Safety first: Check out the Leisure & Cultural Services Department website for a map of beaches, and a swimmers' handbook.

The Environmental Protection Department has rated 20 beaches as 'good', 12 as 'fair' and one 'poor'. For updates on your local beach, check the department's website, www.epd.gov.hk, or call the beach hotline, 2511 6666.

The 'good' beaches include:

* Butterfly Beach;

* Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach;

* Chung Hom Kok Beach;

* Discovery Bay;

* Hap Mun Bay Beach;

* Hung Shing Yeh Beach;

* Kiu Tsui Beach;

* Kwun Yam Beach;

* Lo So Shing Beach;

* Lower Cheung Sha Beach;

* Middle Bay Beach;

* Pui O Beach;

* Repulse Bay Beach;

* South Bay Beach;

* St Stephen's Beach;

* Stanley Main Beach;

* Tong Fuk Beach;

* Trio Beach;

* Turtle Cove Beach; and

* Upper Cheung Sha Beach.

The 'fair' beaches are:

* Cafeteria New Beach;

* Cafeteria Old Beach;             

* Castle Peak Beach;

* Clear Water Bay First Beach;

* Clear Water Bay Second Beach;    

* Deep Water Bay Beach;

* Golden Beach;

* Kadoorie Beach;

* Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach;

* Shek O Beach;

* Silver Mine Bay Beach; and

* Silverstrand Beach.

Big Wave Bay Beach has been rated as 'poor'.

Butterfly Beach and Discovery Bay have been upgraded from fair to good, while Deep Water Bay Beach and Shek O Beach have been changed from good to fair. The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches.

Seven gazetted beaches - Anglers' Beach, Approach Beach, Ting Kau Beach, Casam Beach, Gemini Beaches, Hoi Mei Wan Beach and Lido Beach - are closed to swimmers year round because of poor water quality. People are advised not to swim at the closed beaches.