Camping Hong Kong style: how to get perfect pitch
Hiking with friends and putting up a tent for a few nights is a great way to enjoy the city’s natural beauty. Here’s some tips for a successful trip
Hiking is one popular way to escape Hong Kong’s crowded streets. Another option is a weekend camping trip – especially if it’s a long weekend. A few nights away under the stars offer a connection with nature, and a cheap and cheerful break.
Hong Kong’s countryside is the perfect camping ground.
There are 41 designated campsites around the territory, from the horseshoe bays of Sai Kung to the higher altitudes of Lantau, with amenities including barbecue pits, benches and, at some sites, showers. Details are posted on the Leisure and Cultural Services Department’s website. There are many other unofficial spots waiting to be discovered.
One such place incorporates a challenging hike – especially when carrying backpacks bulging with gear and provisions for several nights away from home.
On a recent trip, our group of four packed our rucksacks with enough provisions for five nights away from home. We caught a taxi in Sai Kung town to Sai Wan Pavilion, the closest point by car to the camping grounds in Tai Long Wan.
With others to share the load, it was easier to take along more than just the bare essentials. Bags were stuffed with bulky foodstuffs – a bottle of wine, vegetables for a stew – and a guitar for entertainment. Our heavy backpacks meant more frequent rest stops, so the hike took longer than we expected.
A grass-covered rocky outcrop near the shoreline was a good spot for some simple post-hike stretches, to prevent muscle pains the following morning.