Golden Beach (Hong Kong)

Golden Beach
Golden Beach
	Golden Beach (background) viewed from Cafeteria New Beach in 2017
Location	So Kwun Wat, Hong Kong
Length	550 metres (1,800 ft) (approx.)
Geology	Beach
Patrolled by	Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Access	Castle Peak Road

Golden Beach (Chinese: 黃金泳灘) is located at the 18.5 milestone of Castle Peak Road in So Kwun Wat, New Territories, Hong Kong. It is contiguous with the adjacent Cafeteria New Beach and Cafeteria Old Beach.

Golden Beach is the largest public beach in Tuen Mun with a total area of 78,500 m² and a length of 545 metres. The water quality is usually classified as Grade 2 (Fair). Tropical trees, like coconut, and flowers of various species are planted on both sides of a 480-metre long promenade running parallel to the beach. Refreshment kiosks, a hotel, and a shopping centre are located adjacent to the beach.

Golden Beach is unique amongst the beaches of Hong Kong in that it has a volleyball court. The Hong Kong beach volleyball team occasionally practises on Golden Beach.

History

Golden Beach was one of the first artificial beaches constructed in Hong Kong, following the private beach at Tai Pak in Discovery Bay.[1] It was built in 1994 using about 74,000 square metres of sand.[2] It opened to the public in 1995, originally under the management of the Regional Council.[3][4]

In 2000, management of the beach was transferred to the newly formed Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD).

Features

Dolphin Square, near the beach

Changing rooms and showers
Dolphin Square
Restaurant
Seaside promenade
Toilets
Tuck shop

Patronage

Golden Beach is the busiest of the six gazetted beaches in Tuen Mun District. In 2016, according to the LCSD, it had an average attendance of 1,941 on weekdays, 4,438 on weekends and holidays, and 670,350 during the bathing season. This makes it one of the most well-attended beaches in Hong Kong, behind only Repulse Bay, Shek O, and Clear Water Bay Second beaches.[5]

Environmental issues

Marine refuse

Like many other beaches in Hong Kong, Golden Beach suffers from a worsening problem with marine refuse. On occasion, vast amounts of garbage suddenly wash up on the beach. The rubbish often bears Simplified Chinese characters, leading citizens to suspect that it originates from Mainland Chinese ships.[6] On 1 August 2017, more than 18 lorry-loads worth of rubbish washed up on the beach in one 24-hour period.[7]

Sand loss

A submerged lifeguard tower is visible at right, illustrating the sand loss problem.

The beach suffers from serious loss of sand, and has shrunk significantly over the past two decades.[8] The bases of several lookout towers, which were once set well back from the water line, are now exposed to the sea. In April 1999, the beach was replenished with about 7,900 square metres of sand.[2]

The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) and Halcrow Group analysed aerial imagery taken from 2001 to 2008 and found that Golden Beach eroded by up to two metres per year, affecting its recreational value. The study found that the high rate of sand loss is driven by the fact that Golden Beach is situated oblique to the prevailing wave direction. This has caused sand to migrate north, in an anti-clockwise direction, such that the southern end of the beach has completely eroded.[2]

The LCSD had to close part of the beach in 2008 as the problem worsened.[9] After Typhoon Hagupit hit Hong Kong, the LCSD hired the CEDD to conduct remedial works at Golden Beach, at a cost of HK$7.2 million. This included replenishment of sand, construction of gabion walls, and construction of groynes. These improvements were made from 2009 to 2011.[8] Still, Golden Beach is smaller than its original size and length.

Water quality

The Environmental Protection Department conducts water quality testing at Golden Beach at least three times per month, year-round.[5] The department uses a four-point grading system to reflect water quality, where Grade 1 (Good) reflects the best quality. During the 1990s, the water quality at Golden Beach consistently ranked as Grade 3 (Poor). Various sewerage infrastructure improvements have helped boost the quality to an average of Grade 2 (Fair) since the turn of the millennium.[10][5]

During the 2016 swimming season, the water quality ranked Grade 2 (Fair) for about 85 per cent of tests, and Grade 1 (Good) about 15 per cent of the time.[5]

Transport

Golden Beach is served by numerous bus routes.

Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB)

52X (Tuen Mun Central Bus Terminus ↔ Mongkok)
53 (Yuen Long ↔ Tsuen Wan)
61M (Tuen Mun Central Bus Terminus ↔ Kwai Fong)

Citybus

962/N962 (Lung Mun Oasis ↔ Causeway Bay)
962B (Chi Lok Fa Yuen ↔ Admiralty)
962S (Chi Lok Fa Yuen ↔ Causeway Bay)

MTR Bus

K51 (Fu Tai ↔ Tai Lam)
K53 (Tuen Mun Station ↺ So Kwun Wat).

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