Name and Location

Cape D’Aguilar Lighthouse, also known locally as Hok Tsui Lighthouse, stands at the southeastern tip of Hong Kong Island, on Cape D'Aguilar Road in the Shek O neighbourhood, Southern District, Hong Kong.

Construction and History

The lighthouse was commissioned by the British Hong Kong Government in 1875 to guide shipping around the rocky headland of Cape D'Aguilar. It is one of the oldest colonial-era lighthouses still in operation in Hong Kong and a declared monument administered by the Antiquities and Monuments Office (ref: AMO DM80). The lighthouse was declared a monument on October 30, 1995.

Architecture and Materials

The lighthouse has a typical mid-Victorian British colonial design - a plain cylindrical tower with a balcony and gallery, surmounted by a metal lantern. The materials used are granite masonry and brick core, finished with white-painted render, while the lantern room is made of cast iron and glass.

Light and Navigation

The lighthouse emits a flashing white light every 15 seconds (Fl 1+14 W 15s). Its nominal range is 20 nautical miles. The lighthouse was automated in the late 20th century and no longer has a resident keeper.

Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse grounds are accessible at all times, but the tower itself is closed to visitors. There are public hiking trails from Shek O bus terminus or Cape D'Aguilar Road that lead to the site. However, there is no visitor centre or guided tours available.

Notable Views and Landscape

The surrounding area offers panoramic sea vistas, especially dramatic at sunrise and during monsoon swells. The lighthouse is also adjacent to the Cape D'Aguilar Marine Reserve and the University of Hong Kong Swire Institute of Marine Science.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Local fisherfolk tell stories of shipwrecks on the hidden reefs below the cape in the late 19th century, prompting the need for a fixed light. Some accounts also speak of a "keeper's ghost" seen strolling the gallery at dusk - an unverified but part of local hiking lore.

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is managed jointly by the Marine Department (for navigational operations) and the Antiquities and Monuments Office (for heritage conservation). Chart reference: Hong Kong Chart P-3576; Admiralty List of Lights number D 3576.

Further Information

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_D%27Aguilar_Lighthouse Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMO): Hong Kong Declared Monuments list Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals Vol E (East Asia) "Lighthouses of Hong Kong" by R.N. Davidson (Mariner's Press, 1998)