Verdant, scenic, tranquil: Hong Kong's picnic idylls

The sun is out, it's hot. So what are you going to do, sit in the air conditioning all day? Call some friends, get the basket and hit the grass -- it's time for a picnic.

Picnic on the grass

Hong Kong's parks have a surplus of hard rules and a distinct lack of soft landscaping. Lawns -- remember those? -- are few and far between. Luckily, they can be found in a handful of parks, which makes them natural destinations for picnicking.

Victoria Park is most obvious, with a big expanse of grass that is a favourite spot for weekend festivals and rallies. Further afield, Morse Park in Wong Tai Sin is known for its grassy Butterfly Corner, and Ma On Shan Park has a particularly beautiful rolling lawn (and a waterfront locations to boot). If you want to get away from the crowds, try the field atop the King's Park Reservoir in Kowloon, a little-known and secluded green area just a short walk from Yau Ma Tei MTR.

Then, of course, there's the Peak -- not the madhouse where the shopping malls and tourists are, but uphill, in the Victoria Peak Garden, where a big patch of grass is a favorite spot for families to picnic and play with lanterns on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Picnic in the country

Ask Martin Williams where the best place to have a picnic in a country park is and he's hard-pressed to pick just one. "[There's] a gazillion spots," he says, rattling off some of his top picks: Tai Long Wan, Dragon's Back, Ma On Shan, Sham Chung, the Bride's Pool near Plover Cove, high up on Tai Mo Shan.

Williams' website, Hong Kong Outdoors, is a great resource for anyone making an excursion to Hong Kong's surprisingly accessible countryside. Many country parks have rest areas that are ready-made for picnics -- check the government's country parks website for more info.

There is one country park worth avoiding. The woods around Shing Mun Reservoir are home to thousands of monkeys, so unless you want a hungry macaque chasing you and your nuts off a cliff, take your picnic somewhere else.

Picnic next to water

The beach is great, but honestly, sand and food don't mix. For a memorable waterside picnic, try a few other spots: the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade, which has grassy lawns and a glorious view of Victoria Harbour; the rocks at the end of the Stanley waterfront promenade, which are a popular spot to catch the sunset; and Waterfall Bay Park in Pok Fu Lam, where a small stream pours triumphantly into the sea. And of course, there are Hong Kong's best beaches to choose from.

Indonesian-style picnic

Hong Kong's domestic helpers are the city's expert picnickers. Every Sunday, hundreds of thousands of them throw blankets on the pavement and spend the day hanging out and snacking with their friends.

Ah Sam, an Indonesian helper who lives in Hung Hom, usually starts the day by taking a ferry to North Point, where she gets a takeaway lunch box from one of the Indonesian grocery stores near the Java Road market. Soto (traditional soup), rawon (spicy beef stew) and satay are her favourites. "It's got more of a kick to it than Chinese food," she says.

Sometimes, Ah Sam goes to Indo Market, the city's largest Indonesian supermarket (Lok Sing Centre, 31 Yee Wo Street, Causeway Bay), which is right across the street from Victoria Park. Picnickers will love the HK$12 lunch box, which includes rice, a boiled egg and a few different Indonesian dishes. The market is also a good place to stock up on shrimp chips, spicy ginger candy and coffee sweets -- essential for any good picnic (and happy life).

Best picnic beers

You're having a memorable picnic, so why waste it on forgettable beer? For a hot summer day, "one of the German weiss beers would be good with cold meats and salads," says Alister Hill, former owner of the Beer Bay. "Then a Belgian fruit beer with dessert or cake." Some of the best wheat beers in town include Paulaner, Weihenstephaner and Maisel's Weisse. Belgian lambics are dry, tart beers made with fruit, and Hill recommends Lindemans and Mort Subite. All are available at CitySuper.

Other refreshing choices include the smooth, hoppy Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, available at Euro Treat (17B Old Bailey Street, Central); the sweet and bitter St Peter's Grapefruit Ale, available at Oliver's Delicatessen (2/F, Prince's Building, 10 Chater Road, Central), and Fuller's Organic Honeydew, available at both Oliver's and the Beer Bay (Piers 3 and 4, Central Ferry Piers). If you don't have time to run to a specialty beer store, pop into a Wellcome and Park 'n' Shop and chances are you'll find Lowenbrau's pilsner and wheat beer, two excellent beers that are also great value.

Best picnic wines

Rosés are always nice for a warm summer day, and there's a million ways to make your own sangria. But the best option for picnics, says wine expert Jeannie Cho Lee, is a wine that will go well with a wide range of foods.

"I would suggest a really versatile red wine such as Jean-Louis Chave's Côte du Rhône. It is sold at Watson's [Wine Cellar] at under HK$200 -- very simple and fruity and can even be consumed slightly chilled. You don't have to worry about an ice bucket since drinking it warm or slightly cool are both okay. It goes with meat, cheese and strong tasting Asian picnic food like beef jerky, crispy anchovies, siu mai and char siu."