Hong Kong will be allowing more visitors inside the Sha Tau Kok Frontier Closed Area starting in early 2024, according to Chief Executive John Lee. He made the announcement during his second policy address. The initiative aims to further open Hong Kong’s northernmost town to local and foreign travellers as part of the Northern Metropolis Development Strategy.
The area will be established as the Sha Tau Kok Cultural Tourism Zone. Visitors will be able to apply for a Closed Area Permit online to tour around the town as well as neighbouring outlying islands.
Sha Tau Kok will further open to visitors early next year
In June 2022, the Sha Tau Kok pier reopened to facilitate tourism development in the area. Tour groups and individual Hongkongers were able to visit the pier and access nearby locations and rural villages such as Ap Chau, Kat O, and Lai Chi Wo. As of now, only group tours to the pier are allowed on the weekend and public holidays.
Sha Tau Kok lies along the border between Hong Kong and mainland China. The Sha Tau Kok Village remained an off-limits border area since 1951, sealing itself from the rest of Hong Kong. Only local residents are able to access the border town as well as those holding a valid permit.
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In September, Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung mentioned Sha Tau Kok’s significance in Hong Kong’s past and future. “Not only does it epitomise Hong Kong’s modern history, but it also represents opportunities for the future integration and development of Hong Kong and the mainland,” he said.
Lee Koon-hung, the chairman of Sha Tau Kok district rural committee added that the second stage of reopening will accept a daily quota of 1,000 visitors. About 700 of them will be from tour groups while the rest will be individual travellers and tourists.
Most recently, Chief Executive John Lee announced plans to develop a cultural tourism zone in Sha Tau Kok on the Hong Kong side and Shatoujiao on the Shenzhen side. However, Chung Ying Street, the border street between Hong Kong and Shenzhen will remain closed.
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This story first appeared here.
All images credit: CHUNYIP WONG/Getty Images
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Jianne Soriano
An introvert at heart, Jianne expresses herself best through her writing. Her passion lies in covering food and dining, music and entertainment, and arts and culture. When she's not writing, you can find her visiting art exhibitions, watching movies or Korean dramas, or travelling solo.
