High Island or Leung Shuen Wan Chau (, ) is a former island located in the southeast of Sai Kung Peninsula in Hong Kong, within Sai Kung District. Two dams constructed between 1969 and 1979 and crossing the former Kwun Mun Channel (), connect the island to the peninsula, thereby forming the High Island Reservoir. Before being connected to the mainland, the island had an area of 8.511 km² (3.29 square miles) and was the 4th largest island of Hong Kong in 1960. Etymology Geologically, high islands are islands of volcanic origin. The term can be used to distinguish such islands from low islands, which are formed from sedimentation or the uplifting of coral reefs (which have often formed on sunken volcanos). Geography High Island is located in the southeast of Sai Kung Peninsula, east of Port Shelter, Kau Sai Chau, Jin Island, Tai Tau Chau, and Bay Islet, north of Town Island, Bluff Island, Basalt Island, Wang Chau, Wong Nai Chau, and Kong Tau Pai, as well as west of Po Pin Chau and Conic Island. The body of water to the southwest of the former island is called Rocky Harbour (or Leung Shuen Wan Hoi ()). Villages Villages and former villages on High Island include, from west to east along the south coast: Tai She Wan (), Pak A (), Sha Kiu (), Tung A () and Pak Lap (). Pak A, Tung A, Pak Lap and Tai She Wan are recognised villages under the New Territories Small House Policy. Pak Lap was historically is a single (Lau) surname Hakka village. It contains 17 houses built in two rows. These houses have been restored and developed into a small resort. Population At the time of the 1911 census, the population of Pak A was 164. The number of males was 76. In 2006, a few dozen people lived in Pak A, Tung A, Sha Kiu and Pak Lap. Additionally, about 100 people lived in designated fish culture zones. Geology High Island features columnar-jointed volcanic tuff. Most of the columns are sub-vertical, straight-sided and parallel. This type of volcanic rock covers a large area around Sai Kung Peninsula in the eastern part of Hong Kong, including High Island Reservoir and Tai Long Wan. Features Aquaculture The water body near Leung Shuen Wan is one of the 26 designated marine fish culture zones in Hong Kong and its shores feature