Few signs of littering as Hong Kong campsites fill up for Lunar New Year break

Visitors have started filling campsites along the seashore in Sai Kung near Hong Kong’s famed MacLehose Trail for the Lunar New Year break, with officers patrolling to monitor and prevent littering following previous complaints.At Sai Wan Beach, a picturesque spot popular with tourists on mainland Chinese social media, around two dozen visitors were seen camping and swimming on Monday.Among the campers were Jiang Li, 24, and Wu Handeng, 23, from Guangdong province, who had pitched their yellow tents facing the sea. The pair had hiked from Po Pin Chau – known for its distinctive hexagonal columns rising up to 100 metres – and stayed overnight.“After trekking through the mountains, we were able to finally lie down for a rest, and when we woke up to this view [of the sea] this morning, it was so beautiful … which made us feel the trails we trekked through were tough but worthwhile,” Wu said.They said they found the site clean. “We saw some [staff] picking up rubbish this morning and clearing up some seaweed … we also brought our own rubbish bag to pack our waste,” Li said.Government staff are stationed at Sai Wan Campsite. Photo: Edmond SoThe pair said they planned to stay in Hong Kong until Thursday, aiming to watch horse racing, visit Disneyland and explore local cinemas as well as take a trip to Macau.