Trekkin' and Ridin' in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a country close to Filipino hearts. And because of its proximity to the Philippines, this special autonomous region of China is a favorite destination of passport-bearing Filipinos. But once on its smoggy shores, it routinely becomes a shopping and dim sum gastronomical delights for most people.

Though Hong Kong maybe dear to people, it holds so much more different things to taste and savor – especially if you and your friends are looking for a great ‘out of town weekend’. It’s also so versatile that you can have anything from good, clean fun to downright dirty and insane nights filled with lots of pictures that can be submitted as evidence. With the advent of budget commuter flights in and out of our multiple international airports, jet-setting is no longer exclusive to those whose credit cards are actually made of real gold.

Although the lure of Disneyland and Ocean Park is too tempting to resist, there are other ways of enjoying Hong Kong the backpacker ways – that is trekking along its increasingly popular hiking trails. Apparently, the country of skyscrapers and underground subways has trails that display its little-known green streak. It’s the perfect alternative to shopping – hefting a backpack instead of shopping bags and walking on earth instead of the concrete.

The two popular trails are the Lantau Trail and the Hong Kong Trail. The Lantau trail covers stretches of shorelines passing by some traditional Chinese garden before eventually reaching the Lantau Peak. The starting point of this trek is about a few minutes’ walk from the Tung Chung but you can take any leg of the variety that can lead you to Lantau Peak.

For a more urban route, the Hong Kong trail starts at Victoria Peak on Hong Kong Island. You can take the Peak Tram to the starting point. This trail will take you near a Hong Kong university which is more to the liking of leisurely day-trippers. It offers some pretty impressive views, but sometimes the vistas get ensnared in the combination of smoke and fog more commonly known as smog. As with any other hiking trips, be sure to bring gears and enough water because it gets hot and stuffy fast.

If you want to sight-seeing without the trek, Hong Kong has a very efficient transport system. If you want the sight of skyscrapers and its busy street, you can board their tram or their double-decker bus. And if you want to roam Hong Kong and explore the place, the MTR system can take you from Hong Long Island to Kowloon, to New Territories and to Lantau Island. The system has interconnecting lines that include the Disneyland Resort Line and Airport Express Line. And since, we Filipinos are used to the razzle-dazzle MRT/LRT system, you will find Hong Kong’s MRT system a breeze.

So if you have a weekend to spare, why not try Hong Kong. It’s excitingly different without the necessity of spending too much. And most of all, you will be in another country in less than two hours.