Think of Hong Kong and you'll see super-tall skyscrapers, crowded streets, and one of the world’s busiest harbors. While urban density and commerce are certainly the region’s most well known characteristics, this special region on China’s seaboard is a surprisingly diverse and beautiful natural destination.
You see, while many visitors think of Hong Kong as a city, the region is actually a large expanse of natural areas, beaches, and protected nature reserves. From tall mountainous areas to gorgeous beaches offering warm water and fantastic sand, Hong Kong is a great natural destination that few people really know about.
Home to outlying islands that are sparsely populated and packed with beautiful flora to scenic destinations in otherwise dense areas like Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, Hong Kong is packed with natural attractions that often go missed by visitors and locals alike.
If you want to see another side to Hong Kong on your next trip to the region, take a look at these beaches, mountains, walking destinations, and natural hotspots. From inner-city viewpoints to immersive areas of dense bush and jungle, Hong Kong is a great place to get out and enjoy the outdoors while still being close to the city.
Shek O Beach, Hong Kong Island
There’s more to Hong Kong Island than skyscrapers and glitzy shopping malls. The small but popular beach at Shek O, on the island’s southern side, is one of the best weekend day trip locations in Hong Kong. Accessible by minivan from Shau Kei Wan MTR station, the beach is a short trip from Central and the Kowloon Peninsula.
While Shek O is far from undiscovered, its popularity makes it a fun place to enjoy the fast-paced lifestyle of Hong Kong without the smoggy, concrete-heavy buildings of the central city surrounding you. Weekends see a large amount of families make the trip to Shek O, many of whom set up loungers and football fields on the beach.
Despite the occasional crowds, Shek O is a great beach for relaxing, enjoying the scenery of Hong Kong Island’s undiscovered southern coastline, and swimming in the warm water. Visibility at the beach is average to poor, although snorkeling is possible during periods of light weather.
Tai Long Wan, Sai Kung
Sai Kung is known to locals as Hong Kong’s ‘green lung’ – a beautiful natural areas that’s conveniently located and free of the smog, concrete, and immense density that can make the city itself so stressful. Easily accessible and reasonably developed, the Sai Kung area is a great stepping-stone for some of Hong Kong’s top coastline.
One of the region’s best beaches is Tai Long Wan, a beautiful bay and surf beach on the Sai Kung Peninsula’s eastern coastline. Popular with skilled surfers and relaxed beachgoers alike, this beach draws Hong Kong’s adventure crowd on the weekend, and its serious surfing crowd throughout the week.
While Tai Long Wan is known as a surf beach, its immense natural beauty has made it equally as popular with families and swimmers. The beach’s clear water and great rocky surroundings allow for good snorkeling and swimming in the bay. Getting to Tai Long Wan requires a short hike, which adds to the beach’s secluded charm.
Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park, Sai Kung
While it’s tough to find any signs of life in Victoria Harbour, a quick trip to Sai Kung’s Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park will surround you with more exotic marine life than you‘ll find anywhere else in the region. Known as the ’Bay Beneath The Sea,' Hoi Ha Wan is one of Hong Kong’s most concentrated areas of marina biodiversity.
The beach is easily accessible from Sai Kung Town, yet visitors that wish to enjoy its beautiful water for themselves will need to walk down a flight of stairs to reach the beach itself. From here, visitors can rent snorkeling gear to get a close-up view of the area’s incredibly diverse range of coral and marine life.
Remember that Hoi Ha Wan is a protected area and an important reserve for marine research in Hong Kong, and that scientists depend on the coral in the area for work. Do not touch the coral when snorkeling in the area – not only is it protected, but it’s sharp enough to cut through gloves and other snorkeling equipment.
Dragon’s Back Hiking Trail, Hong Kong Island
Want to explore Hong Kong’s incredibly diverse scenery while peeking a view of the city’s dense urban architecture? While Hong Kong Island is home to several walking trails, none offer such a great mix of beautiful nature and stunning cityscapes as the Dragon’s Back Hiking Trail in Shek O Country Park.
Located close to one of the city’s favorite beach destinations, the Shek O Country Park is home to the well-known Dragon’s Back trail. Named as Asia’s top urban hiking trail by CNN, the trip will take you over some of Hong Kong Island’s most beautiful scenery, while catching the occasional view of major settlements.
The trail is easily accessible from Hong Kong Island’s more populated areas. Take the Hong Kong Tram down the island to Shau Kei Wan, or catch the MTR Island Line to Shau Kei Wan Station. From there, catch a bus to the start of the park. Buses leave from the end of the trail to Central, bringing you right back into the heart of the city.
Lugard Road, The Peak
While Lugard Road may not offer the same immersive nature experience as Hong Kong’s other hiking trails, this small pedestrian walkway in The Peak is one of the best places in the city to enjoy Hong Kong’s iconic night-time view. Known by much fewer visitors than The Peak Mall, it’s home to arguably the best view in Hong Kong.
Visit Lugard Road in the evening, right before the sun sets, and catch a spectacular view of Hong Kong that’s framed by lush natural scenery and the sound of bush and birds. Lean against the railing and peek upward at the multi-million dollar homes that sit on the land above the road, while enjoying the same view as them for free.
Despite being far from ‘undiscovered,’ Lugard Road is a much better place to see Hong Kong at night than the crowded Peak shopping center and viewing platform near the Peak Tram station. The short track loops around the top of Victoria Peak before returning to the tram station, making it the ideal spot for an evening walk.
Ngong Ping, Lantau Island
Home to Disneyland and Hong Kong International Airport, Lantau Island offers a mix of beautiful nature and cold-hearted commercialism. While Disneyland offers one of the city’s best experiences for kids (adults – skip it – it’s much smaller than the American Disney parks) it’s Lantau’s scenery that is its major attraction.
From the well-known Ngong Ping 360 cable car, which offers a panoramic view of the island’s incredible scenery, to the famous Big Buddha status atop Nnong Ping, Lantau Island is home to many of Hong Kong’s top religious locations. The Buddha status, which was completed in 1993, sits next to the famous Po Lin Monastery.
Easily accessible via the MTR network and serviced by its own network of local vans and buses, getting around on Lantau Island is relatively simple. If you can resist the temptation to pop into Hong Kong’s small yet charming Disneyland, this island can be a fun way to enjoy Hong Kong’s great scenery with convenient public transport.
Copyright © 2014 by BestHolidaysCapital.com. This article was originally published at BestHolidaysCapital.com.
