Hong Kong’s East Dam buzzes with mainland Chinese tourists during ‘golden week’

Hong Kong’s High Island Reservoir in Sai Kung was packed with hundreds of mainland Chinese tourists as the five-day Labour Day “golden week” holiday began, with a heavy police presence deployed to maintain order.

The reservoir’s East Dam, which has become a hotspot among mainland visitors after being promoted on various social media platforms, was guarded by police officers and staff members from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.

In a social media post, the department said that its acting director Patrick Lai Chuen-chi and assistant director Jackie Yip Yin visited the East Dam on Thursday.

It added that it would continue to observe the flow of people at the site over the next few days, noting it would announce the latest information on its social media pages.

A Post reporter spotted hundreds of tourists at the site, with the crowds mostly composed of mainland visitors.

Among them was Felix Lee, 30, a tourist from Guangdong who said he was planning to hike the MacLehose Trail.