Mui Wo

Mui Wo 梅窩
Town
Mui Wo, as viewed from the hills from the north
Map of Lantau Island showing Mui Wo.
Coordinates: 22°15′52″N 114°00′5″E / 22.26444°N 114.00139°E / 22.26444; 114.00139
District Council	Islands District
Government
• District councilor	Randy Yu Hon-kwan (Independent)
Population (2011)
• Total	5,485

Mui Wo (Chinese: 梅窩) is a rural town on the eastern coast of Lantau Island in Hong Kong. The 2011 Census recorded 5,485 people living in Mui Wo and its environs.

Mui Wo is located on Silvermine Bay, so named for the silver mines that were once worked along the Silver River (銀河) which flows through the village. The main beach in Mui Wo is known as Silver Mine Bay Beach (銀鑛灣泳灘). The town is known for the feral water buffalos and cows that roam the area.

Prior to the Airport Core Programme and the subsequent development of Tung Chung and North Lantau into a new town, Mui Wo was the principal point for day-trippers setting out to explore Lantau Island. Today, it is still the principal way of reaching South Lantau – from the beaches in Cheung Sha to the fishing village of Tai O and the Tian Tan Buddha. With the opening of Ngong Ping 360 and the new, smoother Tung Chung Road, this may change.

The recorded history of Mui Wo dates back to the last days of the Southern Song Dynasty. Fleeing south from the invading Mongols, in 1277 the imperial court sought refuge in Silvermine Bay (at that time known as Mei Yu or 梅蔚). In March 1278, whilst attempting a further escape from the Mongols, the penultimate Song Dynasty Emperor Duanzong fell from a boat and almost drowned. After his rescue, he became ill and died a few months later at Mui Wo. Duanzong's successor, Emperor Huizong of Song was enthroned at Mui Wo on 10 May 1278.

A silver and lead mine, close to the settlement of Pak Ngan Heung and Sivermine Waterfall, formally opened in March 1886. It had closed by the time China leased the New Territories to Britain in 1898. The main entrance is now called Silvermine Cave. People can only enter the first ten metres or so as the rest of the tunnels have been blocked off for safety reasons, and to prevent disturbance to the rare species of bats who live there.