Discovery Bay is a residential area, it is very popular among the expatriates because of the secluded location and the resort living lifestyle. Many locals go there for a day trip from the city to chill and enjoy quality time with family, there are many beachfront bars & restaurants with cuisines all around the world and a public beach. During weekend, Discovery Bay is very crowded with both the residents and tourists, go there and get energized.
There are 2 hiking trails between Mui Wo and Discovery Bay, one via Tiger’s Head/ Lo Fu Tau and another one via the Trappist Haven Monastery, the latter trail is an easy one. I am doing a circular hike beginning and ending in Mui Wo covering both trails , it is achievable within 4 hours. Give yourself a challenge, I am sure you can do it too.
My Trail:
” Mui Wo Wet Market > Pak Ngan Heung > A Po Long 亞婆塱 > TIGER’S HEAD/ LO FU TAU 老虎頭 (465M) > Discovery Bay 愉景灣 > Nim Shue Wan 稔樹灣 > Trappist Haven Monastery > Tung Wan Tau 東灣頭 > Mui Wo 梅窩”
*Alternately, you can finish your hike in Discovery Bay, enjoy a good meal at the beachfront restaurants and take the ferry to go back to Central/ Mui Wo.
Distance: 16 KM
Duration: 4.5 hours
Elevation Gain: 986 M
Difficulty: 3/5
View: 3.5/5
How to get there & return:
1. Take the ferry from Central Pier No.6 to Mui Wo. Fast ferry takes 35 minutes and slow ferry takes 55 minutes.
If you are coming from Tung Chung, you can go to the main bus terminal and take the 3M bus, journey is about 40 minutes.
2. Once you are in Mui Wo, find the Olympic Trail. You will first have to walk to Mui Wo Municipal Building, Olympic Trail is very close from there. Follow the trail and you will walk pass Pak Ngan Heung Village, Silvermine Waterfall and Silvermine Cave.
3. Follow the sign to Tung Chung, when you arrive at the A Po Long 亞婆塱 pavilion, turn right into the Lo Fu Tau Country Trail. You will see 2 pavilions before the one at A Po Long.
4. After arriving DB, find your way to Nim Shue Wan 稔樹灣, follow the beach path heading to Trappist Haven Monastery, and then to Mui Wo.
5. You’ll finish at Mui Wo Beach, you can then take either ferry to go back to Central or the 3M bus to Tung Chung.
Hike Overview:
The first 3 kms of the trail from Mui Wo is mainly concrete road & stairs, you’ll walk through some villages and the famous Silvermine Waterfall & Silvermine Cave. After getting to the Pavilion at A Po Long, turn right into the Lo Fu Tau Country Trail and you’ll walk for another 3 kms before you reach Tiger’s Head. This part is the best part because you are walking in the nature with sea view on both sides, Hong Kong International Airport on your left and DB Golf Course on your right.
“ Leave the road, take the trails. ”
– Pythagoras
Keep walking and you’ll get to a nice picture spot, a rock that look like a diving board. You can climb up there and strike a pose for your instagram post. Be careful though!
Soon, you’ll arrive at Tiger’s Head/ Lo Fu Tau, take your time to admire the beautiful scenery of all directions. On a clear sunny day, you can see as far as Hong Kong island and Kowloon.
The most challenging part of this entire trail is going down to Discovery Bay from Tiger’s Head, the descent on some parts is steep and slippery, please take all your time to go down.
Going back to Mui Wo via the monastery is an easy hike, you will reach a great spot for watching sunset with the whole Silvermine Bay. It’s breathtaking!!!
Enjoy the Mui Wo tranquility after you complete your hike and get a good meal to reward yourself before returning home, there are some nice restaurants like the Kitchen, High Tide, Wah Kee Seafood, China Bear, etc.