I’ve always enjoyed hiking in Hong Kong, and a short, 24-hour stopover is just enough time to tackle one of the 579 named peaks in the city. I’ve hiked to Lantau Peak from Mui Wo to the Big Buddha a few years ago; this time I’m planning a more challenging route to the top of the second-highest peak in Hong Kong.
Unfortunately my hike up to Lantau Peak doesn’t quite go to plan… December is generally a good time to visit, with “cool, dry, comfortable weather”. For the entire week prior to my visit the forecast was for a clear day. But when I woke up, it was raining with almost no visibility… Delaying my start by half an hour until the drizzle abates, I head out from my accommodation on the outskirts of Tung Ching to the trailhead, navigating the enormous construction zone of the Tung Chung New Town Extension – part of a long-term plan to triple the population of Tung Chung.
I finally reach one of the many Lantau Peak trailheads on Shek Mun Kap Road near the Lo Hon Monastery, where – it is said – that a monk from Guangdong practised meditation in 1926 in a cave called “Lo Hon Cave”. Now a Historic Site of the Communist Party of China in the War of Resistance in Hong Kong, Lo Hon Cave was used as a shelter by Chinese troops in WWII:
During the War of Resistance, the Lantau Island Detachment was stationed at Lo Hon Cave, where several dozens of members took shelter. One night in May 1943, guided by a traitor, the Japanese troops besieged Lo Hon Cave under cover of darkness. They set up machine guns and cannons on the mountain, preparing to launch an attack at dawn to annihilate the guerrilla force.
Fortunately, the guerrilla force had been on alert. Upon receiving the intelligence, they immediately retreated to a gorge named Ung Tsai Tam at the foot of the mountain, promptly breaking out of the Japanese encirclement. In 1944, the Japanese troops attempted to eliminate the guerrilla force by dropping aircraft bombs on Lo Hon Cave, but the bombs were mistakenly dropped on the Shek Mun Kap Village, fortunately causing no casualties.
The 80th Anniversary of Victory
I continue trudging up the concrete path, not entirely upset by the overcast weather as it makes the never-ending flights of steps slightly more bearable than on a sunny day. The route I’m taking is the Fat Mun Ancient Trail, which connects Tung Chung to Ngong Ping, site of the Big Buddha statue. Passing a number of tiny shrines and monasteries, the path was once used by pilgrims, monks, and devotees to visit the many points of culture and worship on the northern face of Lantau Peak.
The ancient trail follows the Tei Tong Tsai Stream, and just next to the trail is a picturesque, crystal-clear pool along the stream. (On a warmer day, you could follow the stream up to here past multiple cascades and pools.)
After a short break I continue up the never-ending concrete steps.
The trail passes the Fat Lam Monastery, constructed in 1932 and still in use. Despite the fact there are no roads here and a steep climb on foot is the only access, the village of Tei Tong Tsai has a number of Buddhist monasteries, temples, and pavilions, many of which are inhabited by monks.
The Fat Mun Ancient Trail continues to climb steeply from Tei Tong Tsai towards Ngong Ping, but I leave the well-travelled path and turn onto a very rough trail up Law Hon Ridge. (A small ribbon marks the start of this route, which is otherwise almost impossible to spot from the main path.)
The Law Hon Ridge has been described as “the most sloping and dangerous ridge to climb Lantau Peak” although so far it’s just unrelentingly steep, and after the recent rain a bit slippery in places.
The Law Hon Ridge trail has also described as having “not many scenery locations”, which makes no difference to me, as each time there is a break in the vegetation or what appears to be a vantage point, all I see is fog. (On a clear day there would be views of the airport and Tung Chung City.) The trail continues climbing, with a couple of near-vertical sections a long ridge of rock. Eventually, Law Hon Tower (at an elevation of 810m) looms out of the mist ahead of me.
You can scramble to the top of Law Hon Tower via a track that bears left, which requires a near-vertical scramble up cracks in the rocks. As there’s zero visibility and the rocks are wet and slippery, I give this a miss. Instead I turn right, descending slightly to reach One Tree Cave, a large shelter eroded by water with a solitary tree in front of it.
From here there a few options: re-trace my steps down the Law Hon Ridge, take a path to the north-west (just above the cave) to the main Lantau trail or continue down the Law Hon Gap which is my planned route. After first following a false trail to the right of Law Hon Gap which quickly becomes very precarious, I realise I’m going the wrong way and head directly down the middle of the “gap”.
After scrambling down the slippery rocks, I reach another junction, marked by a multitude of ribbons, where I change my plans… instead of climbing up the “White Jaw path” (also known as the Pak Tin Mun Cliffside Trail) via North Heaven’s Gate I take the Pak Ngok Ha trail which follows the side of Lantau Peak. With no signs of the clouds lifting, I abandon the goal of reaching the top of Lantau Peak and head towards the main Lantau trail.
Although there are no steep climbs along this trail, it’s slow going as the terrain is slippery, and there is one drop that is negotiated with the help of a couple of ropes (you can choose between a thicker rope attached to a very dubiuous anchor point, or a thin rope that’s hard to hold onto, but is more securely anchored).
The Pak Ngok Ha trail emerges from the jungle into open grassland just before the junction with the Lantau Trail; a cluster of large boulders would provide good views on a clear day.
I’m soon back onto the Lantau Trail, which by comparison to the Lantau Peak ascent via the Law Hon Ridge provides a very easy route back down.
The clouds are lifting slightly as I descend the popular trail, and I start to see a few people after enjoying complete solitude on the minor trails (or maybe no-one else is stupid enough to go hiking up a mountain on an overcast morning).
To the south is Shui Hau village, and a series of small islands in the South Lantau Marine Park.
A bit further is a small shelter offering another vantage point, this time to the north.
Below is the international airport and the city of Tung Chung, and poking above the clouds in the distance is Castle Peak (583m), a steep mountain in the Western New Territories and the highest granitic hill in Hong Kong.
The cloud continue to lift as a I make good progress down the trail.
The last signposted lookout – Lantau Peak Viewing Point No 1 – provides more interpretive signage about the key sights to the south: the Chi Ma Wan Peninsula, Shek Kwu Chau island, the village of Tong Fuk and Tai a Chau and Siu a Chau (the small islands in the distance).
It’s only about 15min from here to Tung Chung Road, where frequent buses provide transport back to Tung Chung and the airport.
Although the hike is only about 6km (not including the distance to the start of the trail), allow at least three hours for the ascent; the descent once once on the Lantau Trail is much quicker. You could of course do this route in reverse, although it’s easier going up than down the steep and sometimes slippery Law Hon Ridge.
Getting to Lantau Peak via Law Hon Ridge
The trailhead to reach the Law Hon Ridge is near the Lo Hon Monastery, at the end of Shek Mun Kap Road. The signposted Fat Mun Ancient Trail provides access to the rough trail up Law Hon Ridge. There are multiple return routes you can take back down Lantau Peak; the Lantau Trail (Section 3) is the easiest route that ends at Pak Kung Au where there is a bus stop on Tung Chung Road. Bus 11 to Tai O services both trailheads.
More information
- The 80th Anniversary of Victory – Lo Hon Cave
- HK outdoor adventures – North Heaven’s Gate
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