Hong Kong Hikes: The Twins
An afternoon exploring a different side of Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong of travel ads, brochures, and magazines is a Hong Kong of bright lights and skyscrapers and bustling thoroughfares teeming with busy people. While the city’s concrete jungle-ness gives it a certain appeal, its urban sprawl is only one (small) side of it. Fewer people see the other side: the natural playground that lies just a stone’s throw from the tall buildings, intense traffic and neon. This is the Hong Kong of green mountains and lush valleys punctuated by large bodies of water.
I’m the ultimate city gal but I love this side of Hong Kong, too, especially because it is great for hiking. The outlying areas of HK provide a plethora of trails that are ripe for exploring — not only a feast for the eyes but also good exercise (gotta work those glutes!).
As I’m leaving Hong Kong for good in June, I’ve slowly been checking off some quintessential Hong Kong hikes off of my mental list. So when a friend suggested we tackle “The Twins” — a popular section of 78km, 10-stage Wilson Trail– one weekend after Christmas, I was all for it.
The day was hazy and grey so the views unfortunately weren’t amazing. But the dark skies did add an element of drama to what I would consider quite a difficult hike.
The Twins are named as such because they comprise two peaks that have hundreds of stairs each. I’ll be honest: this half-marathon runner’s quads, glutes, and calves were screaming for mercy upon the ascent of the peaks. Descending, while a welcome reprieve, was also tricky as the bramble and steep, shallow steps were a bit of a doozy to navigate. This hike is not a “walk in the park” (though the annoyingly nimble and quick trailrunners who blaze past you would surely say otherwise).
At any rate, those seeking a bit of quiet (and a test of fitness) away from the city would do well to give this hike a try!
Are you a fan of hiking? Did you have any idea Hong Kong had areas like this?
