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Geography of Mui Wo M
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a magazine that makes you say ‘whoa’
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Contents Location: Maps!
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Finding Mui Wo
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Relative Location
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Place: Physical Characteristics
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Place: Man-made Characteristics
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Place: Cultural Characteristics Movement of Products and Services
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Movement of Information and Ideas
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Movement of People
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Mui Wo’s Future
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Location: Maps By: Hannah Andress
Mui Wo is full of hiking trails, restaurants, shops, and other attractions. The simplest way to plan a quick visit is of course using a map. There are two things to understand about a map: the legend and scale. The scale is great for brainstorming the best hiking trails. For example, a centimeter may equal 100 meters -‐an easy way to see just how long your hike may be. The legend in the given map of Mui Wo can tell us about the hiking/ walking/biking trails. Not only where they are and where they take you, but also what is considered to be ‘family’ trails, or an easy walk vs. difIicult. The legend can be more speciIic about the area too. Looking at Silvermine Bay you can see they allow sailboats and windsurfers. The legend and map can show you where to Iind campsites such as the four along the beach. Plus, other attractions of Mui Wo such as local Monasteries and churches. More important landmarks to pinpoint is the ferry pier and bus stops.
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Finding Mui Wo By: Jasmine Wong Finding Mui Wo through GPS
Using GPS has become a very useful way to Iind our way around places today. Mui Wo can also be found easily on a GPS. You could simply type in the location of the place you are searching for, or you could also type in the coordinates for Mui Wo, and search around the area for the destination you are searching for. The coordinates for Mui Wo are 22°15’37” 113°59’53.74”. Typing this into the search bar will help you to Iind Mui Wo through GPS easily. This can also be done on Google Earth. Google Earth also has the street view option, so that you can look at maps of Mui Wo before going there, so that you will know the roads in Mui Wo a little better than you would if you hadn’t reviewed the maps. For example, if you were looking for the ferry pier in Mui Wo, you could look
up the coordinates 22°15’54.18” N, 114°00’07.67” E in a GPS or Google Earth, you would be able to Iind the Mui Wo Ferry pier very easily. To get to other places, you can move the map around your screen, and Iigure out how to get to other places, via the ferry pier.
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Absolute Location By: Mimi Ho
Hong Kong is one of the world’s most dynamic cities! Hong Kong offers unique experience to visitors, such as a visit to street markets, massive shopping malls and distance themed parks. But on the other hand, Mui Wo is an island for you to indulge from grand shopping malls and busy urban environment in Hong Kong… A perfect escape from the city life- An Island Getaway! Mui Wo Hong Kong outlying islands provides exciting and new features to “newcomers” (like your truly) to visit, which in this case, Mui Wo is a very peaceful island, none of your usual hustle of city life. There is a wide range of transportation that you can choose, but whatever flows for you! Mui Wo is connected by ferry from Central, Discovery Bay, Peng Chau and Cheung Chau. In addition, with numerous hiking trails lead from Mui Wo to other parts of Lantau Island. Hiking from Discovery Bay to Mui Wo If you are a hiking enthusiast, the following would be some thrilling news for you! You can take a quick and comfortable ferry journey from Central Pier (#3 Ferry Pier) towards Discovery Bay, for the start of the trail. Perhaps you might be able to see Disney Land on the way too! Once you arrived, before you start off the hiking trail, make sure you have a map. Walk further into Discovery Bay, and you will see the village of Nim Shue Wan.
At first you might think you have stumbled into the wrong route, but there is no need to be worry; you were meant to walk past this village. You would come across some organic farms and lines of vegetables drying in the sun; it might be your first experience for seeing such “invention”. Then, you would come across a beach at Cheung Sha Lan during the trip, the beach is relatively short. Apart from some sailing boats hanging out dotting the sea and maybe a lazy dog. Trappist Haven. Does the name ring any bells? Maybe you would find the name to be somewhat familiar. Ah… Where was I? Oh yes, the hiking trail. Anyway, this place is somehow a mystery to some of us. There is a chapel and a temple looking with a Chinese pagoda at the top of (wait for it) the statue of Mary. Ha-ha, one of those “only in Hong Kong” moment. Next, as you hike near the top of the hill, there would be a steep slope, perhaps offers a great view of Hong Kong all around. So remember to bring your camera with you! It might be a grueling hike, but Mui Wo will serve you well! Other than the trail from Discovery Bay to Mui Wo, you can perhaps try out Islands Nature Heritage Trail too.
Nim Shue Wan
Transportation -A ferry links Mui Wo to Discovery Bay every 2 hours. Here’s a website that you could check the time schedule: http://www.lantaulink.com/ content-transport/transportferry-db.htm Take the ferry in Central to Mui Wo, then change to No.2 Bus. -Ferries from Central to Mui Wo. (#3 Ferry Pier) The ferry ride to Mui Wo is very comfortable, though there is no air-conditioning on the ferry, but enjoy the gentle breeze from the sea just makes your journey all more pleasant and comfortable! - Mui Wo to Chi Ma Wan (if you want to avoid the 5 km ride from Mui Wo to Chi Ma Wan) -You can also take the Tung Chung (3M) and then Hong Kong Airport (A35) bus There’s still another alternative, which you can take the MTR to Tung Chung take bus no.23 from the Terminal.
Trappist Haven- Statue of Mary 5
Physical Characteristics By: Jasmine Wong
Nature can be found in various places in Mui Wo; it is surrounded by water and trees are grown in many places around the small community. The citizens of this small community have nature involved in their everyday lives, with them wherever they may be in Mui Wo. Mui Wo Trail One of the many highlights in Mui Wo, is the Mui Wo trail. The Mui Wo Trail, a hiking trail that has only opened recently, is part of the 20-‐kilometer long Lantau Trail. This 7-‐kilometer long trail is one of the four sections of the Lantau Trail, connecting the Hong Kong Olympic Trail, and Lo Fu Tau Trail. These trails were designed to attract natural tourism to Hong Kong, and especially Mui Wo. Interpretive panels have been placed around the trail in Chinese, English, and Japanese, helping tourists to learn about the ecology and history of Mui Wo. While enjoying the natural scenery, hikers can also learn about Mui Wo’s history at the same time. Silvermine Bay Beach Another beauty of Mui Wo would be the Silvermine Bay Beach, located 5 minutes from the ferry pier. It is a Grade 1 beach, and is known to have extremely clear water. Mui Wo welcomes people to swim in the waters, as long as there are several lifeguards on watch. 6
Man-Made Characteristics By: Mimi Ho
Mui Wo’s relative isolation made it a popular for anyone who wanted to get away from the pressures of urban Hong Kong. It sits nestled in the hills with a wide swatch of abandoned paddy fields (with happily rolling buffaloes) which mark it’s entrance to Luk Tei Tong Watchtower, a charming Tin Hau Temple and other cool historical and modern man-made features. Hmm… Where should I start off? Silvermine Beach perhaps is the most popular place to see in Mui Wo. As it’s name suggests, the area was a silver mine where many of the inhabitants in the 19th century worked for decades! Some of the mine can still be found, but of course the Bay has became a swimming beach. In search of the mine that gave the place its name, the mine has been closed for more than a century. On the other hand, in the back of Mui Wo, there are a few villages (Luk Tei Tong Village, Tai Tei Tong Village, Pak Ngan Heung, Wang Tong Village) are easily accessible by bicycle or walk since there is no taxi or private vehicles getting into Mui Wo. In addition, you can also reach different location within the island- Tai O, Ngong Ping (The Buddha), Tung Chung and Tong Fuk) by bus. Though Mui Wo is a pretty isolated place, Mui Wo has a good number of ships ranging from stores, electronic and gift shops, plus a lot more including, McDonalds and a wide range of restaurants. Looking for a lovely discovery? Walk further towards the end of the beach and you possibly can see a signpost written in red letters “Man Kok Tsui”, which sits on a small entrance. An abandoned pig farm and you could enjoy an amazing complete view of Mui Wo.
Cultural Characteristics By: Hannah Andress
Mui Wo may be small but its culture still unique. For example, there aren’t too many restaurants in Mui Wo apart from a few local Cantonese places. However plenty of people enjoy the traditional characteristics of the restaiarants themselves along with the meals. Below is a little bit on the history of Mui Wo.
In the 1850s, silver was discovered in Mui Wo; that’s the main reason people came over. Villages were built around the Silver River to mine; those same villages remain today. As for agricultural characteristics the small, rural town of Mui Wo has plenty. Or, to word it better: had plenty. Today, there are only a few banana trees and abandoned homes and farms left. Just a few decades back Mui Wo was full of rice paddies, and vegetable gardens. Not to mention the popularity of Iishing has dropped along with the sugar cane business. Hopefully plans to bring these old characteristics back to life are included in Lantau’s future.
Movement of Goods and Services By: Hannah Andress
Mui Wo has plenty of goods and services coming and going. Most goods are brought imported in via buses and ferries. These products usually include food for restaurants/homes, and clothing for small shops. Although I’m sure there are some local souvenirs too. As for exports, there aren’t too many. Most people probably commute to Central for work.
Movement of Information and Ideas Many people in Mui wo may not be as lucky as us and are able to afford our own laptops and have a wide screen HD television to watch in each home, but the people in Mui Wo have already adjusted to this lifestyle. People in Mui Wo can get the chance to know about the events happening in the world and locally through the daily news on television. The people of Mui Wo are very friendly and constantly communicate with the other people living in the village, and many ideas and information are transported to each other this way.
By: Jasmine Wong
Movement of People By: Mimi Ho
What makes Mui Wo the best place to be in Hong Kong? Mui Wo is quite different from any ordinary district in Hong Kong, not only there are fresh seafood, nice scenery or the big temple near by to visit, but the great traces of friendliness and hospitality of it’s people. But on the other hand, the growth of Mui Wo has increased with it’s tourism and its local economy, letting in more tourists traveling to this amazing area of Hong Kong. The great natural landscape and environment of Mui Wo presents a amazing place for a getaway from busy city lives. Through a wide range of cool transportations that you (tourists) can take to go to Mui Wo, the upgrading of transport facilities such as the ferry service, it has increased the improvement of the accessibility of the local residents and tourism!
Bibliography tree, e. b. (n.d.). Mui Wo and me: The simple life. Mui Wo and me. Retrieved March 3, 2011, from http://muiwoandme.blogspot.com/2010/12/simple-life.html "Mui Wo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mui_Wo>. "Lantau Island - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lantau_Island#Tourist_attractions>. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mui Wo to Discovery Bay Route 3 ." Hiking Hong Kong . Hiking Hong Kong , n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2011. <www.hiking-hong-kong.com/outlying-islands/lantau-island/ mui-wo/mui-wo-discovery-bay.php>.