I always say that one of the most amazing things of Hong Kong is the fact that, in 10 minutes cab…read moreride, you are in the middle of nature. How many cities can say that? And how cool is that? In most other big cities, you may need to get on a train, pay a high fare and travel for a couple of hours. It also means you need to plan. That's not the case in Hong Kong and whether you are a hiker or not, you can still enjoy beautiful landscapes and retreat for a few hours. Feeling like an easy Sunday hike? One of your options is Tai Tam Tuk Reservoirs, located at the Tai Tam Country Park, in the East side of Hong Kong Island. That's what three of us did early on a Saturday morning a few weeks ago. We only walked for about an hour, contemplating the nature and chatting. It is a very easy hike, flat and signaled all the way, mostly sheltered by trees so there is plenty of shadow. We went through the main stone bridges, of similar design but different heights and dating back to the 20s. They are all English style building classified as I Grade heritage. And so is the huge dam, that you can see from afar. What impressed me more was the bright turquoise water, and the contrast with the greenery and the intense blue of the sky, which created such an inspiring view! If you are in need of a deep breath of pure air outside of the city, but not feeling like hiking up the hills, get on a cab and head to Tai Tam, you'll feel alive again.

Tai Tam Tuk Reservoir is part of the Tai Tam group of reservoirs which were erected from the late…read more1880s into the early 1910s when Hong Kong's demand for water constantly outstripped supply. Tai Tam Tuk is the biggest one of out the group and probably the one seen by most people as they make their way to Stanley, when they pass by the precariously narrow dam road that lines one side of the reservoir. This is truly one of Hong Kong's scene of natural beauty where within 20 minutes from bustling Central you can get to somewhere that's basically been untouched since the beginning of time. One of the favourite routes to take in all this would be to take a hike from Parkview (which is at the top of the hill) and walk down past the smaller reservoirs up top and then onto this main body of water where it joins back with the main road. One of the attractive features of this route would again be the masonry of the buildings here, being built at that time it had a very heavy British influence and much like parts of Hong Kong; you would at times think whether you really are on the edge of the South China sea or somewhere Somerset. This is also a particularly popular path as the route is mainly downhill hence making it easier for families and it takes around 2 hours in total. Locals and tourists alike- I will be willing to bet my money that you won't be disappointed.

Going on a nature walk after the rain subsides is one of those simple pleasures in life that rivals…read moredrinking lemonade on a hot day or napping after lunch. As far as I know, taking the 82 minibus from Tsuen Wan is the easiest way of getting here. Because of the distance traveled and the limited seating, it's best to stand in line early, since the wait at the bus stop can be pretty long. Near the trailhead, there's a shop for snacks and drinks as well as public restrooms. There are a number of ways to go about your adventure. Since we were trying to get back before dark and avoid the next rainstorm, we covered Pineapple Dam and Waterside Paperbarks, extended a little past Shing Mun Reservoir Delta before turning around to check out Shing Mun Reservoir Main Dam. While there were a few stairs and some incline, the trail was mostly flat as well as well-kept and easy to traverse. Breaking away from the main loop, there were portions with gnarly trees, rocky boulders you can climb, and flatlands for day-camping. Another perk is that the wildlife around here roam freely. A herd of cattle were grazing near the reservoir's edge unbothered by passersby. A local troop of monkeys made their appearance, with a few more brazen than others. Word of advice: If you've got your phone in hand or any other small object, they might mistake it for food and lunge towards you, so maintain some distance. If you happen to have driven and parked in an area with monkeys, well...they might just make it their bed and scratch it up, perhaps even leave a dollop or two...We also chanced upon a kaleidoscope of butterflies along the way, many of which were uniquely patterned. Finally, there was a shared rest area completely occupied by a pack of dogs before they went on their way. Fun, fairly straightforward, and not too physically demanding trail for most folks. For humidity and possible chance of rain, bring an umbrella, a water bottle, and change of clothes. Next time I'll try completing the entire loop.

A good place for hiking with friends and family, not too harsh route , great for relax hikeread more

This is my favorite park and I am biased because I live by it and grew up with it. It is not a…read moregreenery based type of park although it has a lot of walkways with trees and stuff surrounding. This park has basketball courts, public exercising equipment, fountains, large spaces where people can gather to do morning exercises, and a big lot where it hosts a lot of shows. Every so often there is something happenin including flower shows, food stalls during CNY, displays etc. This time it has panda displays with the 75th year of CCP.

Once again, I do sort of wonder how long this park will retain its name, though the suggestion is…read morethat maybe it will change in about thirty years time, that is in 2050 when apparently Hong Kong's automomous status will be reassessed. However, this park is basically the park where you will find one of those ubiquitous objects that are scattered all across the former British Empire, and that is the statue of Queen Victoria. Once again, I'm not entirely sure how long this statue will remain since I suspect that there will be a time when places will want to move on from their past.

Large park close to business district in Hong Kong. Depending on the time of the year, they have…read moredifferent exhibitions and shows going on in the park. It's a very open space with a gorgeous view of the surrounding buildings and Victoria Harbour.

I had been looking around for a place to do sprints for a few weeks and wasn't happy with the…read moreoptions around my place: Victoria Park was too crowded and there wasn't any straight trail where I could run without bumping into people; Wan Chai Park...too hilly; Hong Kong Park, again crowded and uneven. I had resorted to the treadmill (and risked my life with it!) until a friend told me about Tamar Park. Yeah, I didn't know about it until recently, sorry! To get to Tamar Park from Admiralty, you need to get to Admiralty Center and cross the bridge until you get to the Government Offices. It's a huge, beautiful park overlooking Victoria Harbour. From the entrance of the park you can see a green large carpet. The design of the park is simple and elegant. The first time I went there was on a sunny Sunday and was delighted to have found such a place, a little away from mayhem in Central and exceptionally quiet (on a Sunday, yes!). There were groups of people here and there but I could easily find a free spot under a tree and enjoy my book. It is also a great place for those who work around Admiralty, like me. The downside is that there isn't much shelter and you may want to avoid it during the hot stuffy months. I came back at night a few weeks ago and the view is astonishing, much better than at daylight. It's probably one of my favorite spots to contemplate Hong Kong from. It's just a perfect mix of romanticism and peace. Now, the reason I wanted to check it out was to go sprinting, and you can definitely do that, both in the park, in the early morning when it is empty, or you can go down to the Central Promenade. You will find people jogging along quite often but I expected it to be more crowded. If you carry on this trail, you can reach Central Piers and Star Ferry. Whether you are runner or jogger or you simply haven't found you 'green piece' in the city, I would very much recommend you visit Tamar Park. Or take your other half there at night, he/she will fall in love with you if that hasn't happened yet!

The Sai Wan Ho Harbor Park isn't so much a Park in the dictionary sense of the word. It is more of…read morea promenade where you can walk or run by the harbor. A lot of the locals will set up a fishing rod and go fishing here. I like to run along along the promenade and really enjoy the fresh air and smell of the sea. It can get crowded during the weekends and when the weather gets good. There are often gatherings for people with dogs to have their dogs play with each other. The Park is free so There is really nothing to really criticize..

It's my go-to ever since when I was a kid. This park is a hidden gem in Hong Kong. The view might…read morenot be as grand as Tsim Sha Tsui harbor, but it has a nice tranquil feeling to it especially at night. To the right side there is the typhoon shelter for fishermen's boats. Quite a spectacular view, and unique to Hong Kong. People do Tai Chi, group dances, fishing and jogging around the park. Walking along the harbor trail leads you to close to North Point. There is a pets' park towards the end. On the weekends, you can see pet owners with all their cute doggies chilling. Right next to the Harbor Park is Soho East, there is a large variety of restaurants there. A great place to explore dinner options!

Wonderful park with different decor for each entrance on the Nathan side. Love it with the…read moreanimated characters...and painting on the floor. Well maintained and couple or several water fountains. We just walked through but felt safe plus felt not in a city rather in a fun relaxing atmosphere vibe. And it is right in the middle of a busiest street in HK.

A beautiful, well-maintained park with multiple geyser water fountains, lush foliage, sculptures,…read moreand lots of places for sitting and enjoying the ambiance. There's even a hedge maze and avenue of HK comics. It's well lit at night, safe and clean. Excellent place to visit or just walk around.

Amazing view. 有山有水。半天遊之後再去飲早茶。交通方便只要慢慢行，隨時可以睇到令你驚喜嘅風光。A good time for sure. Don't miss if you are…read morein Yuen Long.

Birds, open ground, a clean river- thee are all things that you would associate with the great…read moreoutdoors and very, very not Hong Kong. Sai Kung aside though, there is one particular location in the North West corner of Hong Kong, just outside Yuen Long, that may change your perception of what the "fragrant harbor" is all about. If you came here looking for completely unfettered nature- then you would be hugely disappointed. This part of the Yuen Long was previously a collection of neglected farmland, floodplains and just land that was not yet planned for anything. However, human activity was clearly possible and the river that runs through it had been polluted to the point that nothing without a hazmat suit on could survive in it. An overhaul was conducted by the government in widening the course of the river and cleaning out all the gunge in it and this had revitalized the location as a spot of natural attraction. Seasonal birds migrate here, there are some features of the ones abundant marshlands and more importantly at the end of the road that runs along the river, there is a large piece of flat green grassland that permits any kind of activities. You can fly kites, ride bikes or let your kids run loose like the plains of Africa. The problem with all this is that at the weekends this means complete gridlock and meanwhile you still have to fight the cyclists also coming through here. All the downsides though, are nothing if you could make it at sunset and you see the sun dipping below the horizon. Its a beautiful sight and one that is certainly not very Hong Kong.

This trail is one that is quite important to me. While I was growing up in Discovery Bay my family…read moremade a tradition of hiking to Mui Wo, or at least the Trappist Monastery every Boxing Day. During that time of the year the weather is ideal for hiking but it sucked because it was the day after opening all my cool presents... like a Playstation. That being said I'm really glad I spent those days outdoors rather than stuck behind a screen i.e. nowadays when working! The hike starts from Nim Shu Wan beach near the Discovery Bay Marina Club. You need to walk though a small village before actually beginning the up hill part. For some reason or another I always think the hike is only 40 minutes. It's double that, at least, so be prepared with trainers and water! After the village there's an upward walk, that seems like it never stops, all the way to the top of the mountain between the two communities. Somewhere in the middle lies a small monastery that used to bring in Dutch cows, a patriotic Dutchie told me, don't ask me why they brought them in from Holland. Anyway, the monastery is a nice place for a break, a sandwich, or just a small visit to catch one's breath. From the monastery to the top is tough. Mainly because it's a steep incline but also the fact that you can never actually see further than fifty meters because of the turns and bushes it keeps you guessing "Am I there yet? Evidently not!" But once you get to the top there's a welcoming pagoda that offers views of Mui Wo to one side and rolling hills to the other, it's really something. The rest of the way is downhill, great you'd think. Nope. After walking for so long uphill my muscles find the change to walking down extremely difficult. If I had to chose between them I'd pick downhill, for sure, just not when my legs feel like jelly. Another thirty minutes later of walking and you should be bang in the middle of Mui Wo. 7 11 for a quick top up on water then to one of the restaurants for a pizza. And that's how it's done.