Hong Kong authorities will carry out patrols on Sharp Island in Sai Kung for the rest of the Golden Week holiday, after the UNESCO Geopark protected site was flooded with tourists on National Day.
On Friday, environmental NGO Greenpeace published photos and videos of visitors to Sharp Island trampling on coral and illegally cooking with fire on the beach. The destination has been promoted on China’s Xiaohongshu social app – or Rednote, as it is known in English.
Visitors also dug up marine creatures including starfish, sea urchins and clams, and left litter behind.
“Too many tourists were also gathered there to snorkel, with some even walking on the coral surface, which could break or kill the coral. This may exacerbate the persistent problem of coral bleaching in the area in recent years,” it added.
On Sunday, the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) said in an email to HKFP that – amid the growing popularity of country parks – authorities would review conservation policies, including crowd management and other laws.
In a Facebook post published on Saturday, the EEB said the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, police force, and Marine Department took “joint action” on Sunday to prevent “illegal acts.”
“The situation on Sharp Island has returned to normal,” the post read. “The joint action will continue for the rest of Golden Week until October 8.”
The AFCD, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will also step up cleaning work during this period, the post added, while the AFCD will “closely monitor” corals and marine ecology in the area.
‘Excessive crowds’
Located a 15-minute boat ride away from Sai Kung Pier, Sharp Island is known for its clear waters, hiking trails and vibrant marine life.
Greenpeace said in a statement on Friday that over 4,000 people visited Sharp Island on Wednesday, which was China’s National Day and the beginning of an eight-day Golden Week holiday in mainland China.
“The excessive crowds undoubtedly put immense pressure on the environment,” Greenpeace wrote in Chinese.
In his 2025 Policy Address last month, Chief Executive John Lee vowed to develop ecotourism “by enhancing green tourism itineraries” and facilities of the “Four Peaks,” namely the Peak, Lantau Peak, Sai Kung Hoi, and Tai Mo Shan.
He said the initiative would be completed by the end of 2026 to allow visitors to enjoy spectacular mountain and sea views in the city.
Greenpeace Project Manager Ha Shun-kuen said on Friday that the government’s proposal, if lacking a comprehensive ecotourism policy, could lead to overtourism and ecological destruction.
The “overcrowding” at Sharp Island this week proved that the approach of strengthening enforcement at specific tourist hotspots was a “piecemeal solution” that does not solve the issue of overtourism, he said.
