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Uniquely HK

Feature Story

BEST SPRING OUTDOOR EXCURSIONS IN HONG KONG

Enjoy Hong Kong’s great outdoors with our pick of cool excursions packed with quaint villages, scenic spots, spectacular vistas and the city’s unparalleled natural beauty.

 

 

The arrival of spring in Hong Kong means balmy weather, with average temperatures of 17°C to 21°C and plenty of sunny skies – the perfect time to explore the city's great outdoors. Surprisingly, for a city known for its population density, 70 percent of Hong Kong is actually green, and largely unspoiled. The geographical and biological diversity of the city also astounds: 700 kilometres of varied coastline, soaring mountains, lovely beaches, quaint village hamlets and beautiful islands, together populated by more species of flora and fauna than in many large countries.
We've put together four fun excursions, each with a varied itinerary and including some out-of-the-way places that showcase the best outdoor elements Hong Kong has to offer. One or more of these trips could be the highlight of your visit to Hong Kong.

 



Dragon's Back and Shek O

 


The Dragon's Back is a mountain ridge behind Shek O, an iconic village and beach in the south-east of Hong Kong Island. Known as one of the best urban hiking trails in Asia, the Dragon's Back offers sweeping views of the South China Sea on one side and a dramatic mountain landscape on the other.
There are several options to enjoy this hike. We suggest you take First Bus Number 9 from Shau Kei Wan and get off at the junction between Shek O Road and Cape Collinson Road near Tai Tam Gap Correctional Institution. From there, begin your ascent to the trail – a few kilometres fairly level before the ascent to the small ridge. You’ll be greeted with stunning vistas all round.


 

Leave the trail at To Tei Wan on Shek O Road and walk to nearby Shek O, to catch some sun on the beautiful white sand beach. This quaint village, with its colourfully painted houses is popular with visitors and locals alike. Optionally, the Shek O Headland a little further along the road offers dramatic scenes of waves crashing against rocks. End your visit with either a BBQ cook-out or visit one of several eateries close to the beach, before taking Bus Number 9 for a spectacular ride back to the city.

 

 

Sai Wan Ho to Devil’s Peak to Mau Wu Shan Bunker along Wilson Trail Section 3

 

 

This moderately strenuous hike offers sweeping views of Victoria Harbour, and visits two abandoned military bunkers from World War II. Start your trip with a relaxing old-style ferry ride from the Sai Wan Ho Ferry Pier in eastern Hong Kong Island, to Lei Yue Mun (Sam Ka Tsuen) – there are two routes, so check you have the right one. From there, walk about 15 minutes to the entrance of the Tsuen Kwan O Chinese Permanent Cemetery, a winding road up the mountain. Look for signs to the Devil's Peak on the Wilson Trail, where an abandoned fort, Gough Battery, awaits at the top of the hill. The views of the harbour and across to Hong Kong Island are gorgeous. Follow the trail via two more hills, and a ridge ascent brings spectacular views of Kowloon. After the second peak, look for the trail signed for Mau Wu Shan Bunker, another WWII relic, overlooking Tseung Kwan O and Sai Kung beyond. You can now either retrace your steps for a sumptuous seafood dinner at Lei Yu Mun or continue along the Wilson Trail to Po Lam Road, for a bus back to the city.

 

 

Central to Western waterfront Instagram trail

 

 

This is an easy walk that satisfies both the eyes and the tummy, taking in numerous landmarks and many excellent photo spots. Start at Tamar Park in Central and walk westward along the waterfront, passing the Observation Wheel, the Star Ferry and the Central Ferry Piers. Pass through the Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal and along the waterfront to the pleasant Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park, featuring a spacious lawn, fountain and rest area. Further along, past the produce markets, the Western District Cargo Basin Working Area, or 'Instagram Pier', is right on the water's edge, with cargo containers a cool background for your photos. A little further, and Kennedy Town Praya is a waterfront promenade lined with restaurants and bars. The final Instagram spot, the Sai Wan Swimming Shed, is beyond the main built-up area, accessible from Victoria Road above. Hardly anybody swims there now, but a solitary pier sticking out into the harbour makes for a great photo spot. Return to the praya or the rest of Kennedy Town for your choice of fine food and drink.

 

Lamma Island

 

 

This beautiful island, Hong Kong's third largest, is a favourite with locals and visitors alike, noted as the birthplace of superstar actor Chow Yun Fat. The island is blissfully free of motor traffic with Yung Shue Wan and Sok Kwu Wan the best-known villages . Take a ferry from Pier 4 in Central to Yung Shue Wan where you can stroll through the village lined with friendly shops and bars/restaurants. Take the path to Sok Kwu Wan, with perhaps a stop for tofu custard at the stand beside the path . Before the moderate ascent, Hung Shing Ye Beach offers a pleasant respite. The hike up to the ridge has a stunning view of the islands and the sea, while the descent to Sok Kwu Wan passes through a sleepy bay with ducks and other birds foraging in the wetlands, as well as a stately old Tin Hau temple. You'll then be very ready to enjoy a nice meal at one of the village's famous seafood restaurants before directly catching a ferry back to Central.

 

 

Edited on 5 March, 2019

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