Cheung Po Tsai Cave (Chinese: 張保仔洞) is a natural cave where the famous Guangdong pirate Cheung Po Tsai (Chinese: 張保仔), 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]
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.[1]
In recent years,[when?] steel ladders have been added to facilitate visitors' access in and out of the cave.[citation needed] 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.[1]
