Shek Kok Tsui

In my final few days in Hong Kong I decided to get out of the city and see some of the other islands. First up I got a ferry to Lamma Island which has a laid back vibe and some nice paths to explore. I hiked to a nice beach with a great view of some kind of power plant, which is always what you want to see on a nature hike! The port town of Yung Shue Wan is far more relaxed than Hong Kong, it seems to attract the hippy expat types. There were some great bars and restaurants with all sorts of seafood on display in tanks.

My next day trip out of the city was on the southern side of Hong Kong Island, where there are lots of nature trails. I took one called Dragons Back, mostly because I liked the name but also because I'd been told that you get great views of the area as it takes you along the ridges, or the "Dragons Back" of the hills. To get there I had to take the tram as far east as I could go to the suburb of Chai Wan, a part of the city that you rarely see tourists. I had to stop and take a wander through the market there, before hopping on a bus to the trail head. The hike did indeed have some lovely views especially as I reached the highest point at Shek O peak. From there it was downhill to Shek O Beach, where I celebrated with a tin of Tsing Tao beer.

My final day trip was to Lantau Island, which is known for the giant Buddah. After getting a metro to the island, i queued for 2 hours to get the cable car to the top. I'd have just gotten the bus if I'd known it was going to take so long! The Buddah was very impressive though, and after climbing the 268 steps to get to the top of the hill it sits on I felt very enlightened! Nearby the Buddah was the Po Lin Monastery founded in 1906, for which the Buddah was built. This monastery was interesting for the giant incense sticks that were burning, and the many Buddha's inside.

On my final evening in Hong Kong I had to finally visit Victoria Peak. I got up there on The Peak Tram which has been in operation since 1888 and is still wonderfully old fashioned. You have to hold on tight when going up as it was very steep. At the top I wandered around some of the trails to take in the views, and then stopped for some dinner and beers at one of the peak restaurants so I could watch sunset over the city one last time. Leaving Hong Kong was the first time I felt genuinely sad to go, I could have stayed there forever!Read more