Seeing new places is the joy of travelling. But with trips abroad still off the cards for Hongkongers, who face paying for three weeks in hotel quarantine when returning, it is wise to explore closer to home. As the rest of the world learns to live with Covid-19, console yourself in isolation by exploring Hong Kong’s brilliant backyard. There are hikes aplenty, and here are just some of the lesser-known routes to take you to new places in your home city. Robin’s Nest This hike is up on the border and offers views of Hong Kong’s green north and the sprawling city of Shenzhen. Take the MTR to Sheung Shui station and then from the minibus station take the No 55k to Tam Shui Hang, and disembark near Loi Tung Village. Follow Wo Keng Shan Road for about 1.7 kilometres, and then as it meets the main road with an overpass, walk about 200 metres along the road and take a sharp right up the trail. How to get the boat to Sai Kung’s beaches for hiking The climb is steep, but relatively easy to navigate. Ensure you have a fully-charged phone with a hiking app or equivalent navigation app as there are options to turn off the track and take a wrong turn. The actual peaks require you to turn off the main path for a few minutes before returning. Up and up, and you eventually reach Robin’s Nest peak itself. There is a black and white trig point to mark the summit. You will be treated to sweeping views in all directions and be able to take in the stark contrast of Hong Kong’s New Territories and the dense city of Shenzhen. Continue along and you can pop up the next peak, Hung Fai Chai and along the ridge as it undulates down towards Tam Shui Hang village. You will pass some old World War II relics on the way. You will also see stunning views of the sea. A guide to hiking the MacLehose Trail from sections 1 to 3 When you do reach the village, you can take the 55k minibus back to the MTR and civilisation. Miu Tsai Tun This Lantau hike gives great views of the two iconic peaks, Sunset and Lantau, from a unique angle that shows off their size and beauty. Take the ferry from Central to Mui Wo. When you get off the ferry turn left and follow the coast line. After a right and a left, you will see stairs going up into the trees. Take it and continue to follow the coast all the way to Shap Long. Head across the bay to Chi Ma Wan Road. Take a right turn up a trail towards Shap Long Reservoir. There are lots of twists and turns, so make sure you’ve loaded a hiking app. Not all the trails are on Google Maps. Turn left and then immediately right at the first T-junction on the trail, then right again at the T-junction next to the reservoir. The path will begin to steepen and take you to the top of Miu Tsai Tun. From here, you can see the two mighty mountains before you and Pui O below, with its lovely beach. Head down the steep stairs, and turn left towards Pui O. Follow the concrete path, then celebrate the end of your hike with a drink in the beach restaurant or a dip in the sea. Cheung Tsui Chau The views on this hike are world class but are lesser known as it lies in the shadow of other famous hikes nearby, and takes a bit more effort to reach. This is the end of the peninsular below Sharp Peak, facing the Sai Kung beaches, and there are several ways to start. You can hike from Sai Wan Pavilion, down to the beaches, across Sai Wan, Tai Long and Ham Tin, and turn right towards the end of the Peninsular. You can do MacLehose section two backwards, and then branch off towards Ham Tin. Or you can do MacLehose section two backwards and then turn left up Sharp Peak, and make your way towards the peninsular from there. Or you can take the boat from Sai Kung Town to one of the beaches and go from there. Once you are at the start of the peninsular, there is an easy-to-navigate path that loops around the end. Once you reach the furthest point, you can look out towards the South China Sea, across Mirs Bay to Mainland China on the other side (all the Islands you see in Mirs Bay are part of Hong Kong). Look back to your right and you will see the famous white beaches of Sai Kung. This is a view that rivals any in the world.