6 Easy Hong Kong Hiking Routes for Beginner 2024
【Friendly Reminder】When going on an outing, please respect the natural environment and do not leave any trash behind. In addition, make sure to fully prepare before hiking, assess your abilities, pay attention to the difficulty level of the trail, and avoid hiking alone. Safety comes first; let’s all enjoy the beautiful scenery of this city together.
Hong Kong Hiking Routes for Beginner 2024 | 1. Pineapple Dam Nature Trail
The Pineapple Dam Nature Trail is located in the Shing Mun Country Park, with a total length of about 800 meters and takes approximately one hour to walk. The Pineapple Dam is located next to the minibus terminal at the Shing Mun Reservoir, and it was named after its past abundance of pineapples.
Walking along the flat and wide forest path, along the west bank of the city gate pond, you will see banyan trees with aerial roots hanging down. Along the way, you can also appreciate maple leaves turning red in autumn and observe interesting plants such as lichens, mosses, and knotweed.
The period from December to January every year is the peak season for red leaves. Many Hong Kong people take advantage of this time to go to the outskirts and appreciate the red leaves, as well as take photos for memories, in order to witness the charm of the red leaves. In addition to Tai Tong in Yuen Long, location 2 and location 3 of Pineapple Dam Nature Education Trail at Shing Mun Reservoir are also good places to enjoy the red leaves. Along the way, you can see traces of maple trees, although not many in number. However, when combined with the beautiful scenery of the reservoir, it creates a unique flavour. After seeing the red leaves, walking around the reservoir allows you to see magnificent views of white cascades.
Route Assessment
- Difficulty: ★☆☆☆
- Total Length: 0.8 kilometers
- Estimated Time: 1 hour
- Overall Difficulty: ★☆☆☆
- Length: ★☆☆☆
- Time: ★☆☆☆
- Slope: ★☆☆☆
- Road Condition:★ ☆ ☆ ☆
Transportation Information
Starting Point Take minibus route 82 from Siu Wo Street in Tsuen Wan to the Pineapple Dam Minibus Terminus at Shing Mun Reservoir, or take public transportation passing through Wo Yi Hop Road and Ko Fung Middle School. Proceed along Shing Mun Road for 20 minutes to reach the Pineapple Dam Minibus Terminus. KMB: 32, 36, 40X, 46P, 46X, 47X, 48X, 73X, 278X, N36, 40P, 46P, 47A, 234C, 273C, 273P, 278P Minibus: 94, 312, 403, 403A, 403X, 94S(94S only operates on Sundays and public holidays.) End point Walk back along the forest road or the original path to the starting point and take minibus route 82 to leave, or walk for 20 minutes along Chengmen Road to Ke Feng Middle School and take a bus to leave.
Hong Kong Hiking Routes for Beginner 2024 | 2. Ho Pui Reservoir Family Trail
The Ho Pui Reservoir Family Trail is located in the Tai Lam Country Park, Yuen Long. It is 2.1 kilometers long and takes about 1 hour to complete. This trail surrounds the Ho Pui Reservoir and is completely flat. Starting from Ho Pui Village, heading south along the path, there are trees on both sides providing shade. As you walk towards the dam, a tranquil and beautiful emerald green reservoir comes into view, instantly uplifting one’s mood.
Ho Pui Reservoir was once selected as one of the Top Ten Scenic Spots in Hong Kong’s countryside. Walking along the Wilson Trail, you can appreciate the reservoir’s beauty from different perspectives, making it a popular spot for photography enthusiasts.
Route Assessment
- Difficulty: ★☆☆☆
- Total Length: 2.1 kilometers
- Duration: 1 hour
- Overall Difficulty: ★☆☆☆
- Length: ★☆☆☆
- Time: ★☆☆☆
- Slope: ★☆☆☆
- Road Condition: ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
Transportation Information
Take the No. 71 special minibus “Yuen Long (Tai Hang Street) – Shek Wu Tong, Ho Pui” and get off at the terminal station. Walk for about 30 minutes from Ho Pui Village to Ho Pui Reservoir Family Trail.
Hong Kong Hiking Routes for Beginner 2024 | 3. Tai Mo Shan Family Walk
The Tai Mo Shan Family Walk is located within the Tsuen Kam Highway Rotary Park, with a total length of 0.5 km and takes about 20 minutes to complete. Most of the route is paved with gravel, wide and flat, making it easy for beginners to walk on. Nearby facilities include parking lots, toilets, snack kiosks, barbecue areas, etc., making it ideal for family outings.
There are various trees along the way, such as Taiwan acacia, maple trees, pine trees, etc. On days with good visibility, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Tsuen Wan, Tsing Yi and the outlying islands area.
Route Assessment
- Difficulty: ★☆☆☆
- Total Length: 0.5 kilometers
- Duration: 20 minutes
- Overall Difficulty: ★☆☆☆
- Length: ★☆☆☆
- Time: ★☆☆☆
- Slope: ★☆☆☆
- Road Condition: ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
Transportation Information
Take bus number 51 and get off at “Tsuen Kam Au Country Park Station”. Walk a few dozen meters in the direction of Tsuen Wan, then turn left onto Tai Mo Shan Road. Continue walking along the road until you reach the entrance of Kadoorie Trail located in Rotary Park.
Hong Kong Hiking Routes for Beginner 2024 | 4. Ngong Ping Fun Walk
From the Tian Tan Buddha, take the interesting path and walk through the shady path next to Po Lin Monastery. Soon, you will arrive at a tea plantation, surrounded by two towering mountains. On the right is Hong Kong’s second highest peak, Phoenix Mountain, while on the left is Maitreya Mountain with a height of 751 meters. The main peak of Phoenix Mountain reaches 934 meters and is often hidden in clouds and mist, creating a unique scenery known as “the ethereal beauty of phoenix”.
The “Fat Mun Ancient Trail” is marked by a pillar at the beginning of the trail, located at the “Dongshan Fat Mun Archway”. Following the shaded ancient path downhill, one can pass by famous ancient temples such as Baolin Temple and Luohan Temple, and reach Tung Chung New Town.
Route Assessment
- Difficulty: ★☆☆☆
- Total Length: 2.5 kilometers
- Duration: 45 minutes
- Overall Difficulty: ★☆☆☆
- Length: ★☆☆☆
- Time: ★☆☆☆
- Slope: ★☆☆☆
- Road Condition: ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
Transportation Information
Get off at “Ngong Ping Bus Terminus” when taking the Lantau bus, and the entrance to the Interesting Path is right next to the bus station. Lantau Bus Numbers: 2 Mui Wo Ferry Pier – Ngong Ping (Po Lin Monastery) 23 Tung Chung Town Centre – Ngong Ping (Po Lin Monastery) 1R Hung Hom Ferry Pier Plaza – Ngong Ping (only on Sundays and public holidays)
Hong Kong Hiking Routes for Beginner 2024 | 5. Tei Tong Tsai Country Trail
After about 200 meters from the starting point of Tei Tong Tsai Country Trail, there is a clear stream flowing down, which visitors call “East Phoenix Stream”. Here, six streams from the northeast foothills of Phoenix Mountain converge to form abundant water sources that flow continuously throughout the year. Tei Tong Tsai is the endpoint of the country trail and there is a famous Buddhist temple called Bao Lin Temple.
The temple is surrounded by tall and green pine trees and cypress trees, with vegetable fields outside. The courtyard is clean and tranquil. Outside the temple, there is an ancient path that leads to the Bao Lian Zen Temple. It has been a passage for villagers traveling between Tung Chung and Ngong Ping for hundreds of years.
Route Assessment
- Difficulty: ★★☆☆
- Total Length: 2 kilometers
- Duration: 45 minutes
- Overall Difficulty: ★☆☆☆
- Length: ★☆☆☆
- Time: ★☆☆☆
- Slope Gradient: ★★☆☆
- Road Condition: ★★☆☆
Transportation Information
Take bus 3M or 11 and get off at “Pak Kung Au”. Walk down the northern section of Tung Chung Road for 800 meters, and you will see the entrance to the hiking trail. Lantau Island Numbers: 3M Mui Wo Pier – Tung Chung Town Center 11 Tai O – Tung Chung Town Center
Hong Kong Hiking Routes for Beginner 2024 | 6. Ngong Ping Nei Lak Shan Country Trail
The Nei Lak Shan Country Trail is actually a loop. At the end, you can choose to return to the youth hostel or take the Ngong Ping 360 Rescue Trail to Ngong Ping Market. The entire trail is flat and easy to walk, with only a few gravel sections at the beginning where you need to be careful not to slip.
Nei Lak Shan is easy to hike, and there are different landscapes along the way. Although there are more trees at the beginning of the trail, the scenery is not completely obscured, and you can still see mountains and Tung Chung City, etc. After walking for about half an hour, you will start to leave the tree groves and have a broader view.
Route Assessment
- Difficulty: ★★☆☆
- Total Length: 5 kilometers
- Duration: 2 hours
- Overall Difficulty: ★★☆☆
- Length: ★★☆☆
- Time: ★☆☆☆
- Slope Gradient: ★★☆☆
- Road Condition: ★★☆☆
Transportation Information
Take Lantau Island Bus No. 23 from Tung Chung to Ngong Ping Market. Follow the signs towards YHA Ngong Ping SG Davis Youth Hostel, and continue walking for about 10 minutes to reach the entrance of the hiking trail.
Hong Kong Hiking Routes for Beginner 2024 |6 important things to note for beginners hiking!
For beginners, the concept of hiking may be to go up the mountain and enjoy the scenery, but there are actually many things to pay attention to! Before hiking, it is important to make adequate preparations in order to prevent accidents. Take a look at the following hiking precautions for beginners!
1. Make adequate preparations in advance and inform your family or friends that you will be hiking.
Before hiking, first choose a route that suits you and do not overestimate your abilities. You can refer to people who have already been on that route to assess if it is suitable for you. Once chosen, make sure to know the starting point, endpoint, and how to get there.
One week before departure, you can refer to the weather forecast from the observatory to decide whether it is suitable for hiking on that day. If the weather is bad, reschedule and do not hike as planned. In addition, be sure to inform your family of the hiking time and location on the day of hiking. In case of any accidents in the mountains, your family can also notify the police for assistance.
2. Bring enough dry food and water
Because the mountains or hiking trails are considered rural areas, there may not necessarily be snack stalls or water dispensers for replenishment. Therefore, remember to bring enough dry food and water so that you can replenish your energy along the way. Dry food should be high in calories, lightweight, and easy to eat, such as glucose, raisins, chocolate, etc.
3. Pay attention to clothing and wear breathable and sweat-absorbing clothes.
Different occasions require different attire, and of course hiking has its own set of rules. It is recommended to wear lightweight sportswear as the main outfit, with loose-fitting pants for the lower body. As for shoes, remember not to wear canvas shoes for hiking! Hiking should be done wearing hiking boots, but if you really don’t want to spend too much money, you can choose sports shoes or sneakers.
4. Stretch before hiking!
Before exercising, it is important to warm up, and hiking is no exception. Before setting off, be sure to do enough stretching exercises to reduce the chance of injury and make the hike more relaxed. It can also prevent sports injuries such as muscle strains and sprains.
5. Do not hike alone
Going up the mountain alone is very dangerous, so never hike alone. It’s best to invite a few friends to hike together, in case of any accidents, you can take care of each other. If one of your companions has mountaineering experience or frequently hikes, it would be even better.
6. Do not litter on the mountain, take your own trash with you.
Remember that there are no garbage bins on the mountain, so do not casually throw away trash just because you only hike once a year. You must take your own trash with you and cherish the environment while enjoying the beautiful scenery of this city together.
Are there any beginner-friendly hiking routes in Hong Kong that offer beautiful scenery?
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What are some tips for preparing and planning a hiking trip in Hong Kong as a traveler?
When preparing and planning a hiking trip in Hong Kong as a traveler, it’s essential to consider factors such as the difficulty level…More Details
