AT A GLANCE
Why go?
Silvermine Waterfall (銀礦瀑布) tumbles over a rocky cliff face at the head of a shallow valley on eastern Lantau Island, just 2.9 km from the Mui Wo ferry pier. It is one of Hong Kong's most accessible waterfall hikes — a gentle, mostly flat walk that rewards you with a thundering cascade, a sealed 19th-century silver mine, and a hidden upper fall few visitors find.↗↗
The falls are best in summer, particularly in the days after heavy rain when the water runs wide and fast. In the dry winter months the flow can shrink to a modest trickle, making a May-to-October visit the smarter choice. The surrounding valley, part of Lantau North (Extension) Country Park, stays green and shaded even during heat waves.↗↗↗
A Waterfall with Mining History
The bay takes its name from silver mining operations that ran on this hillside in the mid-to-late 19th century, and again around 1910, before the low silver content made the venture unviable. The old mine entrance, known as Silvermine Cave, sits just above the main waterfall. It is now bricked shut, with only a small gap left for bats to enter their daytime roost. The rocks and graffiti around the sealed entrance give the spot an atmospheric, almost secretive quality.