| Cheung Po Tsai Cave | |
| Other Name: | 張保仔洞 |
| Photo Width: | 250px |
| Map: | Hong Kong |
| Location: | Cheung Chau, Hong Kong |
| Depth: | 10 metres |
| Length: | about 90 metres |
| Entrance Count: | 1 |
| Hazards: | slippery surface due to rain and wind |
| Lighting: | none |
| T: | 張保仔洞 |
| S: | 张保仔洞 |
| P: | Zhāng bǎo zǎi dòng |
| Y: | Jēung bóu jái duhng |
| J: | Zoeng1 bou2 zai2 dung6 |
Cheung Po Tsai Cave is a natural cave where the famous Guangdong pirate Cheung Po Tsai, according to legend, kept his treasures. It is located on Hong Kong's outlying island of Cheung Chau and is a popular attraction there. No treasures have been found in the cave.[1]
The cave is named after Cheung Po Tsai, a legendary Chinese pirate during the Qing Dynasty who controlled the seas around the Pearl River Delta and served as a de facto government to most coastal communities in the area.[2] According to legend, during the Battle of the Tiger's Mouth, Cheung was said to have used the cave as refuge and for hiding his treasures.[3]
To enter the cave, visitors climb down a ladder one by one, going 10 metres deep underground into a path that extends about 90 metres before reaching an exit. The trail is narrow and the walls are slippery, so visitors must move in a single file line. A strong flashlight is recommended as little sunlight penetrates into the cave. Bats and mosquitoes are found inside the cave due to the dark and damp environment inside. Despite these conditions, no serious accidents have been reported at the site as of 2018.
In recent years, steel ladders have been added to facilitate visitors' access in and out of the cave. In April 2012, a large number of stone fell and narrowed the cave entrance.[4] [5]
Lamma Island Cheung Po Tsai Cave is located on Lamma Island, Hong Kong. It was presumed to be destroyed in 1979 when the Lamma Power Station was built near the site. The cave was much larger than the Cheung Chau one, at 9 storeys deep. However, decades of weathering has revealed an entrance to the cave, making it partly accessible again.
In addition, there are also Cheung Po Tsai Caves in Tap Mun, Sai Wan, Chung Hom Kok, Chek Chau, Siu Kau Yi Chau, and Longxue Island, Guangzhou.