Experience fishing villages, temples, beaches, cafes and bars on a Lamma Island hike. Day trips to…read moreLamma is good with family, friends & dogs. The Island is small so you can walk from one side to the other. If you do plan to spend the day then I suggest getting to Yung Shue Wan, Lamma Island: Take a ferry from Central Pier No. 4 to Yung Shue Wan. It takes about 30 minutes. Then leaving from Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island: Take a ferry from Sok Kwu Wan to Central or Aberdeen. Stop 1: Yung Shue Wan the main residential area on Lamma Island, with shops, bars, cafes and restaurants. Stop 2: Hung Shing Yeh Beach (Around a 20-minute walk from Yung Shue Wan Pier) white sandy beach, you can enjoy the sun, sand and water. Stop 3: Tin Hau Temple Stop 4: Sok Kwu Wan This tiny village is still very much focused on fishing. The seafood restaurants along the bay are great!

Although Lamma Island comes highly rated on Trip Advisor and Lonely Planet's 2015 Travel Guide,…read moreit's a huge tourist trap and doesn't necessarily capture the beauty of Hong Kong's countryside. From Pier 4 at Central, there are two ferries to take to/from Lamma Island's two main piers: Yung Shue Wan and Sok Kwu Wan, with the former being more popular and running more frequently. Most visitors hike the Family Walk, which is a ~4 km long trail (~2 hours slow-paced walking with stopping for breaks and photos), from one pier to the other. The power plant at Yung Shue Wan is an eyesore, but there are a few other lookout spots on Lamma Island that provide stunning views of the fishing villages, beaches, and sparkling waters. I recommend Sai Kung over Lamma Island for a half day trip, but Lamma Island is still a good option for those who prefer mild hiking (ie: not too long or difficult in elevation).

Probably the most scenic hike I've been to. Lamma is such a beautiful island and I'm happy I got to…read morevisit during my time in Hong Kong. You can start in either side of the island. We started on the side with Rainbow restaurant and carried in with our journey to the other side. Definitely a 10/10 hike and place to visit when in Hong Kong

Lamma Island might not be a hidden gem but as a tourist it is kind of fun to go there for half day…read moreto get away from the "City". The hike is short if you just keep walking non stop, it will be around 75 minutes (5 km) or so, but there are pit stops that worth visiting along the way. GETTING THERE You can catch a 20 minute or so ferry ride from Central Pier中環碼頭 You can go to either Yung Shue Wan or Sok Kwu Wan piers. For my hike, I started at Yung Shue Wan because the ferry was there when I got to the Pier STARTING POINT: YUNG SHUE WAN PIER/VILLAGE This is where the local residents actually live. This section is less touristy and quiet. The restaurants here is a lot smaller and have more traditional HK street style food PIT STOPS: 建興亞婆豆腐花 Ah Por Tofu Pudding Hung Shing Yeh Beach 洪聖爺灣泳灘 Hilltop Pavilion Lo So Shing Beach 盧鬚城泳灘 Sok Kwu Wan Tin Hau Temple 索罟灣天后宮 Sok Kwu Wan Business Area 索罟灣 ENDING POINT: SOK KWU WAN FERRY PIER 索罟灣碼頭 PRO TIPS: Please wear comfortable shoes. I know this is not real hiking. But it is just painful to see people wearing their heels doing the walk. Bring or buy bottle water so you will stay hydrated. Remember to bring your bathing suit if you want to have a dip. VERDICT: This is a safe route for me as I was by myself and I am not really a hardcore hiker. There are so many little places to get a snack so perfect for me more like a food crawl away from the City.

Well marked, never very crowded except on spectacular Sundays, plenty of rest stops, good clean…read morebathrooms. Could use some water fountains but I think that will come in time. I am always so impressed with the elderly I see climbing up these hills! Good shade and great views!

An underrated and local spot to soak in the city views. Why pay to go up to the peak tower when you…read morecan go on this shaded looped to see the skyline from nearly all angles?! I took a taxi up here during the mid-autumn holiday weekend. Took my partner and I about an hour to do the loop and took some incredible photos while we were at it. There were not a lot of people, it was not overly crowded and people were able to get lots of photo ops. I highly recommend doing this vs. the peak tower because its what the local does and it feels much less touristy and more quiet.

If you need a quick beautiful 2 mile hike with spectacular scenery and views of Hong Kong, this is…read morefor you. The trail loops around Victoria Peak, and you can turn in and up the mountain and go see the Victoria Peak garden's as well. There are trees everywhere and even after a week after a typhoon, the walk was pleasant and there wasn't much damage. There are figs and all sorts of different trees in good condition, too many to list. The path is well maintained and there's almost always a good view. Lots of runners in the morning, and depending on the time of day the breeze is super good up there. Not much else to say except to see it yourself. It's pretty nice for a hike.

My sister and I got up early one morning to walk up to Mount Butler with a friend, following Wilson…read moreTrail Stage 2. We wanted to see the sunrise from there. So when I say early I mean really early (4am!!). We had already prepared food and drinks the previous night and just needed to get dressed and hail a cab. At 4.45 we were at Parkview and facing the big brown sign. The hiking had started! It was still dark and walking in the middle of the forest at that time was a mix of excitement and a little fear. We got lost for a second and had to come back. A few minutes later we were at the peak of Jardine's Lookout, seriously amazing views and time for a quick break, pictures and a snack. On one side we could see the city, waking up. On the other side we could already gaze at Tai Tam Park. A historical fact for you about Jardine's Lookout: it's named after William Jardine a ship surgeon considered responsible for the start of the First Opium War. After that we went down for a while leaving the quarry on our left and hiking up the trail again to Mount Butler. This is when it started to pour like crazy and it didn't stop until we finished the hike, lucky us. Mount Butler is a 371 meters mountain peak, ranking 21st of the hills in Hong Kong. From there we decided it was time for breakfast and we were absolutely soaked so walked down to Quarry Bay. There is a lovely sheltered space with benches where we opened our plastic boxes and shared a few snacks. The sun was finally shining and we felt extremely happy with our adventure as we had a look at the great snaps taken from uphill.

Hidden af place but I love it. Away from all the tourists, here you find locals and other…read moreadventurous travelers bringing their dogs to play and run around. This place is NICE and so much hidden paths to walk on I didn't see how far one of them went. I hope it stays lightly walked because I can't describe the full beauty in pictures. I can definitely see wedding photos taken here, and given how little damage this place has after 1 week of a Typhoon, it's a real gem to come here. To get there from the peak, you get off on the rightmost path from the Peak Tram then walk until you find a zig zag walkway up on the left. Go up and you'll hit some giant houses and a road. Follow the road up until you hit the spot. Really cool, and I love the calming atmosphere.

You know what's better than taking romantic wedding photos with your significant other at a…read morebeautiful garden? Creeping on couples taking romantic wedding photos because you want to explore the beautiful garden, but can't do it without getting in the way. Sorry to those 5 or 6 couples, but you might have some sweaty people sneaking around with a selfie stick in the background of your pictures. Victoria Peak Gardens is NOT the Peak. I'm seeing a lot of reviews/pictures of the Peak on this page. NO! The Peak is a cool observation point of the city crammed with tourists and surrounded by super overpriced food. Victoria Peak Garden is about a 10 minute walk up the mountain, where tourists usually forget to venture. You pass by excessive rich-people condos and lush green pastures, where people are lying on picnic blankets and taking pretty photos. Near the top of the mountain is a lovely garden (which is supposedly filled with flowers, but it was just green and brown when I went) with a fancy gazebo smack dab in the middle. No wonder dozens of people were taking wedding photos here when I went. It was absolutely gorgeous! It made me think of some sort of Asian drama fairytale ending scene, where the main characters finally confess their love and kiss each other after 30 episodes. I can practically hear the ballad playing in the background. So yeah. Come here to get away from the smog and the gaggle of tourists from the Peak to breathe in some nature. Or to sneak up on some unsuspecting couples who really don't want you there. Or to dance around/make out with your SO like you're a star in a soap opera. Don't worry, I won't judge (though the other people there might). (88/100) - 2016

Located in the southern uplands and valleys on Hong Kong Island, Aberdeen Country Park 香港仔郊野公園 is…read moreone of the oldest country park designated in 1977. This 423 hectare country park is full of nature and ecological resources. I have participated in hike trails several times and the terrain is rugged as the elevation rises but it is scenic beautiful. It provides spectacular elevated views of Victoria Peak and Aberdeen Upper Reservoir and Aberdeen Lower Reservoir. It provides a place to ponder thoughts and personal reflection in meditation for mental health with day hikes and strolls as a time-out from this volatile world. Serene. Phlegmatic disposition is the result achieved. Recluse time for one to recharge. Note: Accessible to the physically disabled. Wear sneakers or hiking boots, bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and a camera. A parking lot is available on the site's grounds. http://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/country/cou_vis/cou_vis_cou/cou_vis_cou_abe/cou_vis_cou_abe.html

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.