Hong Kong Hiking: Dragon's Back
Brian and I had a friend in Hong Kong over the weekend! It was her last work trip in Hong Kong and she wanted to check this popular hike off her list, which worked out perfectly because I did too!
If you can absolutely help it I do not recommend this hike on a Saturday afternoon, but if that's the only time you can do it (such was the case for us) don't skip it! It's still worthwhile with the crowds! There is a reason this hike is the most popular in Hong Kong. I believe it was even named the best urban hiking trail in Asia!
The Saturday hiking crowd.
To get there take the MTR to the Shau Kei Wan stop on the island line. Get out at exit A and walk to the bus terminal. From there you take the 9 bus. On Saturday it was very easy to find since there was a long queue to get on the bus and to the hike....haha. Get off at the To Tei Wan stop and begin!
At first I was extremely annoyed because we were stuck behind a never ending group of school children who seemed to have no interest in hiking. They were going extremely slow and the adults with them kept nudging them along. At one of the viewpoints I took advantage of them being distracted by the view and bolted past. Things were much better from there!
View along the way!
Brian refusing to smile for a photo and a paraglider behind him!
It was fairly flat, especially compared to Lantau Peak a couple of days prior. I even attempted to trail run when we broke free of the crowds. The views were pretty gorgeous the whole way! Once we finished the Dragons Back Section we were a little confused as to where to go so we decided to attempt to hike down to one of the beaches we saw on our way up. It was this moment that I wished I had been slightly more prepared and brought a swimsuit because we ended up at Big Wave Bay. There were surfboards for rent and the water was the perfect temperature. We sat at the beach for a while and I waded in knee high and jealously watched Brian take a swim D:
Our merry little group, from behind since I was a sneak and took this photo when they weren't paying attention... :D
Big Wave Bay....The waves weren't that big while we were there.
Once it started to cool down we started to make our way back. At first Google maps showed the closest bus stop at an hour walk away....which we were not going to do... We started to call an Uber, but when we walked up the trail from the Bay to the main road there was a bus stop where a minibus took you directly to the MTR station. Google maps lied and I learned sometimes you just have to wander and trust you will find your way home!
Stepping into the ocean after finishing a hike is my new favorite thing...
I think it would have been much better if we could have done this hike on a weekday, but I am still extremely glad we went. Give it a try if you are ever in Hong Kong!
