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Sharp Peak &
Tai Long Wan Beach
Hiking to Sharp Peak and Tai Long Wan Beach will be a fantastic part of your adventure to Hong Kong. Located on the Sai Kung Peninsula, east on the Kowloon side, this area of Hong Kong offers some incredible views, Carribean worthy beaches, and is only about an hour total commute away from the major metropolitan city of Hong Kong. The Maclehose Trail weaves throughout the Sai Kung Peninsula. This hike includes my favorite section of the trail. See my article on Long Ke Wan for information on another great hike in this area. Make sure to save at least a day in your Hong Kong trip for exploring this incredibly beautiful landscape, and don't forget your bathing suit!
Getting There
The first destination on the journey to Sharp Peak is Sai Kung. This oceanside town is a fantastic spot infrequently visited by Hong Kong travelers. Sai Kung is famous for the incredible seafood restaurants along the Sai Kung pier where you can pick your dinner out of a tank! And it will also be your hub to hike the Sai Kung Peninsula. Depending on your origin location, and the day of the week, you will either take multiple buses or an MTR and then a bus.
Step 1: Hong Kong to Sai Kung
Option 1 (Monday-Saturday): MTR to Choi Hung, 1A Minibus to Sai Kung
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Navigate to the Choi Hung MTR station
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From Choi Hung MTR station, exit the station at exit C2, and walk south to the Ngau Chi Wan Village/Lung Cheung Road bus stop. Take the green minibus 1A south towards Sai Kung Bus Terminal.
** The schedule of the 7, 94, and 96R are very irregular and changes on different days of the week.
Option 2 (Sundays Only): Diamond Hill MTR to Pak Tam Au
On Sundays, the easiest way to get to Pak Tam Au is the 96R minibus from Diamond Hill MTR station. Get off at Sai Kung if you intend to go to Sai Wan Pavillion, or stay to continue to Pak Tam Au.
Step 2: Sai Kung to Sai Wan Pavillion or Pak Tam Au
Option 1: Sai Kung to Sai Wan Pavillion
Take the 29R from Sai Kung to the Sai Wan Pavillion to start the hike from the Maclehose Trail towards Tai Long Wan beach.
29R Schedule (please take this schedule with a healthy skepticism)
Option 2: Sai Kung to Pak Tam Au
From Sai Kung, take the 7 or the 94 bus towards Wong Shek Pier. These leave from the main bus terminal by the Sai Kung pier about every half hour. On a Sunday, look for the 96R at the minibus station.
Tai Long Wan Beach
Recommended Itinerary
There are two recommended options for hiking the Maclehose trail in the Sai Kung Peninsula. The difference is whether or not you want to hike up to Sharp Peak. Either way, I do not recommend ending the day at Sai Wan Pavillion. The 29R bus is pretty unreliable, and once the small minibus gets filled, you're pretty much out of luck. Sharp Peak is an incredible hike, but very difficult with extremely steep slopes. Technically the hike is restricted, but that doesn't stop anyone. If you are a seasoned hiker definitely plan on it, because it is worth the sweat. Those with less cardio endurance should think twice before attempting it.
Itinerary #1: Maclehose Trail, Tai Long Wan Beach, Sharp Peak Hike
Start the day early and get to Pak Tam Au using the "Getting There" section of this page. Begin hiking the Maclehose trail at Pak Tam Au. After about two miles, there will be a very well hidden trail through the trees on the left that leads to the Sharp Peak Trail. The turn is not marked, you won't know that it is right until hiking on the unmarked path for about ten minutes. ** Maps.me app will help you tremendously! Another mile of very strenuous hiking will give you spectacular views of the surrounding forest, Tai Long Wan beach, and Nam She Wan beach. You should aim to get to the peak by lunchtime.
After enjoying the fruits of your labor on top of Sharp Peak, begin your descent down towards Tai Long Wan beach. You will initially descend the way you came up, but then will quickly turn east towards the ocean. Follow the ridgeline all the way down to Tai Long Wan beach. This will take about 2 hours.
From Tai Long Wan, you have three options. First, you can hike back to Pak Tam Au. This is not the trail you hiked from Sharp Peak but is the trail that you would have been on if you did not take the Sharp Peak detour. Second, you can continue hiking on the Maclehose trail south to Sai Wan Pavillion. This is risky because of the unreliability of the 29R that will take you back to Sai Kung. Third, you can take the boat directly from Tai Long Wan to Sai Kung. This is what we did because it allowed us a couple hours to enjoy the truly spectacular Tai Long Wan beach. Plus we were pretty exhausted from the day's hike already. If you do this, they sell tickets for the boat ride at the main restaurant. Make sure to buy a ticket right away as they will likely sell out, making the hike back a requirement. The bus cost 150$HK one way. Enjoy a delicious seafood dinner on the Sai Kung Pier.
Itinerary #2: Maclehose Trail, Tai Long Wan, No Sharp Peak
Not ready for Sharp Peak? No problem! This hike is still fantastic and definitely worth doing. You will start the hike at Sai Wan Pavillion. The latest 29R bus that will work for this hike is at 11:30 AM. So make sure you get to Sai Kung by 11:00 AM. Again, these minibusses are small, and once they fill up they are full.
Begin the hike at the Sai Wan Pavillion, and begin hiking to Tai Long Wan beach. You should arrive at the Tai Long Wan beach by lunchtime. Enjoy lunch on the beach and swim in the ocean for a couple hours! By 4:00 PM start the hike towards Pak Tam Au. The trail is a little difficult to find, but ask any of the workers and they will point you in the right direction. It will take around two hours to get to Pak Tam Au. Take the 94 or 7 bus back to Sai Kung for seafood dinner on Sai Kung Pier.
Check Out The Other Hong Kong Hiking Guides!
