With a skyscraper tally that makes Manhattan feel almost suburban, Hong Kong isn’t the first destination that springs to mind when you want a holiday from big city life. But, given nearly 80% of the territory is covered by lush parkland and edged with white-sand beaches, it probably should. So, slash a red line through at least one day of your shopping and eating-filled itinerary to explore the hilltop hiking trails and hidden coves of Asia’s most diverse city – and make those dim sum dinners even more deserved.
On the trails
With nearly 200 miles of designated trails for everyone from parents with prams to fanatical hikers with head torches, Hong Kong has something to offer all types of trekker. It now even claims a coveted place among the eight most prestigious trail races in the world, on the Ultra Trail World Tour series.
For those who like their hikes short and sweet, with a drink at the end, zoom up the Peak. Start your evening at Hatton Road in the Mid-Levels area and hike through the steamy forest floor for 45 minutes, ending at the Peak Lookout for a cold beer. Below your feet, Hong Kong is laid out like a map, with hundreds of skyscrapers lighting up the hot evening air and red-sailed junks lazily criss-crossing Victoria harbour.
For hikers who prefer glittering seas to glittering skyscrapers, Dragon’s Back and Violet Hill offer beautiful, undulating walks under a canopy of leaves on the south side of Hong Kong Island. Although, to fully immerse yourself in all things green, you’ll need to hop on a ferry to Lantau Island, the territory’s largest island, where wild buffaloes outnumber taxis.
The most famous hike on the island is the Lantau Trail, which covers a loop of 43 miles, split into 12 sections, so you can pick and choose what suits you best. And if you can bear to get up before dawn, Lantau Peak, also known as Fung Wong Shan, is the ideal place to snap a few wonderful shots of the Big Buddha in the misty morning light.
On the water
Hong Kong’s sub-tropical climate means sailing season starts in late March and lasts until Christmas party time. Junks — rickety wooden boats that can carry up to 50 people on board — are an iconic part of the city’s seemingly endless summer, with locals heading out of Central early on weekend mornings and only returning, pink-cheeked and salty-skinned, at sunset after a day of swimming, waterskiing and sunbathing.
Junks are also your best chance of visiting some of the more obscure outcrops in Hong Kong’s sprawling archipelago of 260 islands. Potter to the New Territories and pick between the aptly named Millionaire’s beach and its glamorous bays, or the whisky and rose-coloured volcanic rock formations of Sai Kung. Or head east, past deserted islands to see how Hong Kong looked to generations of fishermen before its breakneck-speed evolution. Drop anchor at Po Toi Island and swim ashore to eat on the terraces of Ming Kee Restaurant – a serious contender for the best seafood in Hong Kong award.
Fancy yourself a dab hand with the rod? Some junk crews offer fishing classes, which means you can catch your own dinner, and then have it cooked in vegetables and soy sauce in the tiny onboard kitchen. Other vessels come with fully catered Thai menus, free-flowing drinks and DJs on board – and hopefully taxis straight to Lan Kwai Fong once you’re back in Central.
On the beach
Lower Cheung Sha beach on Lantau is a far cry from most big city coastlines, although beyond the warm water and dramatic stretch of hot white sand is a seafront oasis where you can relax in the shade with a glass of rosé. Bathers restaurant is an unlikely British outpost serving pan-European cuisine – think lots of fresh fish and vegetables, steaks and seafood. Any sense of Englishness doesn’t last for long when the wild buffalo and boars that live in the nearby jungle come and say hello.
With more than 450 miles of coastline and 100 beaches to choose between, locals know where to go when they want to eat by the sea (Shek O), or for festival fun and dog-walking territory (Lamma power station beach).
If you’re prepared to give over an entire weekend to your sun habit, then nothing beats Tai Long Wan – a curved white-sand bay flanked by clean foaming water on one side and thick jungle on the other. Rent some camping equipment from the beachside cafe, and blearily poke your head through your tent the next morning to the idyllic beach scene we all dream of from our wintery desks. And while it totally nails the deserted island aesthetic, you can – miraculously – also buy a cold beer and spicy noodles in the bar behind the dunes.
