Tai Mei Tuk & Plover Cove: Hong Kong's Cycling Day Trip
A Tai Mei Tuk and Plover Cove day trip is the one for anyone who has done the islands and wants Hong Kong's other side: no ferry, no crowds, just a flat paved road along the Plover Cove Reservoir dam with the New Territories hills behind it. Rent a bike, ride the loop, and you can be back in the city by dinner. Here is how the day actually works, with real prices and distances.
Getting to Tai Mei Tuk
Take the East Rail Line to Tai Po Market Station, then catch a bus or minibus from outside the station. KMB bus 75K runs daily and costs HK$6.7 one way; green minibus 20C covers the same route; bus 275R only runs on Sundays and public holidays. The ride takes about 30 minutes to the Tai Mei Tuk bus terminus. Tap on with an Octopus card on any of them; for how minibus payment actually works, see our Hong Kong minibus guide.
Renting a bike
Bike rental shops line the road right at the Tai Mei Tuk bus terminus, no booking needed. Prices vary by shop and bike type, but a standard bike for a full day typically runs HK$50 to HK$90; some shops also rent by the hour instead. Shops are cash businesses and don't take reservations, so on a sunny Sunday afternoon you may have to shop around if the first one is out of bikes.
The riding itself is easy: a flat, paved, car-free path running along Tolo Harbour and the reservoir, suitable for casual riders and kids old enough to handle a bike alone. There's no single "correct" route: most people ride out along the coast toward Bride's Pool Road and back, an easy half-day loop with nothing steeper than a gentle rise.
Walking the main dam
If you'd rather walk than cycle, the Plover Cove main dam itself is the easiest win: a straight paved causeway about 2km one way, flat the entire distance, doable there-and-back in 45 minutes to an hour. It separates the reservoir from the sea, so you get water on both sides, and it's stroller and trainer friendly, no hiking gear required.
The hard version: the Plover Cove Reservoir Country Trail
Don't confuse the dam walk with the full Plover Cove Reservoir Country Trail, a genuinely serious hike that circles the whole reservoir: around 15.5 to 19km depending on where you start counting, rated hard, and taking most people six to seven hours. It includes the same 2km dam crossing at the start, then climbs into open, largely unshaded hillside with real elevation change. This is a full-day commitment for experienced hikers with proper water and sun cover, not a casual extension of the bike ride. If you want a shorter, still-serious hike elsewhere in Hong Kong, our guide to Dragon's Back covers a fraction of the distance.
On the water: the Tai Mei Tuk Water Sports Centre
Plover Cove Reservoir itself is fresh water, but Tai Mei Tuk also sits on Tolo Harbour, and the government-run Water Sports Centre here offers kayaking, windsurfing and boating on the sea side. It's a five-minute walk from the bus terminus. Courses and craft hire typically need booking ahead rather than turning up on the day, so check current availability before you plan your visit around it.
Food and what to bring
There's a small cluster of cafes and snack shops right where the buses stop, enough for a drink and something simple before or after the ride, but this isn't a food destination the way Sai Kung or Cheung Chau are. Bring water and sun cover; there's very little shade on the coastal road or the dam.
Planning your day
A half-day is enough for the bike ride and the dam walk together: arrive late morning, ride for two to three hours, and you're back at Tai Po Market by mid-afternoon with time to spare. If you want an island day trip instead, compare it against our Lamma Island day trip: similar car-free, bike-and-walk pace, but reached by ferry rather than bus, with a seafood lunch built in.
Quick answers
How do I get to Tai Mei Tuk? Take the MTR East Rail Line to Tai Po Market Station, then bus 75K, minibus 20C, or (Sundays and public holidays only) bus 275R to the Tai Mei Tuk bus terminus. The ride takes about 30 minutes and costs a few Hong Kong dollars with an Octopus card.
How much does bike rental cost at Tai Mei Tuk? Roughly HK$50 to HK$90 for a full day at the shops by the bus terminus, cash only, no booking needed. Some shops rent by the hour instead of the day.
How long is the walk across the Plover Cove dam? About 2km one way, flat and paved. Walking there and back takes most people 45 minutes to an hour.
Is the Plover Cove Reservoir Country Trail the same as the dam walk? No. The full trail circles the whole reservoir, runs 15.5 to 19km, and takes six to seven hours on exposed, hilly terrain: a serious hike, not the casual dam crossing.
Can I go kayaking or windsurfing at Tai Mei Tuk? Yes, through the government-run Water Sports Centre on Tolo Harbour, a five-minute walk from the bus terminus. Book ahead rather than counting on walking in.
