Rapid Travel Chai

The Rapid Traveler and Mrs enjoyed brunch today with great travelers including the last Continental passenger ever. Discussion turned to Hong Kong, one of The and Mrs’ favorite destinations, he studying at Chinese University of Hong Kong for a semester in 2001 and both frequently visiting since.

Visitors may be shocked to learn that hiking is a highly popular pastime in Hong Kong, with countless clubs and nattily outfitted hikers on the trails each weekend. There are classic hikes of varying difficulty in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, as well as the lesser-known New Territories, north of Kowloon, and the Outlying Islands, several of which are easily reached by regular ferries.

Lamma Island, photo by ctsnow

The Hong Kong Tourism Board is one of the best in the world, with truly useful information and dedicated staff. Their Discover Hong Kong website is such a stellar resource that it is easy to miss some gems. Well-thumbed copies of the following guides testify to The Rapid Traveler trying nearly every activity in the following, and the new editions are better than ever:

• The Inside Guide to Hikes and Walks in Hong Kong: suberb, detailed information, maps and photos of hikes of all difficulty levels.
• Local Favourites: Your Guide to Hong Kong’s Outlying Islands: expansive coverage of great day trips with sea air.
• Discover Hong Kong by Rail: only available in section-by-section PDF downloads. These include little-touristed neighborhoods and sights in Kowloon and the New Territories. Not all are jaw-dropping, no Great Walls or Forbidden Cities, but good to see different sides of Hong Kong. The Heritage Museum on the Sha Tin tour contends for Hong Kong’s best museum.

Peng Chau, photo by antwerpenR

Hong Kong is much more than luxury boutique overload.

For the main attractions and eats, see the Rapid Travel Chai 24-hour itinerary.