Hike till you drop — 6 Hong Kong trails not to miss
A mini guide to Hong Kong living (EPISODE II)
Hong Kong is always buzzing, loud, exciting. But at some point, it’s time to escape the buzz. Escape and venture into the splendid Hong Kong hills. Without at least one hike you haven’t truly explored Hong Kong. And no need to worry, hiking in Hong Kong is not just steps and sweat and pain. It’s the views, the tiny villages along the way, the snake catchers and other HK legends you’ll meet and the cold beer on the beach after the hike. Here’s a selection of my favourite routes:
§ Twin Peaks: for a great work-out and beautiful views of HK island’s south side (2.5 hours). My recommendation is to start from Parkview, which is accessible by cab from Happy Valley (Causeway Bay) and essentially hike Wilson Trail Section 1 backwards. From Wong Nai Chung Gap, you reach Parkview and then head off on the right hand side, where the ascent will slowly become more arduous. The “twins” with their (more than!) 1000 steps are a bit of a struggle, but so worth it to enjoy a beautiful descent to Stanley. Once you arrive at Stanley Gap Road, go down to Stanley beach for a swim and then across to Stanley Market for a well-deserved lunch at The Boathouse.
§ Lions Rock: for a close-up look of the Kowloon side and some fun monkey encounters (3 hours). Maclehose Section 5 takes you along the Kowloon ridge and offers the most splendid view of what Honkies call “The Dark Side” of Hong Kong. Start from Diamond Hill MTR station and take a taxi to Sha Tin Pass Rd and Tsz Wan Shan (Temple Hill) and then hike Section 5 along the Kowloon ridge to Tai Po Road. Apart from the stunning view from Lion’s Rock, you will also encounter some cheeky monkeys towards the end of the trail (cute and harmless!!)
§ The Beaches hike: for the most beautiful seaside scenery of Hong Kong (5h). This hike follows Maclehose Section 2 and takes you from Long Ke reservoir (take a cab from Tseung Kwan O MTR Station) along the three beaches of Sai Wan, Ham Tin Wan and Tai Long Wan to Pak Tam Au (from there you can take bus 94 back to Sai Kung). If you do one hike while in Hong Kong — this is probably the one. Far away from Victoria Harbor, these beaches are a true HK oasis. In case the heat of the hike is too much to bear, you can also access the three beaches by boat (boat from Sai Kung to Sai Wan or boat from Wong Shek Pier to Check Keng Pier and then walk across the last section of the trail to Tai Long Wan) And finally: if you want to stay overnight, Tai Long Wan has tents for rent.
§ Lantau Peaks: for a real mountaineering experience and a trip to Hong Kong’s big Buddha island (4.5h). These two peaks are on Section 2 and Section 3 of Lantau trail. To start this adventurous hike, take the ferry from the Central pier to Mui Wo on Lantau. From Mui Wo take any bus to Nam Shan where the trail starts. You will hike the two peaks — 1st Sunset Peak and then Lantau Peak — and finally arrive at the famous Lantau Big Buddha. To get back to the city you can take the cable-car from Ngong Ping to Tung Chung
§ High Junk Peak: a beautiful and quiet little hike in the New Territories — with the best seafood place as a final treat (3h) Start from Hang Hau MTR station and either walk or take a cab to Clearwater Bay Rd and Ng Fai Tin bus station (Bus 103/103M) where the trail starts. You can walk alongside the two peaks or actually go up the High Junk Peak for a spectacular view of the Sai Kung peninsula and Clearwater Bay. At the end of the trail at Tai Mun Rd, walk down to a little village called Po Toi O. Enter the village and find a large seafood restaurant called 海鮮島漁港 Seafood Islands Restaurant. You can choose the most divine crabs directly from the pools and fill your hungry bellies at a very reasonable price, before heading back to the city by taxi or bus (minibus 16 goes to Hang Hau MTR).
§ The Morning Trial: a Hong Kong classic by day and by night (1.5h) If you are not up for a long excursion but you want to put on your walking shoes nevertheless, the Morning Trail is for you. Best enjoyed by night (for stunning skyline views) or in the early morning, the morning trail takes you from the mid-levels up to Victoria Peak Lookout. Head up Hatton Road from Conduit Road and then find the beginning of the paved morning trail and wind your way up the Peak. The final section takes you around Victoria Peak to the Lookout platform. You can have coffee or a bite to eat at the 19th century style Peak Lookout with its charming terrace
Check out all the Hong Kong posts:
Episode I: not entirely #shitwhite
Episode II: 6 Hong Kong trails to not miss (the one you’re on)
Episode III: Hong Kong eateries: the top picks
Episode IV: Living it up in Hong Kong bars & clubs
