Hong Kong has a rich and varied history dating back thousands of years - head to Cheung Chau to see some stone carving thought to date back 3500 years - but sadly so much of it has been destroyed due to development and perhaps a lack of love for antiquity in Hong Kong. That's thankfully not the case at Tung Chung Fort, one of our absolute favourite places to hang out and be a pirate for the day.
At not quite 3500 years old, Tung Chung fort was established in 1832 during the Quing Dynasty, although the six canons still mounted are a little older, with one going back to 1805.
But that's not the coolest bit. The coolest bit is that after it was a fort defending the Pearl River Delta against marauding pirates – out to attack the trade merchants of Hong Kong, it was a police station. And after that it was a school; Tung Chung's biggest public school, no less. Imagine sending your kids to school in an old fort! History teachers would have a field day teaching there, literally.
And that's not even the best bit! The best bit is the mad wall that surrounds the entire battlement. A mad wall just like any self respecting fort should have. Again, in very un-Hong Kong fashion you're free to play on it, walk along its top and do a full circuit back to the impressive entrance gates. The woodland surrounding the fort is impressive too. It feels untouched for hundreds of years.
I'm a big wuss and am terrified of heights and for some reason these walls really got me! They're not hugely high, but they're not particularly even either.
You can spend a good hour mooching about as an adult, or a good few hours mooching about with kids. Tung Chung Fort really brings out the imagination - reenact a pirate battle; Form a line and march like garrison soldiers; Become an archaeologist for the afternoon and try and find cool stuff. Or just simply hang out and appreciate how cool the little is in which we live. I'm longing to do a Rotten Head Festival here. I reckon it would be magical and provide such a fun day/ weekend for the community. Music, food and fun. The holy trinity. Please do email me at theislanderhk@gmail.com if you want that to happen. The more voices we get, the bigger chance we have to make it happen.
If you get peckish after a busy day pirating, I suggest you head to either Melody Thai, Handi or Green Elements for a bite. All are great and all will be featured on this site in due course.
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