Campsites along Sai Kung’s seashore in Hong Kong are filling fast for the Lunar New Year break. Visitors have started camping near the famous MacLehose Trail. Officials are patrolling the area to prevent littering after past complaints. Around two dozen people pitched tents and enjoyed swimming at Sai Wan Beach on Monday. Jiang Li, 24, and Wu Handeng, 23, from Guangdong, camped by the sea after hiking the Po Pin Chau hexagonal columns. Wu said, “After trekking through the mountains, we were able to finally lie down for a rest, and when we woke up to this view [of the sea] this morning, it was so beautiful … which made us feel the trails we trekked through were tough but worthwhile.” Li noted the area was clean and that staff were picking up rubbish. “We also brought our own rubbish bag to pack our waste,” she said. On New Year’s Day, litter was found at Ham Tin Wan, a nearby beach and campsite, after many visitors arrived. There have been past reports of coral damage and illegal campfires during busy holiday seasons. To avoid problems, officers from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department are patrolling and advising visitors. Some wear vests and display bilingual signs about litter handling. Visitors like Beijing’s Justin Wang and Austin Yuan praised Ham Tin Wan for good hygiene despite some beer cans scattered on the ground. Wang said most campers cleaned up responsibly. Another visitor, Wang Shuqi from Guangdong, said the trail was "quite clean" but rubbish bins were scarce, forcing her to carry waste with her. The Lunar New Year holiday from February 15 to 23 is a long break, attracting many visitors. A local shop owner said simply cleaning is not enough. “Setting up more educational signs to remind tourists to pick up rubbish is the right way to tackle the problem at its roots,” they said. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department reported countryside park litter fines rising from 10 in 2024 to 44 in 2025, showing growing concerns. The government vows to be more proactive this year in keeping popular sites like Sai Kung clean during busy times.