Weekend getaway even without work off—Urban Escape Plan: The Hidden Seaside Beauty of Sai Wan Swimming Shed

▲ The Sai Wan Swimming Shed is one of Hong Kong’s recent popular photo spots.

Reported and photographed by Yujia Yun / Hong Kong

It’s not just people in Taiwan obsessed with chasing hidden spots for photos—Hong Kong has its own booming urban escape trend too. Just a short two-hour flight from Taiwan, Hong Kong is widely known as a shopping and food paradise. But beneath that bustling surface lies a wealth of natural attractions waiting to be discovered. And when it comes to the most beloved countryside hideaways among Hong Kong’s youth lately, the Sai Wan Swimming Shed with its panoramic views of the small island seascape is definitely in the top five.

▲ A wooden boardwalk that seems to extend into the sea.

When it comes to popular photo spots generating buzz in Hong Kong lately, aside from the Sai Wan Freight Terminal—a filming location for the movie “Love Off the Cuff”—there’s another gem also located in Sai Wan: the Sai Wan Swimming Shed. Just a seven-minute bus ride from Kennedy Town MTR Station, it’s not too far from the city center, yet feels like a completely different side of Hong Kong thanks to its secluded vibe. Here, you can enjoy unobstructed, stunning sunsets, and it’s also a favorite backdrop for couple photo shoots and wedding photography.

▲ Visitors take turns politely to snap photos on the wooden walkway.

Walking in through an inconspicuous mountain path entrance and passing a short stretch of shaded trail, just as you start wondering if you’ve taken a wrong turn, the blue sea and a protruding wooden boardwalk come into view. In the days before public swimming pools were common, the Sai Wan Swimming Shed was a popular spot for locals to swim. It even had a simple shipping container serving as a changing room, which is why this kind of place is called a “swimming shed.”

▲ You’ll pass through a shaded tree-lined path before reaching the boardwalk.

▲ The green shipping container is the swimming shed.

At the Sai Wan Swimming Shed, many young people and couples taking wedding photos choose to take pictures on this seaside wooden boardwalk, creating the illusion of extending infinitely over the water. From this vantage point, you can see the small islands scattered across Sulphur Channel, with sunlight sparkling on the sea’s surface. The sound of waves and sea breeze blend into a serene symphony, offering a sense of relaxation that makes it no surprise the site is considered part of the “urban escape plan” by local netizens.

▲ %The wooden platform is also a favorite spot for those wanting to capture coastal vibes./strong>