My children are too young for hiking and Hong Kong's beaches are now too cold to visit, so a trip to the Mai Po wetlands seemed a good way for them to enjoy the outdoors and learn something, too. Getting there and back is easier if you have a car, but we took the MTR to Sheung Shui and then a green taxi. Our tour group turned out to comprise mostly adults, including some birdwatching enthusiasts, but there were two other children in addition to mine. The tour begins with a brief introduction to the reserve and what one can expect to see. The colder months attract a variety of migratory birds from colder climates, so it's a good time to visit. Before we had even entered the reserve we were treated to the sight of a black-faced spoonbill near the registration site. There are only about 2,700 of them in the world, so it's a privilege to see one. As we walked in we passed the older gei wai (shrimp ponds) and newer fish ponds, and saw egrets and cormorants. We also saw a stork. Although some people hired binoculars from the information centre, our guide set up a more powerful telescope which gave us a better view of the birds. She also provided an interesting commentary on the wildlife. Although the birds attracted most of our attention, our guide stressed paying attention to the overall environment of the wetlands, even pointing out poisonous nuts, such as those of the cerbera tree. One of the highlights of the tour is a stop at a three-storey birdwatching house, from where we saw ospreys, an eagle and a hawk. About halfway through, there is a much-needed break at an education centre. By this time many of the young ones were flagging. We then continued past stunning ponds of floating lilies and into the mangrove forest. Walking on a boardwalk through the arches formed by the mangroves really transports one out of the city. The tour ended with a short recap of all we had seen once we emerged from the forest. The children in our group were on the younger side and their restlessness coupled with the rainy weather meant one parent missed out on most of the action. It would work well as a family day out with children aged seven or older. Nevertheless, if you do decide to brave it with a younger one, you'll be happy to know that the route is stroller friendly. Exploring Mai Po (English), HK$90, publicvisit@wwf.org.hk, wwf.org.hk/en/getinvolved/gomaipo
