Hong Kong World Geopark

World Geopark, Hong Kong, China

synonym

Hong Kong World Geopark generally refers to the World Geopark of Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong World Geopark is located in the northeast of Hong Kong, covering an area of 49.85 square kilometers. On September 18, 2011, it was approved as the seventh batch of world geoparks by UNESCO. It is composed of Saigon Volcanic Rock Park and northeast New Territories Sedimentary Rock Park, including 8 scenic spots. The Saigon Volcanic Rock Park includes four scenic spots: liangchuangwan, wengcang, Guozhou and qiaozuizhou. The geological relics include Mesozoic Cretaceous hexagonal acid volcanic rock columnar joints. The northeast New Territories sedimentary rock park includes dongpingzhou, yinzhoutang, chimen and Chizhou huangzhujiaozui scenic spots, mainly composed of Paleozoic Devonian, Permian, Mesozoic Jurassic, Cretaceous and Cenozoic Paleogene It is characterized by stratigraphic, paleontological, sedimentary and tectonic geological remains. Hong Kong World Geopark is built on the basis of country parks, marine parks and special areas in Hong Kong, with perfect infrastructure and standardized management system. Precious geological relics, beautiful island scenery and diverse ecological environment make it a natural geological museum and leisure resort.

Development history

Although the area of the park is small, it has world-class acidic volcanic pillars. It also shows the geological history of sedimentary environment formed by sedimentation during the Paleozoic era from 520 million to 250 million years ago, which is very typical and rare. Among them, the volcanic column is acidic rhyolite volcanic rock with high silica content, covering an area of 100 square kilometers (part of the sea area), with an average diameter of 1.2 meters. No matter in terms of scale and rock characteristics, it can be called rare in the world. What's more, the volcanic rock here shows the characteristics of tuff and lava at the same time. Geologists still have different views on how it was formed, which is of great scientific research value Value. In addition, a variety of erosion and sedimentary landforms were formed during the coastal process. The fossils in them provide clues for understanding the Paleozoic environment, geography, climate and biological evolution.

On September 17, 2011, the Hong Kong Geopark was listed in the UNESCO list of world geoparks, becoming the 26th world-class Geopark in China and a rare World Geopark in an international metropolis.

Main attractions

Saigon Volcano Park

The characteristics of Saigon Volcanic Rock Park are hexagonal rock pillar group and coastal erosion landform. These hexagonal rock pillars are the largest in area and volume in the world. The accumulation type is tuff, which is composed of acid volcanic ash. The rock column is bulky with an average diameter of 1.2m. In contrast, the hexagonal rock pillar of giant Causeway, a famous world heritage site in Northern Ireland, has a diameter of only 0.5 meters. Yanzhu group covers an area of 150 square kilometers from Dongba of Wanyi reservoir in the north to Guozhou islands in the West. Most of the pillars are located on the seafloor, but it is estimated that there are about 200000 exposed to the coast. The age of the rocks in the park is 140 million years ago, that is, the late Cretaceous. The four scenic spots of Saigon Volcanic Rock Park are as follows:

Liang Chuan Wan

Liangchuanwan scenic spot is located in the eastern suburb park of Saigon, about 20 kilometers away from the city center of Saigon. The coastal area of liangchuanwan is full of orderly, nearly vertical and towering polygonal (usually hexagonal) volcanic pillars. Among them, Huashan has the highest volcanic pillar in Hong Kong with a height of 100 meters, which can be called "natural hexagonal pillar mural". In addition, Wanyi geological trail and interpretation board are set up in the east dam of Wanyi reservoir to introduce a variety of interesting geomorphological landscapes, including faults, twisted rock pillars, intrusive dikes and sea erosion pillars of broken banks. In addition, the coast of dalangwan shows the coastal landform composed of volcanic pillars. It has been selected as the first of "ten sights of Hong Kong" by tourists for many times.

Wengtang Islands

Wengguan islands scenic area is composed of Hengzhou, huoshizhou, shatangkou mountain and jinzhongyan of diaozhongzhou. These islands are made up of volcanic rocks with columnar joints. Due to the long-term impact of strong wind and waves, the coast has formed a unique appearance under the action of the coast. There are many cliffs, sea erosion caves and sea erosion arches all over the coast. The cliff on the southeast coast of shatangkou mountain is the highest in Hong Kong, with a height of 140 meters. The four major sea erosion arches in Hong Kong are the 45 meter high wa Wan Kok cave at Huo Shi Chau, the 30 meter high Heng Chau Kok cave at Heng Chau, the 24 meter high Sha Tangkou cave at Sha Tangkou hill and the bell arch at Diao Chung Chau. Due to the fact that wengtang islands are located in the core protected area, with strong wind and waves and dangerous terrain, it is only suitable to take a boat to visit near shore in calm summer.

Guozhou Islands

Guozhou archipelago consists of nanguozhou, beiguozhou, dongguozhou, as well as a number of small islands and stone rafts. Located in the open sea, Guozhou archipelago has been eroded by wind and waves for a long time, forming various peculiar coastal landforms, including steep cliffs, sea erosion arches, and various strange shapes and rocks. The hexagonal rock pillar in beiguozhou is the most spectacular. Its diameter is the largest in the park and can reach more than 2 meters. Due to the fact that Guozhou islands are located in the core protected area, with strong wind and waves and dangerous terrain, it is only suitable to visit by boat in the coastal area in the calm summer.

Qiao Tsui Chau

Kiu Tsui Chau is located about 2 km southeast of the city center of Sai Kung. Visitors can take a ferry from the Sai Kung pier. The boat journey is about 15 minutes. Qiaozuizhou has a variety of igneous rocks, including volcanic breccia, rhyolite, tuff and quartz monzonite. It is a good place to appreciate and learn from igneous rocks. Connecting qiaozui island and Qiaotou is an island connected sandbank made of gravel. When the tide goes out, it will come out of the water. Tourists can walk along the island connected sandbank to Qiaotou to see the beautiful scenery of clear water bay peninsula and Niuwei sea in Saigon. At high tide, Liandao sandbank will be submerged by sea water. Therefore, please check the tide data of the Observatory before departure.

history

At the beginning of the project, the establishment of geoparks was promoted by non-governmental organizations and political parties, such as the Hong Kong geomorphology and rock Conservation Association, the Ma On Shan Association for the promotion of people's health and the Democratic Alliance for the construction of Hong Kong. Until 2008, the chief executive, Donald Tsang, accepted the proposal and announced that consideration should be given to the establishment of geoparks to develop special landforms and rock groups into natural scenic spots for viewing. Originally, there were 10 scenic spots in the park. However, considering the convenience of transportation and routes, Mashi island and the area composed of Southern Kau Sai Chau and Diao Chung Chau (originally Niu Wei Chau) were removed from the plan, and finally revised to the design of two parks with a total of eight scenic spots.

The preparatory work includes legislation to protect the land of the Geopark from damage. Most of the geoparks are covered by the existing country parks and marine parks. The islands not covered are mainly in the southeast, including Hengzhou, huoshizhou, shatangkou mountain and Guozhou islands. The government has established Hong Kong geoparks under the existing Country Parks Ordinance and the Marine Parks Ordinance to list these areas as special areas for protection.

In October 2009, the Ministry of land and resources of China approved the Hong Kong Geopark as a national geopark. The park opened on November 3 of the same year.

Due to the higher threshold of applying for becoming a World Geopark, 138 standards must be met, including development routes, publishing books, etc., and the supporting work for the application will be completed two years later. On September 17, 2011, the 10th European geoparks conference held in longersson, Norway announced that the world geoparks network accepted Hong Kong geoparks as a member of the network, and the park was renamed "Hong Kong World Geopark, China".

Address: Sai Kung Waterfront Park, Wai Man Road, Sai Kung, New Territories (next to bus terminus)

Longitude: 114.379861

Latitude: 22.36132

Tel. + 852-23941538

Ticket information: free.

Chinese PinYin : Xiang Gang Shi Jie Di Zhi Gong Yuan