The standard visit to Hong Kong is, in all its capitalist glory, a gigantic tax-free shopping extravaganza surrounded by harbor views, posh restaurants and five-star hotels. But, believe it or not, beyond this splurging bonanza hides another side of the island: natural beauty.
A bustling metropolis limited by space, Hong Kong has developed vertically due to a complete lack of room (the tiny apartments offer many a local joke: in order to chop a banana, they say, one has to stand it upright in the kitchen). Hong Kong is also famously made up of a section of the mainland and a collection of islands – Hong Kong Island being just one of them. In truth, just 25 percent of the land is actually urbanized. Occupying this free land are nature reserves, beaches and space for outdoor sports like kayaking and surfing and hiking trails surrounding the city limits. We discovered two great hikes only minutes from the downtown sprawl.
The dragon trek
Straddling the ridge of a mountain range shaped like a dragon’s back is, appropriately enough, Dragon’s Back Trail. This makes for a great day trip. The trail is steep enough to get the blood flowing and yet moderate enough for one to enjoy the surrounding scenery. As you scale the spine of the Dragon’s Back, you will walk along forested trails and un-forested peaks, perfect for viewing on a clear spring day. The trail is also well marked out and in good condition; it only takes 90 minutes to hike but you may want to allow more time for lunch and lingering. There are a couple of picnic areas along the path, too, so you won’t need any specific hiking gear for this easy route.
After completing the trail and arriving back on Shek O Road, it’s worth while continuing on to Shek O village and beach, either by bus or, as we did, on foot. Shek O village is a relaxed and peaceful place to spend some time. There are a number of restaurants, including a great Thai outlet, and the beach is utterly gorgeous. To walk there, continue down the road and take the first turn to your right (you can’t miss it). An off-road trail leads you down a wind-blown, rocky slope to a small cave-like ledge. During the dry season, you can follow the rocky riverbed all the way down to some little houses. Climb up onto the path and follow it to the nearby beach. From the village bus stop you can get back to Shau Kei Wan.
To get there
Take the MTR to Shau Kei Wan station and take exit A3. If you are hiking on a weekday and set out in the morning. Shau Kei Wan is a good place to get supplies for the hike. From the bus terminal, take Bus 9 heading to Shek O. The bus costs HKD6.90 – make sure you have exact change because bus drivers don’t give any out. Get off the bus at Cape Collinson stop, walk up the stairs and take a right when you reach the top. Keep walking until you see a sign for the trail.
The Lantau trek
Lantau is, yes, you’ve guessed it, on Lantau island, which is bigger than Hong Kong Island and less populated. It is home to the International Airport, Disneyland, a gigantic statue of Buddha and a plethora of natural getaways. The Tian Tan Buddha statue and Lantau Peak are close by one an other and can be reached from Ngong Ping village. The huge smiling Buddha, seated on an enormous lotus flower, overlooks the surrounding mountains and trees. In the vicinity of the statue are a temple and a vegetarian restaurant. The restaurant has a set lunch for RMB52 which can be bought before you walk up the stairs to the Buddha – the same ticket allows you entry to the tiny museum underneath the Buddha. The circuit trail starting and returning to Ngong Ping is nothing special, but the trail up to Lantua Peak is really worth the strenuous hike. This trail, built of stone steps, leads you steadily ever upwards until, upon arrival, the amazing summit offers a much-needed rest. From the peak, both sea and land clasp hands as the waving contours of the island are woven seamlessly together. It’s a magical sight.
To get there
You can either take a ferry from Hong Kong Island or the MTR from Kowloon – both cost around HKD11. Once you arrive you can buy an all-day bus ticket for HKD30 and stop at different places such as the beaches along the way. In the afternoon the buses fill up from the terminal at Ngong Ping. The MTR station at Tung Chung is home to a movie theater, food court and a mall full of outlet stores.
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