SW Lantau Hike-How Long?

[teklife23]

First time poster…coming to Hong Kong in a couple of days and would like to do a nice, long hike on one of the days.

I am eyeing the Tai Wan Long hike as well as the SW Lantau hike detailed on this site. I did not see mentioned how long the SW Lantau hike would take…I will be staying at one of the backpacer mansions in Kowloon. Should I expect a full-day excursion? Can it be done reasonably in one-day?

Also for Tai Wan Long, is the weather going to be too nippy to want to dally on the beach at all (not swim…just relax) or should it still be pleasant.

Thanks for your help, looking forward to getting out and about in Hong Kong!

[DocMartin]

Hi:

I’m not always good at times; tend to be bit hazy re how long things take – and people can vary greatly in speeds.
But for sw Lantau, maybe allow 3-4hours for hike. Add travel to/from hike area (ferry, bus, being my suggestions – rather than mtr to tung chung and then bus), and becomes a day outing.
For longer hike, might start at Ngong Ping; see Big Buddha etc – gets touristy from mid morning on; then down Lantau Trail, above Shek Pik Res; reach road (after around 1.5-2hrs?) and follow the trail on up into hills of sw Lantau. Keep to the trail after it turns from the hills, down to pass Ng Yuen garden (go in if you’re lucky and it’s open), and from there can decide if walk down steep path to Tai O, which is well worth a wander round, or cut down to narrow catchwater road, then along to road to take bus. So for part of route, around the reverse of route in the sw Lantau article here; reverse as means if include Ngong Ping, walk down from it, rather than uphill.
Note to anyone who might read this later: this is written with current cool, non humid weather in mind; when it’s hot and humid, this could be very tough route.

Tai Long Wan: yes, weather is pleasant for chilling out by beach. If you want long hike here, can head south to Sai Wan at the next inlet, then walk up to near High Island Reservoir, and see if you’ve energy for Luk Wu Hiking Trail. If not, you’ve long walk down road north of the reservoir, to road junction where you can catch bus to Sai Kung (on weekends, on to Diamond Hill MTR station) or may be lucky enough to catch one of very rare minibuses from above Sai Wan to Sai Kung.
Again: Tai Long Wan and Luk Wu Hiking Trail combo is something for cooler days; and even then, quite a trek as far as I’m concerned!

Bit brief here; as you’ve seen, there’s info elsewhere on the site, but hopefully helpful.
If you go, hope you’ll post re results.

Martin

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