Hiking to Ham Tin beach

Hiking is by far my favorite thing to do in Hong Kong. The beaches, the mountains, the blue-green water, the salty air… it’s all unbeatable, or at least it is to me.  

For weeks now, I’ve been eyeing the trails to Tai Long Wan bay via Sai Kung. The Sai Kung Peninsula is known for its pristine beaches and hiking trails. Also popular are the numerous seafood restaurants, many of which are located on the seafront, known as ‘seafood street’.

Sai Kung is quite the distance from where we live on Hong Kong island. There are a few different ways to get there, but here’s the route I took:

• Take the MTR to Diamond Hill (Kelly green line), Exit C

• Take bus 92 to the Sai Kung Central bus station (this is about a 40-minute ride)

• From the Sai Kung bus station, take the 94 bus to Pak Tam Au (this is about a 25-minute ride)

• Get off at Pak Tam Au and find the trail marked “Maclehose Stage 2 towards Ham Tin Wan beach”

The total distance is almost four miles. The beginning is quite flat and easy while the middle brings a few steep inclines. The trail finishes right at Ham Tin beach, one of four beaches located along Tai Long Wan bay.

Once you’ve finished your exercise for the day, you can do what we did and enjoy a local lunch, beach side. From this same restaurant, you can also rent beach equipment for the day. The best part of this experience was taking a speed boat back to the town of Sai Kung. A bit pricey ($150 HKD), but totally worth it to see some of the surrounding islands up close and personal with the wind and sea air whipping through your hair. A boat comes every hour, with the last one leaving around 6 p.m., so be sure to secure your ticket in advance.

Looking for some other Hong Kong hikes? Check out the Dragons Back, Twins, and of course, the Peak.