Whether you're a new arrival in Hong Kong or just visiting this part of the world, navigating the plentiful hiking scene here can seem overwhelming! Not being exceptionally experienced hikers, we didn't know how & where to start when we first moved here.
Starting small & easy, this easy hike on HK Island is one of our favourites as its easy to get to, has unique scenery of the Aberdeen Reservoirs and ends in an exploration lunch at the end!
What makes this hike special
We love this route because it's an easy hike on Hong Kong Island. You can reach the starting point for the hike from pretty much anywhere on HK Island in about 40 minutes, by getting one bus from the Admiralty area.
In addition to its easy access, the hike route is filled with unique views of Aberdeen Country Park, which hosts an array of wildlife and the impressive bodies of water that are the Aberdeen Upper and Lower Reservoirs. If you're looking for more ideas on day trips in Hong Kong, check out this post about visiting Cheung Chau Island.
Time of walking: about 1 hour
Distance: about 4.2 km
Difficulty level (given by us, non-hikers): 2/5
Trail: mostly downhill/ flat with some unpaved paths
Getting to the starting point
Since this hike is more on the casual stroll side rather than a workout, you'll want to start at Wanchai Gap Park and make your way down, through the reservoir park to Aberdeen.
To get to Wanchai Gap Park, you can grab bus number 1 from City Hall bus station in Admiralty. Bus #1 should be going towards The Peak, which will be indicated on the front of the bus.
Get off at Guildford Rd / Peak Rd Intersection station & from there, Wanchai Gap Park is about an 8 minute walk.
The Route
📍After arriving in Wanchai Gap park, you'll want to follow Aberdeen Reservoir Rd towards Lady Clementine's Ride. From there you can access the HK Trail sec. 4 which will easily show up in your google maps (the green lines) so just follow those! 📍Make your way down towards the upper reservoir along the trail until you can make it onto Aberdeen Tree Walk, which is the path that cross over the main dam of the Upper Reservoir. If you miss a sign along the way, don't worry - just use your google maps to navigate along one of the trails (marked by a green line) towards the dam.
There is picnic infrastructure (tables & benches) around the main dam, so you can stop here if you need to.
📍After crossing over the dam (and stopping to take in the beautiful scenery) follow the Aberdeen Fitness Trail down towards Aberdeen Country Park Management Centre (where the paved roads start again).
📍After that, it's about a 10 minute downhill stroll into the bustling neighbourhood.
Finish with Lunch in Aberdeen
There's not a lot better than accomplishing a nice hike with the thought of food at the end of it. The contrast you can experience on this easy hike on Hong Kong Island, is one that amazes me every time. One minute you feel like you're somewhere in Malaysia with greenery & water around you. Then you walk for 20 minutes and bang, you're right back in the busy, loud streets of China, where streets are lined with steamers cooking bao buns & dumplings.
When you come out of the Reservoir Park, follow your map towards Aberdeen town centre. For something light to takeaway - head to the fresh dim sum shop with the red sign on Tung Sing Rd (right next to City Cut Hair Salon). Their freshly steamed bao buns are great!
For a sit down local bowl of noodles, try Chiu Yuen Chiu Chow Noodle, known for their beef brisket & fish ball noodles.
Don't let the abundance & complexity of hiking trails in Hong Kong deter you from seeing some of the nature this city has to offer! For a full day trip idea, check out our guide to one of Hong Kong's most treasured islands, Cheung Chau.
Or if it's an accessible, easy hike on Hong Kong Island that you're after, this route exploring the Aberdeen Reservoirs is perfect!
Happy exploring,
xoxo
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