Ninepin Group

File:Ninepingroup.png

Location of the Ninepin Group within Hong Kong

File:Ninepin Group Aerial (sharper colors).jpg

Aerial View of North and South Ninepin Island

File:South Ninepin Island.JPG

South Ninepin Island. A small Tin Hau temple is located at the top of the hill at the centre of the picture.

File:North Ninepin Island.JPG

North Ninepin Island

The Ninepin Group (Template:Zh) or Kwo Chau Islands (Template:Zh) is a group of 29 islands in the easternmost waters of Hong Kong. The Ninepin Group falls under the jurisdiction of Sai Kung District of Hong Kong.

Islands

The islands of the group include:

• East Ninepin Island (Tung Kwo Chau; 東果洲)
  • Lung Shuen Pai ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}) or Fo Siu Pai ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}})
  • Tuen Chau Chai ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}})
  • Tuen Chau Mei ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}})
  • Shue Long Chau ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}) or Kong Tau Pai ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}})
• North Ninepin Island (Pak Kwo Chau; 北果洲)
  • Hok Tsai Pai ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}})
  • Ngan Peng Keng
  • Ngan Peng Tau
  • North Ninepin Island ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}})
  • Sai Chau Mei ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}})
  • Tuen Keng
• South Ninepin Island (Nam Kwo Chau; 南果洲)
  • Tai Chau ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}) - where the Kwo Chau Wan ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}) beach is located
  • Tai Chau Mei ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}})
  • Ta Long Pai ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}})
  • Lai Chi Pai ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}})

Geography

The Ninepin Group features hexagonal vertical rhyolite columns, the volcanic rock resulting from a volcanic eruption near Sai Kung about 140 million years ago. Ninepin Group is extremely eroded due to the heavy tides that wash against the islands every day. It features several sea caves as a result of erosion. For a long time, the Ninepin Group was devoid of human presence. However, there is a temple dedicated to Tin Hau, located on South Ninepin Island for any fishermen who landed on the island.

Conservation

The Ninepin Group Special Area (Template:Zh) covers 53.1 hectares and was designated in 2011.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It consists of the islands that make up the Ninepin Group.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The geology of the area is characterised by volcanic rocks of the Cretaceous period.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Transportation

Because no one lives on Ninepin Group, there is no public transportation to the islands. One must rent a boat in order to reach the Ninepin Group.

See also

• Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark

External links

• Satellite view on Google Maps

Template:Sai Kung District {{#invoke:Navbox|navbox}} Template:Conservation designations in Hong Kong

Template:SaiKung-geo-stub