Explore Shui Lau Wo and Sha Lo Tung: A Firefly Tour

About this activity

Located in the Pat Sin Leng Country Park in the northeastern New Territories of Hong Kong, Lau Shui Heung is a popular hiking destination renowned for its natural beauty. The Lau Shui Heung Reservoir here is known as the "Hong Kong version of Karuizawa." The lake's surface is as calm as a mirror, reflecting the surrounding bald cypress and white melaleuca forests, creating a magnificent "sky mirror" effect.

Sha Lo Tung's fireflies are a major natural spectacle, attracting a large number of visitors every summer. Fireflies (scientific name: Lampyridae) are insects capable of emitting light. The phenomenon of firefly luminescence is called bioluminescence, which is produced by the reaction of luciferin with oxygen in the body. The main functions of luminescence are to attract mates and warn predators.

The wetland environment of Sha Lo Tung provides an ideal habitat for fireflies, making it a popular spot in Hong Kong for firefly watching. The light emission behavior of fireflies mostly occurs between 20:00 and 23:00 in the evening, so this is the best time to watch them.