Tag: Hiking

Posted on

Tai Mo Shan 大帽山 to Ng Tung Chai Waterfalls 梧桐寨瀑布 – the TOP of Hong Kong

Tai Mo Shan Weather Radar Station & Civil Aviation Department Radar Station

Tai Mo Shan 大帽山 is the highest mountain in Hong Kong with the elevation of 957 meters, it features a humid subtropical climate. You often see Tai Mo Shan covered in clouds, and it is claimed to be the most misty area in Hong Kong, this is due to the height of the mountain.

Tai Mo Shan Weather Radar Station and Civil Aviation Department Radar Station were built on top of the mountain, and they have become the recognizable buildings when people talk about Tai Mo Shan.

Drone shot of the Stone Forest (Wo Yang Shan)!

The mountain is very hiker-friendly, accessible by a few nice trails going to the top. I planned my trail starting from Tsuen Wan MTR to Tai Mo Shan passing through Wo Yang Shan 禾秧山, some named it “Stone Forest” because of the beautiful groups of rock formations up there. Going down I took the trail through the captivating Ng Tung Chai Waterfalls 梧桐寨瀑布 which I think is the Amazon of Hong Kong. You are going to experience two very different environments ascending and descending, and I find this is the best part of this trail.

The Amazon of Hong Kong – Ng Tung Chai Waterfalls!

Ng Tung Chai Waterfalls nestled within the dense jungle of Tai Mo Shan, it consists of 4 main waterfalls, they are “Scatter Fall”, “Main Fall”, “Middle Fall” & “Bottom Fall”. Each of them has their unique beauty, made me wondering, “Am I in Hong Kong?” Apart from the 4 main falls, there are also “Virgin Fall” and “Rainbow Fall”. I suggest you download the app “Hiking Trail HK” to find out the exact location of each fall, and this app is also the app I have been using to plan my hiking trail every time.

For this trail, I am covering 4 scenic locations, Shek Tin Mun, Wo Yang Shan, Tai Mo Shan & Ng Tung Chai Waterfall. They are perfect spots for photography and videography. Each of them are very instagrammable, so get packed and hit the trail.

Stone Forest & Tai Mo Shan

My Trail: 

” Tsuen Wan MTR > Shing Mun Catchwater 城門引水道 > Shek Tin Mun 石天門 > WO YANG SHAN 禾秧山 (771M) > TAI MO SHAN 大帽山 (957M) > Sze Fong Shan Au 四方山坳 > NG TUNG CHAI WATERFALL 梧桐寨瀑布 > Man Tak Yuen 萬德苑 > Ng Tung Chai Village > Lam Kam Road “

Distance: 15 KM
Duration: 5 hours
Elevation Gain: 1145 M
Difficulty: 4/5
View: 5/5

View of Tsuen Wan, Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi from the trail going up to Wo Yang Shan!

How to get there & return:

1. Take MTR Tsuen Wan Line to Tsuen Wan 荃灣 station, then take exit A.

2. From exit A, turn right and follow the sign to Discovery Park, you will be walking on the indoor skyway. After about 400 meters, you’ll see a glass door on your right, go inside and that’ll lead you to a bridge crossing the railway. Follow the sign to Route Twisk and you’ll see this, take the stairs.

3. Cross Route Twisk and keep following the stairs up and you’ll arrive at Shing Mun Catchwater. Take your right direction and keep walking on the catchwater for less than 2kms. Pay close attention on your left, you’ll reach here.

4. Turn left and hike up the mountain until you reach a junction, where you’ll find this sign, follow the path and continue going up.


5. You’ll finally arrive at Shek Tin Mun, it should be on your right hand side, you won’t miss it as it is a massive rock formation.

6. After checking out Shek Tin Mun, follow the path where you see other rock formations, that’s Wo Yang Shan.

7. Tai Mo Shan can be easily seen from there, you’ll see the radar stations, the path going to the top is very clear.

8. From Tai Mo Shan, follow the concrete road behind the radar stations and you’ll start descending until you reach a pavilion, that’s Sze Fong Shan Au. You’ll find the sign to Ng Tung Chai Waterfalls.


9. From there, the path to the waterfalls is very straight forward and you’ll find signs along the way.

10. You’ll first arrive at the “Scatter Fall”, then “Main Fall”, “Middle Fall” and lastly “Bottom Fall”. After “Bottom Fall”, keep descending and you’ll come to Man Tak Yuen.


11. You’ll eventually arrive at Lam Kam Road walking out from Ng Tung Chai Village, you’ll find the bus stop on your left. You can take the bus KMB #64K to Kam Sheung Road 錦上路 West Rail Station to go back to the city. Or you can cross the road and take the same bus KMB #64K to Tai Po Market 大埔墟 East Rail Station to go back to the city, depending which direction is more convenient to you.

How SPECTACULAR!!!

Hike Overview:

Overall, the trail from Tsuen Wan all the way to Tai Mo Shan is very pleasant and scenic. First kilometer is mainly stairs until you get to Shing Mun Catchwater, you will be walking on flat road for the next 2 kilometers. After that you’ll enter the mountain trail until you get to the incredible “Stone Forest”, Wo Yang Shan. That’s one of my favorite spots in Hong Kong, I’ve always love rock formations. The beauty of Stone Forest leaves you breathless, the whole place is so picturesque.

Shek Tin Mun 石天門, or the Sky Gate
Beautiful rock formations are seen everywhere on Wo Yang Shan!

Shek Tin Mun is a massive rock formation located on the very right side of Wo Yang Shan when you get up from the trail, I missed it the first time I went there. Check your Hiking Trail HK app to make sure you go see it.

Aerial view of Stone Forest (Wo Yang Shan)!
Don’t miss this iconic spot for your picture!

Trust me, once you are there, you’ll fall in love with the place as much as I do. When you are done admiring Wo Yang Shan, look up at the radar stations on Tai Mo Shan and follow the path up there. It should take another 2 kilometers or so.

Aerial view of Tai Mo Shan and the radar stations!

No matter you are beginners or advanced hikers, Tai Mo Shan is always a great choice. Apart from ticking off the bucket list by summiting Hong Kong’s highest peak, another reason is there are many nice trails connecting it, giving hikers flexibility in planning their own trail. The view of the skylines when you hike is absolutely beautiful. Do remember to plan your hike on a clear sunny day for great visibility.

This is why I love hiking so much, the openness!

“ The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature. ”

– Joseph Campbell

Drone shot of the Main Fall of Ng Tung Chai Waterfalls!

Descending through Ng Tung Chai Waterfalls you will be walking into the Amazon of Hong Kong. The path is mostly shaded and cool. Be very careful as you go down, watch out for the slippery rocks. There are some parts the descent is steep, so take your time and don’t fall or hurt your knees. Accidents have been reported before for hikers trying to take selfie and lost the footing and fell from the waterfall, knowing our limits is the key to staying safe.

Below are the 4 main Ng Tung Chai Waterfalls:
1. Scatter Fall 散髮瀑, the cascades look like the hair of a woman from the back.

2. Main Fall 主瀑, the tallest waterfall with over 30 meters high.

3. Middle Fall 中瀑

4. Bottom Fall 井底瀑, this fall looks like you are in the bottom of the well.

You’ll be very surprised that you’ll find all these amazing places in Hong Kong. They are very close to us and we have easy access to most of them. I hope you go try out this trail and let me know what you think.

Posted on

Tiger’s Head 老虎頭 – the “Discovery” Trail

View of the entire Discovery Bay from the top of Tiger’s Head!

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

Picture spot before arriving at Tiger’s Head!

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.

Posted on

Suicide Cliff 自殺崖 – the Dangerously Beautiful Hike

The best spot for watching sunset!

Suicide Cliff 自殺崖, located on the Kowloon Peak, is one of the most popular spots for hiking, and also the most talked about place as injuries and fatalities had happened to hikers before. No doubt, it is the best spot for watching sunset in my opinion. Standing on the cliff, you have the whole Hong Kong city view right in front of you, as you watch the setting sun like an orange egg yolk. It is beyond captivating! Even though I have been there a couple of times, I am still blown away by the view up there every single time.

If you haven’t been there before, please go with experienced hikers. Remember, safety always come first. Even though it is a fantastic spot for getting a good shot, please do not attempt to go to the cliff if you don’t feel comfortable. If you do, be extremely careful. We always know our limit, just don’t cross the line!

Isn’t it mind-blowing?
Feeling like on top of the world!

My Trail: 

” Choi Hung MTR > Jat’s Incline 扎山道 > Kowloon Peak 飛鵝山 (602M) > SUICIDE CLIFF 自殺崖 > Chau Liu Au 茶寮坳> Fei Ngo Shan Road ”




Distance: 5.5 KM
Duration: 3 hours
Elevation Gain: 592 M
Difficulty: 4.5/5
View: 5/5

How to get there & return:

1. Take MTR Kwun Tong Line to Choi Hung 彩虹 station, then take exit C2.

2. From exit C2, turn right and follow the stairs up to Wing Ting Road, then turn left. After a few minutes walk on Wing Ting Road, take your first right turn into On Ting Road, the road will lead you to Ping Ting Road. Keep going straight and pay attention to your right, you will see the stairs almost at the end of Ping Ting Road, take the stairs and go all the way to Jat’s Incline.

3. Follow Jat’s Incline for a few minutes walk and turn right into the rocky path, and hike all the way to Kowloon Peak.

4. From Kowloon Peak, walk pass the radio station, follow the path and then you will have to descent before you arrive at Suicide Cliff.

5. You’ll finish at Fei Ngo Shan Road, walk to Clear Water Bay Road and follow the road until you see the bus stop, you can get on any bus to Choi Hung MTR station.


Hike Overview:

First 2 kilometers of this trail after turning in from Ping Ting Road is mainly stairs, you’ll be walking under the shade, be prepared for hundreds of stairs ascending until you get to Jat’s Incline. Once you get to the road, pay attention to your right after less than 100M walk, you’ll see the path going up the mountain. That’s the shortcut to Kowloon Peak, it takes about 40-50 minutes of ascent. This path is very steep, I’d recommend that you bring your gloves as you’ll have to hold on the rocks to help you going up. It is safe though.

You’ll find two beautiful spots for taking pictures along the way, you can take a break and enjoy the view. You’ll see big rocks with an open view of the city, you won’t miss them.

1st picture spot.
2nd picture spot.

When you see the radio station, that’s where you are heading. You’ll finally arrive at the helipad, and that’s Kowloon Peak. On the other side, you’ll see Sai Kung and Ma On Shan Country Park, take a moment to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

To go on to Suicide Cliff, go up to the radio station and walk pass it. You will see some stairs and a path going further. You won’t get lost as there are always hikers and photographers, and the path is pretty obvious. From now on, you have to be very careful, watch every step you make because accident can happen if you do not stay focus on the path. If you are there for sunset, it is a MUST that you bring a headlamp or a torch with you, you need it for the steep descent to avoid accident and getting lost.

“ Conquering your fear brings you to new heights, and a whole new perspective. ”

– Raynard Jackle

Here are some nice sunset shots I have taken:


To go down from Suicide Cliff, there are two ways:

(i) A shorter path is steeper, the descent will be scary for those who has acrophobia, it takes only 45 minutes to the main road. Take the path going down from Suicide Cliff, at some parts you’ll have to sit on the rocks to aid your descent. You’re gonna lose the sunlight completely if you are going down after watching sunset, therefore having a headlamp is a must so you don’t lose your way down.

(ii) Another path you have to go back to Kowloon Peak, after passing the helipad, take the stairs on your right, it will lead you to Fei Ngo Shan Road. Follow the road all the way down, until you reach Clear Water Bay Road. This way takes at least 1.5 hours.

I hope you’re going to enjoy the hike as much as I do and get some great shots. One last reminder, safety always comes first!

Aerial view of Kowloon Peak and Sai Kung on the right.
You can see the radio station and the path leading to Suicide Cliff, also the path going down the mountain.

Please check out my Lion Rock Hike, Sunset Peak Hike & Temple Crag Hike, if you like watching sunset on top of the mountain!