Top six shaded trails for running and hiking in Hong Kong’s summer heat and humidity: stunning Island views to secret training tracks
Do not let the heat stop you from experiencing the outdoors, but picking trails under cover can be safer and more enjoyable
We are in the depths of the unrelenting Hong Kong summer, where the subtropical combination of soupy humidity and sweltering heat means every venture outdoors – even if just a walk down the block, let alone a run or a hike – is inevitably a sweat-soaked affair.
But few outdoor fanatics will be easily deterred by a little heat, even of the wicked Hong Kong variety. Hikers have to get their outdoor fix. Trail runners have to diligently log their miles in preparation for the racing season. And with frequent thunderstorms washing out the haze, clear blue skies abound and it certainly feels a little decadent to not head out and enjoy the views.
Luckily, if the prospect of baking yourself dry under the scorching sun does not appeal, Hong Kong’s lush, canopied mountains offer a rich menu of shaded hiking and running routes to choose from.
Bowen Road
A classic and one of the city’s most popular, this flat, four kilometre paved running path on Hong Kong Island hugs the contours of the hills above Wan Chai stretching west towards Central.
Much of the trail is shaded, making it a bearable place to run even outside the early morning and dusk hours.