Wild Camping in Hong Kong

There is only so much fun you can have in the comfortable apartment that you pay for, with warmth, water and the convenience of all your belongings. Why stagnate in idle civility when a weekend of risk and adventure awaits!

Due to its breathtaking landscapes, Hong Kong has a culture of ‘wild’ camping whereby it is generally accepted to pitch up in remote locations and not encounter any trouble. Whether you are looking for an isolated mountain to lift you above the noise of the city, an enchanting forest to reinvigorate your imagination after HK’s intense work culture has savaged your brain to pitiful remains, or a deserted shore to draw you closer to earth’s rhythms, Hong Kong really does have it all.

Ham Tin Wan 

My first venture into Hong Kong’s wild camping scene was at Ham Tin Wan beach in Sai Kung. After collating the essentials from the motherland that is Decathlon, (Tent, check. Stove, check. Sleeping bag, check.), I took the bus to Sai Kung, which is easy and direct from the New Territories. You can use this lovely seaside market town to panic-buy any last minute supplies before you really leave civilization for good.

To reach Ham Tin, hop in a taxi to Sai Wan Pavilion. From there, it is around an hour’s hike. Despite choosing lightweight camping gear, this was a bit of battle to do on my own. It is, however, a beautiful and enjoyable walk that winds through the mountainside before opening up to the coastal edges overlooking Sai Wan. You will reach Sai Wan beach first, which is also a viable camping option with more amenities, but the further beaches of Ham Tin and Tai Wan are quieter and more scenic if you can push through the pain of the hike. 

(A side note, that you can actually access these beaches via speedboat from Sai Kung itself, but that sweet feeling of delayed gratification, and the surreal birds-eye view as you descend onto the shoreline, really makes the hike the superior choice in my opinion.)

Ham Tin beach really is that girl. Its postcard-picture-perfect, with a vast expanse of stunning white sand skirted by cool, clear, opal waters. I visited in April last year, but I would recommend going a little earlier to avoid the developing spring heat. I took a late-night swim to cool down, and the silhouette of the mountains, alongside the bioluminescence!!! of the sea, did make it less desperate and actually quite magical. There are toilets and a small shop/restaurant but apart from that it’s just you and the great open waters. Visiting on a weekday also means you practically have the beach to yourself. 

Solo camping really is a practice in alonemaxxing, which can feel a little daunting. But, I brought three books (which looking back makes me laugh and explains the ridiculous weight of my bag) and enjoyed the slow rituals of making coffee, cooking elaborate meals on my tiny stove, swimming and doing exactly as I cared for. You can walk to the neighbouring beaches and enjoy exploring the surrounding forest, too.

I would like to signpost that I was awoken in the early hours of the morning by the loud snuffling of wild boars attempting a break-in, which did freak me out, but I guess added an extra source of wildness into the whole experience.

Long Ke Wan

For my second hiking adventure, I managed to find a wonderful companion to accompany me in my alternative endeavours. We took a taxi from Sai Kung to the end of High Island Reservoir East Dam (as suggested by another blog) but, after passing lots of hikers, it did feel like we were short-cutting the route and cheating slightly. So, in hindsight, you might like to start further up the MacLehose trail, perhaps at Section 1 near the High Island Reservoir West Dam.

Long Ke Wan is undeniably the most beautiful beach I’ve seen in Hong Kong. The water is crystal-clear and the long stretch of sand is fine and soft. There is no restaurant or shop here, so it really is a true escape from the urban grind.

We did make a cardinal sin in forgoing the use of guy ropes. It was a pretty calm day which fooled us into believing that they were unnecessary. Low and behold, the wind picked up at night and turned our tent into a hurricane simulator. I thought it was round two in me-versus-the-boars. I assured my friend ceremoniously – they wouldn’t stay long. Only in the morning did I realise that nope it was just the wind, and that the guy ropes were in fact necessary alongside the clearly popular choice of using rocks to weigh down the tent pegs in the sand (I thought they were for decoration). We followed the trend after our tent did take flight across the beach the following afternoon.

Around Long Ke Wan, which lies inside Hong Kong’s UNESCO Global Geopark, there are multiple walks you can take to soak up the stunning scenery of the hexagonal rock columns and lush, green forest. The sea is also very calm here which makes it a lovely place to swim and snorkel too. 

Wild camping in Hong Kong is a fantastic alternative to the intensity of city living and an opportunity to see the incredible natural wonders that lie right beneath our noses. If you visit Hong Kong and can’t camp, then hiking to these beaches for the day is totally worth it too. Enjoy your adventures!