“Explore the famous photogenic cactus garden of an urban oasis!” That’s the invitation that Tolo Harbour Garden extends to each visitor.
Welcome to Tolo Harbour Garden. It is a place where nature’s beauty meets recreational relaxation.
Did you know that just a short distance away lies the Fairy Lake Botanical Garden? This vast urban oasis in Shenzhen spans 546 hectares. It is classified as a national 4A-level tourist attraction. The Fairy Lake Botanical Garden is an integration of various experiences. These include plant collections, botanical research, scientific education, travel and recreation. It is also a key research base for ornamental plants in China.
Inside the Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, you can discover around 12000 plant species. The garden has six main scenic spots. These feature a lake, a temple, and even a desert. You can also see a fossil forest.
One of the most photographed spots is the Cacti and Succulent Garden inside the America Hall. Here, you can find various species of cacti. These are housed in a transparent hemispherical greenhouse.
Also inside the Fairy Lake Botanical Garden lies the famous Hongfa Temple. It features the Hall of Celestial Kings and the Grand Buddha Hall. There is also the Depositary of Buddhist Sutras. This grand temple is always full of worshippers and visitors.
To get to Fairy Lake Botanical Garden from Tolo Harbour Garden, you can take Shenzhen Metro Line 2. Get off at Xianhu Rd Station. From there, it is only an 8-minute walk from Exit C3. Alternatively, from the East Rail Line Lo Wu Station, take Line 1 and transfer to Line 2 at Grand Theater. From the East Rail Line Lok Ma Chau Station, take Line 4 and transfer to Line 2 at Civic Center Station.
Interestingly, Tolo Harbour itself has a rich history. It was once known as Tai Po Hoi. Pearls were once abundant here. Pearl hunting was a major industry in Tai Po. This dates back to the Han dynasty. During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, a king of Southern Han renamed Tai Po to Mei Chuen To. He ordered aggressive cultivation, which led to fatalities among pearl hunters. Pearl hunting continued until the Ming dynasty, when the oysters were nearly extinct.
The Kowloon-Canton Railway was built in the 1910s along Tolo Harbour’s western shore. The Tolo Highway followed in the 1980s.
As you wander through Tolo Harbour Garden, consider the pearls that once glittered in Tolo Harbour. Think of the botanical wonders nearby. Take a moment to appreciate the blend of nature and history. This is a place where every visit offers a new discovery.