Celebrate the pleasant, low-humidity Hong Kong winter in lush greenery. While living in this "mountainous city", there is no shortage of hikes in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon for people who’re looking for accessible trails near public transport.
Easy Hiking Trails in Kowloon
- Twilight Time: Garden Hill
Garden Hill, located in Sham Shui Po, is a very highly accessible trail. It only takes hundreds of staircases from the starting point to the peak. You can look around Kowloon's scenery at the peak, which attracts plenty of photographers to capture the sunset and the night scenery. As the route goes dim after sunset, bringing a flashlight is recommended.
- The City Oasis: Little Hawaii Waterfall
The Little Hawaii Trail (or the Little Hawaii Waterfall) is located in Tseung Kwan O. The trail is about 2.8 kilometers and only takes about 1.5 hours to finish - photo time included. In addition, most of the trail sections are down-sloping concrete roads, making it one of the most family-friendly trails in Hong Kong.
While walking through the Little Hawaii Trail, you can enjoy the moment of local history as long as you pass through the ancient road and the dam site. You can also find the Qingping Bridge Stone Tablet beside the road.
Easy Hiking Trails in Hong Kong Island
- The Heart of the city: Wan Chai Green Trail
Although Wan Chai is located at the center of the city, nature is nearby. The natural trail is about 1 kilometer long, with 11 substation commentary signs along to introduce nearby scenery, to educate the hikers on how urbanization and the natural environment affect each other. You can spend a weekend with a combination of old and new culture under the trees' lush shade and the trickling streams.
- Dinosaur Rock : Hong Pak Country Trail
This family-friendly 3.3 km trail connects Mount Parker and Kornhill Garden, which has easy access to Quarry Bay and Tai Koo MTR station. You can’t miss the Edwardian red-brick mansion Red House, built in the 1920s, along the way. Kids will be amused by the T-Rex head rock formation - now another Instagrammable spot in town - overlooking the Eastern side of Hong Kong. The walk can be leisurely done in 3 hours.
Urban hiking etiquette
Although there are many hiking attractions in the urban area, the area is not that large. Therefore, it will become inevitable for friction between hikers during holidays, causing a burden for the spots. Therefore, before setting off, having some hiking etiquette tips may make you a smoother journey.
- Rest in a spacious area to avoid hindering others
- Keep the volume of the radio or music low
- Do not smoke; keep the air fresh
- Take your own trash away as bins are limited on the mountain
- Do not pull or pick plants to protect the ecology in the mountains
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