Campsites in Sai Kung were overwhelmed by crowds on New Year's Eve, with litter problems and noise disturbing the natural environment and attracting wild boars.
Videos and photos on Xiaohongshu showed dense clusters of tents at sites including Ham Tin Wan, where one blogger said there were so many tents "you couldn't find your own." Powerful torches and camp lights lit up the beach at night.
The blogger complained of poor sanitation, with overloaded toilets unusable, and trash piles drawing wild boars. Some campers were accused of singing and dancing late into the night, ruining the peace.
Other sites like Wan Chai, Long Ke, Tung Lung Island, Tap Mun and Lantau's Ngong Ping also saw seas of tents.
Online users called the scenes an "ecological disaster," suggesting authorities introduce booking systems or fees to manage visitor numbers and increase patrols and cleaning.
In November, a local resident posted about cleaning up disposable items, bottles and noodle waste at Ham Tin Wan with her daughter, urging more official patrols and cleanup efforts. Some netizens expressed helplessness, saying the problem might only stop when sites become known as "garbage dumps" online.
