Today was our last full day in Hong Kong, so we decided to explore outside the city. It’s incredible to think that a twenty minute bus ride away from the skyscrapers, you can find lush tropical jungle, rugged mountain peaks, and stunning views of remote, unspoilt coastline.
The Dragon’s Back Trail is an 8.5 km section of the larger Hong Kong Trail, and is easily reached from Hong Kong. We took the MTR to Shau Kei Wan station, then the No.9 bus to a stop near to To Tei Wan village. From there, it’s a steep climb for the first kilometer or so to the ridge of the Dragon’s Back, which undulates up and down a series of peaks including the Shek O Peak at 284 metres, with its stunning panoramic views all around the south eastern part of the island. Easy to see why Time magazine rated it “the best urban hike in Asia”.
At the end of the trail, you can look forward to beach bars and cafes at either of the two nearby beaches, Big Wave Bay and Shek O. Then pick up the No.9 bus home again from the terminus at Shek O village.
Take plenty of water and some energy snacks, as there are no stops along the trail. We took around 5 litres between the two of us, and got through almost all of it. I can recommend sun lotion, a hat and plenty of insect repellent too!
The trail is well signposted, with location markers roughly every 500 metres. We also took this map with us, downloaded from DiscoverHongKong.com….
Places I've Been and Things I've Seen 
October 29, 2015 at 11:56 am
Really useful article – thanks for the pictures! Looks like a great day trip. My in-laws are from Hong Kong, so I’m hoping to see some more of Hong Kong’s scenery the next time I go. 🙂
October 29, 2015 at 6:45 pm
Thanks Alison – Hope you get to go on one of the many trails when you’re next there!
October 29, 2015 at 8:58 pm
Very informative, we will try and do this walk next time we visit Hong Kong.
October 30, 2015 at 7:49 am
Thanks. It definitely belongs in the Top Ten of things to do there!
April 8, 2016 at 10:13 pm
Thank you for posting these photographs, brought back lovely memories of my 2 year stay in Hong Kong. My daughter was born in December 1960 at BMH Bowen Rd,Mount Kellet.
April 9, 2016 at 11:26 am
Thanks Fran. I imagine you’ve already seen my other post with pictures of BMH Mount Kellett from the 1960s. Yes it’s a lovely place to visit. Interesting to hear that you’ve also got a connection to the place!