Hong Kong Hikes, Part 1: Lamma Island

Hiking in Hong Kong is easy, one of the best features about the city.  Though it’s a massive crowded city, with one neighborhood called Mongkok being the most densely populated area on earth (read about it here), getting away from the crowds in Hongkers is surprisingly simple.  The layout of the city means numerous pockets of near-empty land scattered about, not small ones, and the terrain there ensures that those spaces made for great views, and thus great hikes.  Come with me here.

I love urban hikes.  An urban hike is one that starts and ends near public transportation, involves some pleasures beyond just the walk, and ends in a great eating or drinking spot.

Hong Kong isn’t known for hiking.  The city’s image is always of someone stumbling through one of the numerous jam-packed markets, their senses reeling, then squeezing themselves into a crowded restaurant before going back to their tiny hotel room.  And that definitely is Hong Kong; that will happen to you.  It’s more Blade Runner than it is Into The Wild.  But take an hour’s journey, often less, by train or boat and you’re back in the countryside, perhaps even near-wilderness.

Allow me to set the scene, in case you’re not terribly familiar with Hong Kong.  It consists of Hong Kong Island, right off the coast.  The city also includes the peninsula sticking out from the mainland just across the harbor, called Kowloon.  Keep going inland from Kowloon and you have a large area called the New Territories, until you come to the border with China.  Also, there are numerous other islands scattered nearby.

That Kowloon peninsula is somewhat flat.  Everything else is oh-so not.  Kowloon then is packed with civilization, and the other areas have built up only where they could, in the valleys and flat areas.  The rest of the space is wildly hilly and rocky, so much that a demographic map of the area would show many areas almost blank, and those are good for hiking.

Hong Kong island has some well-known hiking trails in the center and south of the island, full of peaks.  The most famous one is called the Dragon’s Back.  You could be in the heart of the crowded city and after jumping on a bus, be hiking in the countryside 24 minutes later.  The New Territories are well-known (at least there) for their empty spaces that make for hikes.  One trail there could keep you busy for days.

Not the best shot, but this is what the trail looks like right in the beginning

And then there are the islands.  The necessity of using ferries discourages too many people from settling on the islands, plus there’s still a lack of flat space, so there are vast empty spaces there.  One of the easiest hikes is on Lamma Island, on a path called the Family Trail.  Lamma Island is connected to the ferry system at the beginning and end of this hike, and there’s a beach and food involved.  It’s great doing a hike when you know you’re coming up to food at the end.

Nota Bene:  Some people may not think this route qualifies as a “hike”, that it’s more of a “walk”, and not even a long one.  Fair enough.  There will be more blog posts about other hikes/walks coming.

To take any ferry in Hongkers, head to a central area appropriately called “Central” on Hong Kong Island.  There’s a subway stop of the same name, easy.  Get off and head to the waterfront where the ferries line up.  Go to pier #4, that’s the one to Lamma, and look for the ferry to “Yung Shue Wan”.  It’s short, under half an hour, so enjoy the ride.

If you’re in HK for more than two days, buy an Octopus Card as soon as you arrive, a transportation (and more) debit card that you just swipe to get on any train/bus/ferry.  If you don’t have a card, go to the ticket booth to take the ferry.  You need exact change for their old-fashioned turnstile, an odd number such as $4.65, and you don’t have it, so they will break some bills for you.  Some ferry terminals have machines to do this.

There are no cars on Lamma island, but there are small agriculture transport vehicles, and they run around the trail at the beginning, by all the coffee shops that are on the outskirts of Yung Shue Wan.  They come up behind you with a clatter.  Your ferry may have a group of would-be hikers on it, and they will be around you as you start out.  Either outpace them or let them go ahead.

The Family Trail goes from that small village of Yung Shue Wan across one part of the island to another much smaller village called Sok Kwu Wan, from which you can take a ferry back to Central.  Your starting village has a few shops and such on its main drag, perhaps worth checking out but I find them a bit pretentious.  They are selling organic produce, healing crystals, or aboriginal art (from wherever).

Lamma has a hippie vibe.  Hippie, as in the old people, not hipsters.  The first time I saw this place, way back in 2001, it was over the top, a haven for the guilo (foreigners) new agers.  Relations between the guilos and Chinese on the island weren’t fantastic then.  A coffeeshop called Bookworm Café, still there today, had signs proclaiming how they are dedicated to being in harmony with the earth and being one with the cosmos and such, way too spacey even for me.  They’ve since toned it down, though still advertising fare that’s vegetarian, organic, farm-to-table, and such.  This is the place to get your tofu-on- toast brunches.  (whole grain and fair-trade, naturally)

There are other places to eat and drink here, but better pickings come at the end, which will be only about two hours or less.  You can grab a bottle of water or something else as well, as Hongkers can be hot.  Eventually, you need to turn to the left to get on the trail, which will just be a street for a while.  The turn may not be obvious; look for signs to the “Family Trail” or just to Sok Kwu Wan.  If in doubt, point in a direction and ask someone “Sok Kwu Wan??” with a dumb look on your face.  That always works.

The beach, in February, not bad at all

At first, the trail is just a road leading to the back of the village, passing more village-like establishments, including food stands, but eventually you’re in the countryside.  Everything here is well-marked; just keep looking for signs to Sok Kwu Wan.  Pretty soon, you’ll come to the beach.  Hung Shing Ye Beach provides changing rooms, bathrooms, refreshments, and a great view of the power station.

Yes, the power station, the dominant feature of the island, so sorry.  It looms over the beach from the right side, not directly next to it, but very salient nonetheless.  Doesn’t quite fit into the scene.

Still, the beach is nice.  I’ve been there in the summer, watching everyone in a bikini, and in January, when few souls are about.  There are changing rooms, bathroom, and outdoor kiosks, where beer is super cheap, as it should be.  A beer on the beach in January is excellent.

More food stands are about back on the trail, stacked with pineapples and grills, and now the trail turns rural.  The trail winds around the shore to a high point above the beach, before it heads inland across the island.  At this point, there are a few side trails, very short, and a gazebo with a grand view.  The hills ahead of you look like the Scottish highlands.  This is a good place to eat the scallion bun snack you intelligently brought with you, and also set up the tripod for a few good shots.

Sok Kwu Wan, seen from the trail

You’re in the sun most of the time, so cover up.  The trail wanders around for some time before heading down the back of the island towards your destination, the very small village of Sok Kwu Wan.  You’ll see it long before you come to it, as you must descend towards the water and then make your way around a bay.  You’ll get beautiful views coming into the village, and part of the appeal is knowing almost all those buildings you see are seafood restaurants.

Sok Kwu Wan makes it living off day hikers such as us, or people who come straight over just for a meal.  The village (perhaps “settlement” is a better term?) is really just one long alley filled with restaurants that lead to a small ferry pier at the end.  Your task now is just to choose where to eat.  I suggest walking slowly along, checking everything out, dropping mental markers as needed.  At the end, use the public bathroom to wash up and head back to your selected destination.

The ferry comes about once an hour.  Your restaurant’s staff will have the ferry schedule memorized, so check with them so you’ll know how much time you have to eat.

Restaurant row in Sok Kwu Wan, very casual

I’ve eaten in Sok Kwu Wan three times, with mixed results but never anything bad.  Some places have a set price, per person, for about four or five dishes.  They’re good deals but realize that everything is small portions.  I did this once, paying about $120HK ($15.50 USD) for a small plate of steamed shrimp, about six, with some soya dip, clams with black bean sauce, fried calamari with a spicy dip, scallop or abalone, rice, fruit, and a beer.  That “scallop” was just that, a single scallop.  Every portion was very small, though it’s fine.

Another time, I ordered off the menu, getting a squid dish along with scallops (plural) with chili, and thought this was a better strategy.  The third time, I just went along the tubs of fresh seafood lying around at a place called “Peach Garden”, and pointed at what looked good.  This is the best choice, but can be expensive.  Some razor clams looked amazing, cooked with black bean sauce, but they were $45HK ($5.80 US) each.  You’re still in Hong Kong.

The ferry ride back to Hongkers

If it’s around sunset, sit on the left side of the ferry on the ride back for some grand views across the water, and move to the right side as you come into Central for good views of the skyline.  You are then back in Central Hong Kong, ready for an urban evening after your island hike.

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