Hiking in the Jurassic Park Terrain of Hong Kong
A love letter to Hong Kong’s epic mountain trails and beaches
Ham Tin Beach in Tai Long Wan, Sai Kung.
After three prior trips to Hong Kong, I mistakenly thought I’d seen all there was to see. Of course, I was looking forward to spending time with my mother-in-law’s side of the family—the main purpose of our trip—but with most of the family members working during the day, how we would fill those hours was a big question mark.
To me, Hong Kong is the place of fantastic food and a flip-flopped, relaxed manner. Century egg congee, custard buns, and dim sum are favorites of mine that I look forward to upon every return. But on this particular occasion, I made an active choice to venture out to Hong Kong’s wild side.
So, if you’ll forgive the diversion from the usual Japan content, please allow me to express my adoration for the otherworldly trails of this place I love so much.
Cheung Chau Pier.
Cheung Chau
After a first week filled with rain and Studio Ghibli movies, a brief reprieve enabled our first expedition to Cheung Chau. This small island is just a 30-minute ferry ride from Central, promising a quaint getaway with pastel houses and beaches at the ready.
Immediately following our disembarkation, we headed straight to Tung Wan Beach, where I donned my stylish Japanese-style full coverage suit for my first ocean swim since the Florida spring break days of my youth. Given the clouds’ lingering presence, the dark waters, and misty peaks in the background, the gloomy scene was more like La Push from Twilight, which I happily lapped up.
Spotting two rafts in the distance, I made a challenge out of swimming to the closer one not once, but twice, as I could not convince my husband to join me in the endeavor. However, he did make up for it with a couple Jaws-like shots of me on the raft.
I’m not a strong swimmer by any means. Unable to put my head in the water, I instead make up for the froggy paddling of my legs and protruding head with semi-decent form in my arms. Considering I spent an hour in the water, which we had all to ourselves save for two actual swimmers doing laps, and didn’t drown or touch any seaweed (my childhood nemesis), I consider the outing a success.
All changed and ready for lunch, Taka and I decided on a restaurant that served the worst pizza I’ve had the privilege of eating in my entire life. Even the knife and fork combo didn’t make a dent in the hardtack crust. The toppings of spicy prawn and cheese made up for nothing. The Coke was barely a solace, and we left half of each personal pizza behind.
Needless to say, we were disappointed at the highway robbery that had just occurred. Determined to turn the day back around, the two of us headed onwards to Pak Tai Temple and the North lookout point.
Cheung Chau seems to serve as a retirement community and tourist destination all at once. The houses we wandered past were charming, if not slightly run-down, with none of the amenities of the city. No cars are allowed on the island, meaning there are bikes strewn about everywhere. The quiet alleyways are then punctuated by magenta and crimson flowers.
Marking our proximity to Pak Tai Temple was a pack of stray dogs napping in the shade of a banyan tree. Edging closer to the temple, the exterior was covered in intricately painted porcelain, with a few red lanterns hanging from the wooden beams. Inside, two flip-flop-clad men chatted from folding chairs on opposite sides of the altar while we said our prayers before departing in a whoosh of incense.
Along a pavement path behind the temple, Taka and I ascended to the lookout point after about twenty minutes or so of walking. The view from here was incredible, albeit the first of many on our hikes in Hong Kong.
Big Wave Bay Beach from up above.
The Dragon’s Back
Perhaps one of the most famous hikes in Hong Kong, the Dragon’s Back trail spans the entire southeast coast of Hong Kong Island, offering stunning panoramic views for most of the ridgeline hike.
Just after 8 a.m., the number 9 bus dropped us off at the side of Shek O Road, where we began our journey. I’d read several blog posts on this trail, but ultimately decided on this starting point and Big Wave Bay Beach as our end point, a decision I was rather pleased with in the end.
Right away, I knew this was going to be a favorite hike of mine. Unlike the entirely paved road on Cheung Chau, this was a proper hike with a wide variety of terrain. A red dirt path made way for a scramble of rounded stones, made way for a log staircase, made way for a bit of craggy, mossy rocks, and so on. Every step was different from the next, which is exactly the type of trail I prefer. And with the lush greenery running into the ocean below, I truly felt like I was walking right through Jurassic Park (sans murderous dinosaurs, thankfully).
Further distinguishing these trails from those of Japan was the presence of butterflies and long, iridescent lizards guiding us. At one point, we even saw a tiny brown snake, too. As far as humans go, there were only a handful of people on the trail on a weekday morning, which surprised me, as this is such a popular trail.
And the views. The clouds had, for the most part, cleared up enough to see across the bay. So this was hiking in Hong Kong. Not half bad, I have to say.
Descending into the forested section, Taka and I brushed up on our trail running before my ankle twisted and told me to mind my business. Shaking it out, we walked through town and got to the beach without issue.
In total, it took us around two hours to hike the eight-kilometer trail. I’m not sure if the woods were a shortcut or if we’re just more in shape than the bloggers who reported it taking four hours. For my confidence levels, I’d prefer to think the latter.
Just like the trail, Big Wave Bay Beach was hosting very few people for the day. The sun hanging out like a loyal friend, I changed into my swimsuit, slathered on a vat of sunscreen, and raced into the turquoise water.
Big Wave Bay Beach is popular among surfers, though there is a boundary outlined in buoys for swimmers to enjoy. On this day, Taka and I were free to have a splashing contest, with me jokingly baptizing him in the name of Satan at one point. It was great fun and, compared to the cooler day in Cheung Chau, the water felt ultra refreshing after a couple hours of sweating.
In between dips in the ocean, which was so transparent we could see our toes the whole time, we stopped for a bite to eat at Eric’s Kitchen just a few steps away. Taka went for fish & chips while I went for a tuna sandwich, paired with ice-cold Cokes, of course. While this restaurant isn’t winning any Michelin Stars anytime soon, a decent meal right on the beach can’t be beat.
In terms of convenience, I can’t sing enough praises coming from the countryside of Japan. Though we had to do a bit of road running along a golf course to meet it, we were able to catch a rickety light bus which took us back to Shau Kei Wan, where we were able to catch a speedy train ride home.
Dare I say, this might have been one of my favorite hikes of all time, and certainly of this trip, but let me not get ahead of myself.
The first viewing point along the Tai Long Wan Trail.
Tai Long Wan, Sai Kung
Our final hike was in Sai Kung just the day before our departure. Tai Long Wan is a three-kilometer-long bay leading up to Sai Kung Country Park, a favorite among outdoor enthusiasts in Hong Kong for its rock formations.
Drawing us to Tai Long Wan were the four pristine beaches along the route: Sai Wan, Ham Tin, Tai Wan, and Tung Wan, often labelled as the “most beautiful beaches in Hong Kong.” Converging with the MacLehose Trail, each cove is about three kilometers apart, allowing hikers to customize their route as needed.
Sai Kung is a little more challenging to navigate without a car, requiring two buses, a taxi, and a total of an hour and 45 minutes, not including the length of time it took to hail said taxi. Honestly, we should’ve just taken the light bus on this last leg, but lesson learned. Nevertheless, we arrived at the trailhead, cashing in on my Chloe Ting squat-borne hamstring strength in the grodiest port-a-johns I’ve ever seen.
Sunscreen and hand sanitizer applied, Taka and I set off.
The trail was, unfortunately, entirely paved, though things would heat up as we surpassed the first viewing point, where green blobs of land formed a Rorschach across the water. The weather gods were on our side for once, gifting us 100% visibility.
Making our way down to the first beach, Taka was reminded of his frequent work trips to Bali with the boardwalks and wild cows. After a not-so-brief conversation with the bovines, it was time to rid myself of shoes and sink my toes in the sand. Only then did Taka point out the healthy amount of cow shit on the beach, which I deftly navigated around to take some pictures before ushering our party of two back on the trail. Evidently, we would not be swimming here.
At this point, it was going on 11 o’clock and hovering around 98 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius). Completely exposed to the sun, Taka and I slowed our pace as we hydrated and fueled up for the next leg. Because Taka had been here before and advised me that the water pools I was thinking of going to were only accessible by jumping from above, that, too, was nixed from the itinerary.
Thankfully, the second beach, Ham Tin, made for a much better place to settle for the afternoon. Microsoft Windows-level views, I’m telling you! With my husband ready to pass out, the two of us booked it to the sole restaurant, which was only accessible via a precarious boardwalk MacGyvered out of fishing materials and planks of wood leaning across a pond that looked chock-full of Lachrymose leeches.
One extra salty egg fried rice and two Cokes later, it was time for the final plunge. Given the rock formations and miniature green islands surrounding us, the views here were so good that we spent a full two hours in the water. This timeline was perfect, as the next boat back to Sai Kung town was at 1:30, and the next one after that wasn’t until 4:30.
Again, Taka and I had our fair share of fun engaging in splashing contests and pretending to drown each other (as any couple who’s been together for seven years does). There were two other groups of foreigners there with us, but plenty of room to spread out for our respective shenanigans.
I’d come to regret all that time in the water later thanks to the severe sunburn on my back and shoulders (still peeling, by the way), but it was worth it.
One thing I will say is that there seemed to be a boatload of trash that came in with the tide at a certain time, because the beach had been otherwise pristine until I spotted sauce packets floating around me. I’m not sure of the exact origin, except that it wasn’t from littering on the beach itself, but something to note because it did dampen the experience.
My favorite part of the day, however, was the boat ride back to Sai Kung town. Growing up, every fourth of July was spent tubing off the back of my grandpa’s pontoon boat (cue the irresistibly catchy song by Little Big Town) in Traverse City. Due to COVID and his passing shortly thereafter, I hadn’t been boating in years, and riding through the choppy waters made me realize how dearly I missed those days.
So there you have it, folks. Three different destinations for your next trip to Hong Kong, or for your reading pleasure. Out of the three, I have to say the Dragon’s Back was my favorite overall. The mixed terrain, incredible views, nice, clean beach, and decent restaurant made for a genuinely fun hiking adventure that I’d be happy to repeat, and I’m not usually a person who likes to return to the same trail unless there’s seasonal flora and fauna.
I should mention that we did hike Victoria’s Peak for the second time somewhere in the middle of these hikes, which we concluded with a Reese’s Take Five bar. The bar, I highly recommend. The trail itself, however, is completely paved and has a shopping complex at the top, which is something we all know I don’t love seeing in nature.
I am so happy I sought out a different side of Hong Kong, one that I greatly look forward to exploring more of whenever I’m here next. Where I mistakenly thought of Hong Kong as only the city before, now I know there’s more to Hong Kong than just that. And by sharing these three locations, I hope to inspire you guys to get out there, whether it’s in Hong Kong or your home country. Let me know in the comments where you plan to go next, especially if it’s one of these spots!
Access:
A big thank you to Sassy Mama HK, Curly Explorers, Hong Kong Tourism Board, and Drones and DSLR for helping me plan each of these mini-trips. You can find all of the information you need on their blogs. I’ve also pasted similar notes below.
Cheung Chau:
Take the fast ferry from Central Pier 5, which lasts around 30 minutes. Alternatively, there’s an hour-long ferry with an open deck for aquamarine views.
Dragon’s Back:
Depending on your starting point, meet the Number 9 bus at A Kung Ngam Road, getting off at To Tei Wan; Shek O Road. From here to Big Wave Bay Beach is about eight kilometers, though you can add/shave off a few kilometers and head to Shek O Beach instead if you like.
There are toilets at the trailhead and at the intersection where you’ll head down to Big Wave Bay Beach, as well as in the changing rooms on the beach itself. Don’t forget your sunscreen or spare tissues, as there’s no toilet paper to be found.
On Big Wave Bay Beach, there are three different restaurants. Eric’s Kitchen is where we ate, and, by all appearances, offers the widest variety of dishes. To get home, take the red minibus from the nearest station, about a ten-minute walk from the beach. This will take you to Shau Kei Wan, where you can indulge in street food and catch a train back home.
Tai Long Wan:
There are a variety of ways to get to Sai Kung town. From Quarry Bay, we took the Tseung Kwan O Line to Tiu Keng Leng Station before boarding the 792M bus (in the garage adjacent to the train station) to Sai Kung Town Hall. This second bus was running late, so something to be wary of. Drones and DSLR has a PDF with the bus information for the final segment from Sai Kung Town Hall to the trailhead, though the bus is infrequent on weekdays. We opted to take a taxi, which we recommend doing from the green taxi station over trying to hail a taxi yourself.
There are only restaurants on the first two beaches, so bring something to eat if you plan on going further. If you are planning to get in the water, I recommend wearing your swimsuit underneath your hiking outfit, as the toilets are rather… primitive. Be sure to bring spare tissues, sunscreen, and plenty of fluids. The boat ride back to Sai Kung town is definitely worth it if the heat is getting to you or if you just want a fun experience. If I’m remembering correctly, the boat ride was 300 HKD for two people, or 160 HKD for those traveling solo. Remember to bring enough cash and to keep an eye on the time if you choose this route back.
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