Travel
Rocks in Po Toi
Passing the ancient rock carvings, visitors can see the rocky scenery when they walk more towards the uphill. The rocks of Po Toi Island are granite, which can be easily weathered. The island is barren because the source of water for plants to grow is limited, said Ng Sai-leung, associate professor of the geography and resource management department at the Chinese University of Hong Kong .
The strange rocks on the hill are formed by tors of different shapes. Tors, or rocky outcrops, are developed on the mountain after raindrops wash away the small granite. People then associate the shapes of tors and strange rock features with figures that they can imagine. ˇ§Human imagination has added colour to the groups of rock on the hill,ˇ¨ Ng said. ˇ§It is human imagination that enriches the rocks in Po Toi Island.ˇ¨
Two rocks facing each other in PoToi have been named Tortoise Rock and Supine Monk as they look like a tortoise and a monk respectively. Their positions seem like the tortoise climbing up towards the monk. The best spot to see Tortoise Rock is near the stairs of the lighthouse, which is located in Nam Kok Tsui at the southern end of the island.
From the lighthouse visitors can also see a panoramic view of the South China Sea . Many people do come up there, take a break and enjoy the scenery before they go on to see other attractions.
ˇ§We come to relax,ˇ¨ said Chan Kam-kwan, who visited Po Toi Island with 17 of his office colleagues. They headed to the lighthouse and Buddha Hand Rock, which is also known as Palm Cliff Rock. This rock is another spectacular display of the weathering of granite and is located near the coast.
Passing all the three rocks and continuing to walk uphill, visitors will reach the pavilion, the highest point of Po Toi Island, where they can see the beauty of sunrise if they get there in the morning.
Along the way back to the pier, more peculiar rocks can be found like the Coffin Rock, which is located at the back of the Old Mansion of Family Mo, a ruined house. According to geomorphology expert Ng Sai-leung, Coffin Rock looks like a coffin most when compared with similar rocks in other outlying islands of Hong Kong .
Ng also said although Hong Kong did not have world-class physical features like Grand Canyon , visitors would still find the rocky shoreline of Po Toi Island remarkable. The island has the largest blowhole in Hong Kong and other classic coastal features such as sea caves and sea stacks shaped by waves and strong winds.
Visitors head uphill to see the rock scenery.
A woman sells dry seafood at the pier.
