Summer All In Your Face
It’s summertime in Hong Kong, which means excruciating heat and humidity straight on till Mid-Autumn Fest. But there’s plenty to do to beat the heat.
Get Outdoors
Sure, you can hide in a freezing mall, or you can embrace the sweltering temperatures outdoors and get sporty.
Kayaking
If the idea of paddling into the ocean with nothing but the bare essentials akin to our ancient ancestors in search of new lands appeals to you, then the modern equivalent (kinda) is exploring Hong Kong’s many sea arches and caves and sparsely inhabited islands. Bring along a tent to feel like a true pioneer. Kayak + Hike offers guided tours around the coastline so get in touch with them for more details (9300-5197, www.kayak-and-hike.com).
Not only can you show off your hard-earned abs, but this intense sport is fiercely competitive and the perfect way to butt heads with other hot beach bods. There are a few places in Hong Kong where there are public beach volleyball courts, and Golden Beach (18½ milestone, Castle Peak Rd.) in Tuen Mun is one of them—and if you’re lucky you might even get to see the HK Beach Volleyball Team honing their skills.
Wakeboarding
We’ve all seen videos of ripped, suntanned men riding in the wake of a boat on a bit of fiberglass—that’s wakeboarding. The sport has really taken off in Hong Kong and rentals are easy to come by. For New Territories dwellers contact Simon at Wakeboard Camp (Tai Po Sam Mun Tsai, 9033 3222, wakeboardcamp.com.hk) who rents out a Malibu inboard speedboat with all the basic kit at both Sai Kung and Tai Po. Islanders should contact Frankie of www.wakeboard.com.hk (Tai Tam Tuk Village, 3120-4102, www.wakeboard.com.hk), who offers rentals and packages.
Sailing
Your sailing voyage around the world will likely begin in a dinghy where you’ll learn all the basic controls of a sailboat. If the words “tack,” “jibe,” “sheet” and “boom” mean nothing to you, then yeah, you’re a noob. Don’t worry, the Hebe Haben Yacht Club (Pak Sha Wan, Hiram’s Highway, Sai Kung 2719-9682, www.hhyc.org.hk) will have you covered. Located in Sai Kung, it offers beginners sailing courses throughout the summer during the weekend. The price for a course for non-members is $4,400 ($3,300 for members), which includes five full days of sailing under qualified instructors. If you’re already an old salt on the waters, they offer dinghies for half-day rentals from $50.
Windsurfing
Since Lee Lai-shan won the Gold Medal for the women’s mistral class boardsailing at the 1996 Summer Olympics, windsurfing has become something of an emblem for Hong Kong’s sporting community. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has various water sports centers dotted around Hong Kong to train young’uns up; here’s the one at Stanley to get you started: Stanley Link Rd., Stanley, 2813-9117, www.lcsd.gov.hk/watersport/en/. They also offer courses for canoeing, kayaking and dinghy sailing.
A Beach of One’s Own
Hong Kong has no shortage of beaches, but usually they’re brimming with a bunch of random people and other undesirables. This is where we go to get away (secret’s out now though, so go quick).
1. Lo So Shing Beach
Ah, Lamma Island. Seafood, quiet hikes and beautiful beaches; also an interesting spot for geologists. One of Hong Kong’s cleanest beaches is on Lamma Island. An hour or two’s hike from Yung Shue Wan or half an hour from Sok Kwu Wan, this beach is rarely crowded even during weekends since it’s so out of the way. The beach is equipped with a BBQ area, changing room and shower facilities, but if you’re prone to hunger, bring something to snack on. It’s supervised from April to October. Daily ferry services from Central and Aberdeen go to Lamma Island, with well-marked trails—the beach is just off of the Family Trail.
2. Tai Long Wan (Sai Kung)
OK, so this one is pretty well known. But this slice of sand is Hong Kong’s most picturesque beach. One of the reasons it’s so nice and unpopulated is that it’s a bit of a hike to get to. Take the number 94 bus from the Sai Kung Bus Terminal to Wong Shek Pier. As with any hiking trip, remember to bring a mobile phone (though there’s limited reception along the trail), enough water and a map. It’s a two- to three-hour hike from the pier. Alternatively take a water taxi to Chek Keng, which costs around $100 per person, where it’s a one hour hike over a hill to get to the beach.