai Mei Tuk, Tai Po, New Territories 2662 5123 [8]. A youth hostel in Tai Po. Lots of boating, walking and cycling opportunities nearby and right by the scenic Plover Cove Reservoir. Dorms start from $85.

• Ascension House, 33 Tao Fong Shan Rd, Shantin 2691 4196[9]. A hostel run by a Christian group near Shatin. Located in the “jungle” on a mountain in the New Territories, they provide three meals a day including laundry, and have friendly, amiable staff on site.

• Panda Hotel, 3 Tsuen Wah Street, Tsuen Wan[10]. With over 1,026-rooms, you're sure to find one that takes your fancy. Keep in shape by working out at the gym, or take a dip in their huge outdoor pool.
• Royal View Hotel, 353 Castle Peak Road, Tsuen Wan[11]. Uniquely situated amongst between the Ting Kau and Lido beaches, all 691 rooms give a superb view of the sea. Furnished in a modern design, all rooms feature a kitchen and are fitted out in the latest accessories.

• Harbour Plaza Resort City, Tin Shui Wai [12]. Accessible through Tin Shui Wai MTR Station Exit E2 (Ginza). Has rooms and serviced suites, most of which overlook the Tin Shui Wai Central Park.

• Hyatt Regency Sha Tin (凱悅酒店沙田), 18 Chak Cheung Street, Sha Tin (next to University MTR Exit B), ☎ +852 3723 1234 (hongkong.shatin@hyatt.com, fax: +852 3723 1235), [13]. Opened in 2009, this is the first international hotel in the New Territories. Facilities: 434 rooms & suites, 133 serviced apartments, Melo Spa, outdoor heated pool, extensive meeting space. The hotel is next to Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and Hong Kong Science Park. $1000.  edit

• Regal Riverside, Tai Chung Kiu Road Shatin [14]. Four star hotel overlooking the stunning Shing Mun River. The hotel offers a range of facilities and services including airport transfers, jacuzzis and car rental services for convenience and comfort.

• Hongkong Post Hong Kong Post has an extensive network of post offices in the New Territories New Territories. Some post offices also have a philatelic section and you can purchase Hong Kong stamps and other postal souvenirs there.

• Public librariesPublic libraries provide free access to the Internet. There is at least one library in every district.
• Community Halls Community Halls also provide cyber stations to users free of charge.