Hong Kong’s reputation as a concrete jungle belies the fact that it has vast swathes of farmland, where its owners grow seasonal fruits like strawberries and watermelons, as well as organic veggies and mushrooms. If you’re planning a full day out with the family, these spots in the territory give kids a chance to pet and feed animals, have a romp in sprawling play areas, and perhaps pick up a new hobby during a DIY workshop.
And since most of these farms are tucked away in the New Territories, they’re infinitely Instagrammable and work well as off-the-beaten track venues for a birthday party or wedding. Here’s our list of some of the best farms in the 852.
Tai Tong Organic EcoPark — Tai Tong
You’d be hard-pressed to not spend an entire day at this all-in-one family fun destination that’s spread across 1 million square feet in Tai Tong. Buying an admission ticket will allow you to choose from a wide range of activities, such as playing on a bouncy castle, riding ponies, feeding fish, picking vegetables and mushrooms, or taking part in a workshop. Visitors can see exotic birds such as ostriches and even a rare albino peacock.
Depending on which time of year you visit the farm, you can pick strawberries or grapes and catch lotuses in full bloom. The farm even organises barbecues for groups that includes charcoal, food, water and cutlery — just remember to call ahead to make a booking.
Admission: HK$80 per person for four activities (will increase to HK$90 per person from January 1, 2024)
11 Tai Tong Shan Road, Yuen Long | +852 2470 2201
Go Green Organic Farm — Yuen Long
At this farm, you can see rabbits and goats, but the biggest attractions are the alpacas — which you can pet, feed and pose for pictures with. Lots of the activities are, unsurprisingly, pineapple-centric. Visitors can get an insight into how the tropical fruit is grown, how to use it to make drinks and cake, and even plant them — but you need to make an appointment first.
If you just want a relaxed trip, then you can stroll around the farm to take in the sunflowers, as well as the alpaca and pineapple installations dotted around the venue. Go Green Organic Farm is dog-friendly, and your four-legged friends can even get up close with the alpacas as they’re on a leash.
Admission: HK$60 onwards. Check the farm’s price list for more details.
Sze Pai Shek, Kam Tin, Yuen Long, New Territories | +852 5579 2178
Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden — Tai Po
Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden has a fair bit of history attached to it, having started out in 1956 as a space for refugees to make a living out of farming. It has since transformed into an environmental conservation centre that has also made contributions towards wildlife and botanical discoveries.
Check out exotic wildlife at the farm’s reptile garden and reptile house, the native mammal display, the parrot sanctuary, and the insect house. The plant exhibits at the greenhouses and orchid sanctuary, as well as walks like the Magnolia Garden and Fern Walk and forest restoration site will give you an idea of the wide variety of plant species you can find in Hong Kong. Visitors can also take part in beginner-level hiking trails, workshops, educational talks, nature art programmes for kids, night walks, and even treasure hunts.
Admission: HK$50 (adults), HK$25 (children aged 4-11)
Lam Kam Road, Tai Po, New Territories | +852 2483 7200
Long Ping Strawberry Farm — Yuen Long
Winter is the most popular time for people to head to Long Ping Strawberry Farm as it among the better-known spots in Hong Kong for strawberry-picking — and you can walk in anytime! But the farm also grows other produce, such as grapes, watermelons, pineapples and eggplants. As a bonus, the farm is also home to goats and lambs that the kiddos can feed and pet.
Admission: Free, and you pay for any produce you pick
DD117, Lots 500 & 501, Section A, Tai Tong Village, Tai Tong Road, Yuen Long | +852 9251 8926
Common Farms — Yau Tong
Common Farms started out in Cheung Chau and was founded by Jessica Fong — who was included in the 2022 list of 50 Next that recognises people from across the world making strides in the world of gastronomy. They now have a network of indoor local farms, which supplies Michelin-starred and home chefs with low-carbon footprint microgreens, edible flowers, and speciality herbs.
Visitors can get an insight into the new Common Farms set-up in Yau Tong by taking a tour or attending a workshop. Pay special attention to the vertical gardens, which are the biggest highlights of the space. You can buy seeds to start your own garden or pick up their produce to help zhuzh up your plating and give your dishes a five-star touch. If you like what you see, you can even shop on their website or get a subscription for their produce.
Admission: Contact Common Farms to find out about their tours and workshops
Yau Tong Industrial City Block A, 17 Ko Fai Road, Yau Tong
Shun Sum Yuen — San Tin
You may have seen Shun Sum Yuen’s sunflower fields pop up on your Instagram feed as this is a popular spot to shoot the summer flower in Hong Kong. This 35,000 square feet farm is home to yellow, gold, orange and even red sunflowers from Japan and the Netherlands, and you can even buy seeds to start your own little garden.
But if you miss the sunflower season — they typically bloom anytime between late spring and early autumn — you can also find pink and gold gladioli in winter, as well as lotuses and water lilies the rest of the year. And if you’re lucky, you may even be able to join in on some watermelon-picking in the summer.
Admission: HK$50
Siu Hum Tsuen, San Tin
448 Farm — Yuen Long
448 Farm is all about getting the entire family in on fun holiday activities, such as beachball volleyball, as well as water gun and water balloon fights. There are also slides and trampolines for the kiddies, and sheep and rabbits that they can feed.
When you’re done with all that, you can take in the views of fields of seasonal flowers and produce that stretch out as far as the eye can see or check out IG-worthy spots like the dilapidated car and double-decker bus, or even the pretty pink bicycle and car — all decked out in flowers, of course.
Admission: HK$50 per person
Lam Tei East Road, Lam Hau Estate, Yuen Long | +852 6684 1448
Yi O — Lantau
This tiny village is an hour’s walk south of Tai O, which is famed for its stilt houses. But if you don’t want to tire yourself out before heading to Yi O — where you can get a crash course in organic rice farming — then schedule a round-trip boat ride to the farm from Yi O Pier (bonus: it includes lunch!).
At this more than 200-year-old village, which is home to one of the largest rice production areas in Hong Kong, you will get the chance to learn about the entire rice production process — from cutting and threshing, to blowing and milling. The farm also offers walking tours, workshops, two-day camping experiences, and barbecue and picnic areas for visitors.
Admission: Contact Yi O to find out about their tours and workshops
Yi O Village, Lantau Island | +852 2345 2075
HKFYG Organic Farm — Yuen Long
This farm is one of 80 such units established by Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups and has herbs, potted plants, and vegetables grown on its premises — as well as the largest cactus field in Hong Kong. Take a tour of the greenhouse area to see how the farm’s produce is protected from the elements, or buy a weekend and holiday package that allows visitors to take part in a handicraft workshop, pick organic veggies, and get unrestricted access to all parts of the farm.
Admission: Free (open area), HK$20 onwards (greenhouse, guided and special packages)
1 Family Walk, Ho Pui Reservoir, Pat Heung, Yuen Long | +852 2838 4808
Holiday Farm — Sheung Shui
If you’re looking for unusual but fun things to do with the family, Holiday Farm will set you up with their bread, scarecrow, and wind chime-making workshops. Get up close and personal with animals like rabbits cows and pigs, as well as reptiles such as tortoises and snakes.
And, of course, there’s loads of play equipment to keep the kids busy — think hammocks, slides, and a merry-go-round — as well as curated camping experiences and holiday time parent-child activities. They don’t take walk-ins, so you’ll need to make a reservation before heading out there.
Admission: HK$150 per person onwards
62C Tai Lung Hang Village, Sheung Shui, New Territories | +852 2668 4055
Butterfly Valley — Tai Po
The name of this farm comes from the fact that Fung Yuen is home to 80% of Hong Kong’s butterfly species. And while you may get your fill of all things butterfly-centric — you can, for instance, sign up for butterfly pastry-making classes or visit the Butterfly Pea Promenade — the venue also offers painting classes, guided tours, and handicraft workshops.
Families can stop by at the petting zoo, where they can feed animals, or head to the play area, which will keep the kids busy with its rope nets and trampolines. Take a pedal boat around the picturesque Wishing Island or get a ‘Gram-worthy click at Swan Lake.
Admission: HK$200 (adults) and HK$150 (kids) for whole-day packages
8 Fung Yuen Road, Tai Po, New Territories | +852 6583 5111
Kam Tin Country Club — Kam Tin
Kam Tin is best known for its strawberry fields where visitors can take their pick of varieties sourced from Korea and France. There’s also loads of other options to keep guests of all age groups busy — think RC boats and a bouncy castle for kids, and archery and shooting ranges for older visitors. You can also pitch your own tent for a HK$50 fee, rent a kite from the farm to fly, and pet goats and rabbits at the petting zoo.
Admission: Free, but there are charges for activities
30 Tin Mei Mei Estate, Kam Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong | +852 5132 5131
Header image credits: dominic_siupakho via Flickr
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