With the way human habitat is spreading into the natural habitat, it seems that there are a few regions in the world that still offer a sneak peak into nature’s beauty and marvel.

In a busy economic and residential hub like Hong Kong, it would be hard to imagine that one would find a window into nature’s heart. However, the authorities worked hard and spent a whopping HK$500 million dollars, in creating, restoring and preserving a natural wetland habitat that is unique and offers a stunning natural retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the city life that surrounds the region.

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The Hong Kong Wetland Park is a conservation, education and tourism facility, located at the northern part of Tin Shui Wai, in Yuen Long,  a rare and exquisite wetland ecosystem that the city is trying to preserve. Started way back in 1998 with an intention to create an ecological mitigation area (EMA), the project named International Wetland Park and Visitor Centre Feasibility Study was set in motion by the local authorities. From then on the administrators set out creating a combination of artificially sustained and naturally available ecosystems that today boasts of being a top notch nature retreat for visitors from across the planet.

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Spread over a 10,000 square meter large visitor centre, Wetland Interactive World and a 60-hectare Wetland Reserve, it boasts of many attractions such as themed exhibition galleries, a theater, a souvenir shop, an indoor play area and a resource centre.

Apart from the obvious freshness and the cool delights the wetlands offer, there is the added incentive of finding nature so close to a major city – and that with amazingly well connected transportation facilities. The retreat is a great place for students to learn about biodiversity, wetland ecosystems and have loads of fun alongside.

Image by kennethwan

Image by kennethwan

Image by kennethwan

And apart from all these one can also indulge with a Stream Walk, Succession Walk, Mangrove Boardwalk and three Bird Hides situated next to the fish pond, mudflat and riverside. Bird watching and spotting wildlife such as Fiddler Crab, Mudskipper and the rare Black-faced Spoonbill will keep you busy all day long.

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However, the major attraction at the Hong Kong Wetland Park is a celebrity crocodile named Pui Pui. The locally renowned creature is famous for its escaping abilities as it took authorities, experts and crocodile hunters several months to actually capture him from the nearby wetland mangroves and get it into the reservation again.

While there is no access to the Deep Bay itself as the local authorities are having some trouble acquiring the region, one still has an opportunity to witness the majesty of what’s probably “the best wetlands in Asia”.

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