Yesterday in the library I was interviewed by a friend about my experiences in Hong Kong for her Culture and Society course. I was told to reflect upon my expectations before arriving to Hong Kong and how my expectations have been satisfied ( or not) after studying for a few months here. One of the common expectations that I share with most people I have talked to is this-
Tsim Sha Tsui overlooking Victoria Harbor and the famous Hong Kong skyline
bustling food stalls and markets near Temple Street
Hong Kong is commonly seen as a sprawling metropolis dominated by tall skyscrapers and other buildings. But I was pleasantly suprised that there were many well kept trails around Hong Kong. Some, in fact, are on Hong Kong Island itself! Hong Kong has suprisingly rugged trails tucked into its hills and mountains just a stone throw away from the city. Sai Kung can be found to the East of Kowloon, Lantau has great trails and Hong Kong Island has a great hike on the Dragon’s Back overlooking Shek O and Tai Long Wan. The tallest mountain in Hong Kong, Tai Mo Shan, has a paved road up for those who prefer a less rugged trail for hiking.
The best web site to get you started would be Nature Touch, which grades hikes from a scale from 1 to 4 and divides hikes into the different Hong Kong islands. I have accomplished only one level 4 hike and it is doable but quite tough. Each hike has its own descriptions and directions to get there, all layed out in an excellent format.
Hikes that I have done and recommend-
1. Hike from HKU to Victoria’s Peak- quite simple, just take the trail up past Run Run Shaw. After a pleasant 1 hour hike past a small waterfall you will see the wonderul view from the Peak.
2. Sai Kung Hike to Tai Long Wan- this hike is actually quite tricky for me at first as there is more than one Tai Long Wan (Deep Wave Bay) in Hong Kong. This hike involves a speedboat, strenuous hiking and a beautiful beach, possibly one of the nicest in Hong Kong.
3. Dragon’s Back near Shek O- This hike starts at a large cemetery, but soon enough your riding up and down the mountains overlooking panoramic views of the ocean. Easily accessible on Hong Kong Island.
Here are some pictures of one of the hikes i did on the Lantau Trail- (Sunset Peak)
on a hill in the background
Valerie posing near the top of Sunset Peak, the third tallest mountain in Hong Kong. Notice the thick fog shrouding the background
Overlooking the hike to Lantau Peak, the 2nd tallest mountain in Hong Kong
Giant spider
