Hong Kong’s Red Rock Gate

　　The Red Rock Gate, as the name implies, features red-hued rocks and a waterway so narrow it looks like a gate. The eastern bank is Wang Wan Chau, and the western bank is Gan Mun Tsui, with the two sides separated by just a few dozen meters. The Red Rock Gate is the southern “gateway” to the picturesque Yan Chau Tong area, whereas the other “gates” are slightly wider—Dip Mun Tau to the east, Waang Mun Hoi to the north, and Tsing Chau Lek to the west.

　　The rocks at Red Rock Gate consist of sandstone, siltstone, conglomerate, and other formations. Their layered arrangement makes it easy for visitors to identify them as sedimentary rock. But why do they have such a striking red hue? Geologists believe that during the time these rocks formed, the climate was extremely hot, and oxidation was particularly intense. Iron-bearing minerals in the sediments were converted into iron oxide, which cemented the grains of sand together, resulting in uniquely colored red sedimentary rock.

　　When a boat reaches the end of the Cape d’Aguilar Channel and turns toward Wong Chuk Kok Tsui, it enters Wong Chuk Kok Hoi, where steep green slopes line the waterway. The farther west the boat goes, the calmer the sea becomes, enveloped in near-total silence—as if entering a hidden paradise. Suddenly, the waterway narrows, and purplish-red rocks jut boldly from the shoreline out into the sea, with crystal-clear waters so transparent the boat seems almost to be running aground. This is the renowned Red Rock Gate, famous among travelers.

　　Transportation Guide

　　Location: Yan Chau Tong, Tai Po District, New Territories, Hong Kong

　　Getting There: Take Citybus routes 275R or 75K