One hour out: Best day trips in and around Hong Kong

Most visitors to Hong Kong, and even some of its residents, aren’t aware that Asia’s version of Manhattan has more to offer than shimmering high-rises, glitzy shopping malls and guilt-free drinking. But as the lush vegetation between Central and The Peak suggests to the perceptive, major rewards lie in store for those who venture beyond the concrete jungle.

Despite its reputation as a crowded metropolis, almost 70 percent of Hong Kong's total land area is undeveloped countryside and a healthy 40 percent of the territory has been officially protected through country and marine parks . There are over 733 kilometres of coastline, 236 outlying islands (many of which are uninhabited), 41 gazetted public beaches and evidence of human settlement dating back to the late Paleolithic and early Neolithic era ("The Trial Excavation at the Archaeological Site of Wong Tei Tung, Sham Chung, Hong Kong SAR": Hong Kong Archaeological Society, 29 April 2005). To take advantage of these unheralded resources, try some of these day-trips in and around Hong Kong.

One of Ocean Park's newest residents has a spot of lunch in view of the crowds.

Entertainment & Education at Ocean Park

Hong Kong’s home-grown theme-park, officially opened in 1977, has been given a facelift in the past few years to counter the threat to its visitor numbers from Hong Kong Disneyland. The park offers a great mix of entertainment (thrill rides and shows) and education (panda reserve, marine wildlife exhibits) and provides adults and children alike the opportunity to enjoy a day exploring its attractions. 

Get There: Transport options are very flexible and include a number of bus routes direct from Central including the 6X express service. For further details, check Ocean Park’s “Plan Your Visit” page.

Tian Tan Buddha overlooking Southern Lantau.

Culture & Shopping on Lantau

Lantau is Hong Kong’s largest island. Once just sleepy mountain-side villages and fishing communities, the arrival of the international airport, the development of the Tian Tan Buddha (the “Big Buddha”) as a major tourist attraction and associated transport links have made its attractions more accessible to a wider audience. Starting from Tung Chung town, the Ngong Ping 360 cable-car takes 25 minutes to lift you above the dramatic Lantau countryside and deposit you at Ngong Ping village (a purpose-built tourism village). Po Lin Monastery and the Big Buddha are just a 5-minute walk away. After walking up the 268 steps and around the lotus platform on which the Big Buddha sits, try walking back down to Tung Chung via the marked Lantau Island Track that will take you past sleepy villages and bamboo forests back to Tung Chung where you can end your trip with shopping at the CityGate outlet mall.

If you have more time, you can arrange a trip to see endangered Chinese White Dolphins (known locally as pink dolphins) from Tung Chung .

Get There: Transport options include MTR, bus and private car but the easiest way from Central is to take the MTR’s Tung Chung line from its start at Hong Kong Station all the way to Tung Chung Station.

Hoi Ha Wan.

Conservation & Nature in the New Territories

Avoid the badly conceived tourist attraction that is the Hong Kong Wetland Park and instead visit the WWF-managed Mai Po Reserve. First recognized as a protected area and designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1976, the Mai Po Reserve provides 1,500 hectares of wetlands where visitors can see migratory birds, native flora and traditional “gei wai” shrimp ponds. 

If you have more time, the WWF operates a marine park in the North Eastern New Territories at Hoi Ha Wan with a visitor centre -- the Hoi Ha Wan Marine Life Centre -- that has direct road access.

Get There: The easiest way to the Mai Po visitor center is to take the KCR to Sheung Shui station and then either take a bus (KMB bus 76K) or a taxi from there. 

A view of Tai Long Wan from Sharp's Peak.

Boating & Beaches in Sai Kung

From Tourism Board-organised coastal tours to boat parties, walking trails and deserted beaches, you’ll find every aspect of enjoying the outdoors in Sai Kung -- Hong Kong’s back garden.

Sai Kung town offers attractions including a Tin Hau temple, vibrant harbour-side fresh seafood restaurants and fishermen and women selling their catches direct from their boats. From Sai Kung you can easily hire a sampan or board a “kaito” ferry to take you to one of the islands in the Port Shelter inland sea. For bigger groups you can hire a junk from one of a number of companies that offer all-day hire, often including food and drink and water-sports, of these open-decked motorboats.

For a more challenging day out, you can hike part of the Maclehose Trail’s Stage 2 and walk to Tai Long Wan (Big Wave Bay), a stunning secluded beach with great surf and very few visitors.

Get There -- Sai Kung: Use the MTR to get to any of the following stations and from there take the marked public light minibus (PLB): Kowloon Bay MTR Station (PLB 1), Choi Hung MTR Station (PLB 1A), Po Lam MTR Station (PLB 12).

Get There -- Tai Long Wan: From Sai Kung town, get a taxi to the start of Stage 2 of the Maclehose Trail at Long Ke; or taxi to Wong Shek pier (from which you can take a speedboat to Chek Keng to start walking). From Diamond Hill MTR Station on Sundays and public holidays you can take bus 96R.

Cheung Chau's praya offers a wide range of outdoor eating at authentic local seafood restaurants.

Eating & Relaxing on Outlying Islands

By taking any of a number of ferries from Central ferry piers, you can be transported to the lazy and decidedly rural outlying islands such as Cheung Chau where you can have lunch at various outdoor seafood restaurants, visit the Cheung Po Tsai pirate’s cave, go swimming on Tung Wan beach or visit the Pak Tai temple, one of the oldest temples in Hong Kong. If you visit the island in Spring you may have the chance of visiting during the famous annual Bun Festival but be ready to contend with the heaving masses of visitors who flock to the island for the spectacle.

Get There: New World First Ferry operates a ferry service to Cheung Chau from Central ferry pier 5. The ferries run approximately every 30 minutes and the journey takes 55 minutes on an ordinary ferry or 35 minutes on a fast one.