'I discovered Hong Kong’s wild side - and I don’t mean its night life'
If Hong Kong’s on your travel bucket list but you’re prone to overwhelm (hi!), be safe in the knowledge that you can swap big-city chaos for rolling countryside, sandy beaches and crystal-blue seas.
It’s surprising for a city that’s known for its dense population and towering skyscrapers.
Wait… so how green is Hong Kong?
It’s mighty green: 40% of Hong Kong’s land is made up of natural spaces. This includes its 24 country parks, 250 islands, plus its urban parks, hike-ready mountains, sprawling forests and sandy coastlines. There are also seven marine parks and one marine reserve.
You could easily spend a week- or month-long trip visiting a dazzling new location every day and never get bored. And, whether your hotel is based on the Kowloon side or on Hong Kong Island, most of these spaces are within easy reach.
For example, Hong Kong’s oldest country park, Kam Shan (famous for its huge population of macaque monkeys) is just a 30-minute bus journey or short taxi ride from the city, while Lantau Country Park, located on Lantau Island, is easy to reach via the MTR, bus or ferry, depending on where exactly you’re based. There are also a huge number of accessible popular hiking trails including the MacLehose Trail, the Hong Kong Trail and Dragon’s Back, all offering dizzying views of HK’s unique scenery.
With so many places to choose from, where did you go?
I was in Hong Kong for five days, and with so many options and limited time, I prioritised a mix of easy-to-reach places along with some of the big hitters. I stayed at the Ovolo Central in Hong Kong Island’s Central, a boutique rock ‘n’ roll-themed hotel that’s perfectly positioned. It's a stone’s throw away from the partying district of Lang Kwai Fong and just a 15-minute walk from The Peak Tram, a Victorian-era train that takes you up from its base beside Hong Kong Park up to HK’s highest peak, offering unbeatable cityscape views. So, why not start there?
The Peak
Tip: buy an advance ticket for both the tram and Sky Terrace 428, which offers pretty much the best views in the city. You’ll beat the queues and get some truly enviable photos of Hong Kong from up high.
After enjoying your scenic tram journey to the top and taking in the spectacular urban skyline, you have the option to continue exploring the area with a hike around scenic Victoria Peak or in the dense foliage of Pok Fu Lam Country Park, then head back down, via the tram or on foot, to Hong Kong Park, the city’s glorious urban lung.
Hong Kong Park
Like so much of Hong Kong, its central park is immaculate, brimming with rare plants, water features and a large koi pond dotted with bright orange fish and huddles of sleepy terrapins. I spotted colourful birds, dragonflies and butterflies everywhere, and the tropical greenery backdropped by the cityscape makes for an incredibly scenic stroll.
The park's also home to the Eduarde Youde Aviary, a free-to-enter bird-watcher’s paradise that keeps rare and exotic species. I’m low-key obsessed with birds, so I spent far too long in here trying to snap the ultimate picture of a bright red parrot. But even those immune to the charms of these iconic creatures will be impressed by this inner-city jungle.
Lamma Island
After a half-hour walk from the park to the harbour, I used my Octopus travel card to take the ferry from Central to Yung Shue Wan pier at the north end of Lamma Island – just a 35-min trip across the sea. By the time I arrived, the cloudy morning weather had lifted and the sun was hot and bright.
Ambling past the seafood restaurants and tourist-friendly bars, I wandered on to find Hung Shing Yeh Beach, boasting butter-yellow sands and views of the island’s nearby power station looming over the sparkling sea. If you wanted to make a full day of it, you could probably charge around the entire island stopping at every beach and viewpoint in sight. But with all the heat and humidity, I found it better to take things slow, stopping to sunbathe, take a dip in the sea and admire the sounds of chirping cicadas and croaking frogs as I hiked part of the island’s wild coastline. Expect endless sea views and a sweaty brow.
Lantau Island
Another day, another island, and at 58 square miles, Lantau is Hong Kong’s largest. It’s home to fishing villages, secluded beaches, monasteries, country parks and… Disneyland (but let’s ignore that). It’s also where you can visit the Tian Tan Buddha, an enormous golden statue made from bronze best reached by the Ngong Ping 360 cable car, followed by 260 steps.
Led by Hong Kong Greeters guide, Amy, I hoisted myself up the steps to reach the top, which afforded me yet more panoramic views of the wild, green landscape, and a true sense of just how big the ‘Big Buddha’ really is. After heading back down, we took a winding walk along the nearby Wisdom Path – a trail lined with 38 wooden columns inscribed with verses from the ancient Heart Sutra prayer – stopping by Po Lin Monastery en route. Keep walking, and you’ll find yourself hiking up to Lantau Peak.
Tai O Fishing Village
Another fascinating place to visit on Lantau is Tai O, a historical fishing village that’s home to the tight-knit Tanka community. Tai O is steeped in tradition, its residents living above the water in houses built on stilts for generations. Every year, the village plays host to the Dragon Boat Festival, a religious celebration where members of local fishing associations row dragon boats to four of Tai O’s temples where they receive statues of deities. The village is also known for its seafood snacks, such as dried scallops, fish balls and salted fish - I sampled some from the market stalls, and let's just say fish balls are an acquired taste.
My highlight here was a boat trip to spot pink dolphins. That’s right! Pink. Though they’re technically called Chinese white dolphins. I was lucky enough to see one (spotted by my eagle-eyed tour guide) curling through the water – close enough to see, but far enough to believe that it might have been a pig. It was an amazing experience – one that’s increasingly rare as local dolphin numbers decline.
Cheung Chau
South-east of Lantau is Cheung Chau island, a bustling but easy-going destination known for its annual bun festival and attendant Bun Scrambling competition (yes, really) where competitors clamber up a sky-high bamboo tower covered in buns and race to grab as many as possible. It’s also a lovely, chilled out place to explore, sit down for lunch and find quirky souvenirs.
I took a one-to-one tour via bicycle with Gabi from Walk Hong Kong, spending an easy day on my pastel pink bike rolling up to local temples, spying stunning beaches and traipsing through colourful streets. It’s difficult to overstate just how photogenic this place is, from the bright blue ocean speckled with fishing boats to the bright murals splashed on walls throughout the town. Not to mention the sumptuous, red-stamped buns displayed in the local cake shop, or the ponytailed dogs being pushed around in prams.
Whether you visit with a guide or solo, make sure you check out Cheung Po Tsai, a slim natural cave where, according to legend, the famous Guangdong pirate Cheung Po Tsai hid his treasures. If you dare, you can slip in and sneak through the whole cave and pop out the other side. But, for me, the best part was cooling off in the azure waters of Tung Wan beach, a gorgeous stretch of golden coastline offering views of distant skyscrapers and hills far across the water. My mosquito bites thanked me for it.
Where to stay and how to get there
Rooms at Ovolo Central Hotel, rooms starting at £157 per night BOOK NOW
British Airways return flights from London Heathrow to Hong Kong International Airport start from around £570 per person. Direct flights are around 11 hours and 30 minutes.
Search for flights on Expedia, eDreams and Skyscanner.
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