Sunset Peak is the third-highest mountain in Hong Kong at 869m and is located on Lantau Island.
As the name suggests, it is a great place to watch the sunset; however, if you prefer not to be descending in darkness, it is also stunning during the day.
There are a few different places to start the trail, depending on whether you want to start at ground level or not.
The easiest place to start is Pak Kung Au, as it means that you are already at 322m before you take a step!
This is the route that I’ll cover here (as it’s the only one I’ve done – so far!), and is most popular with casual day hikers.
Pak Kung Au
You will need to take a bus to get to the start of the trail at Pak Kung Au.
If you’re coming from Mui Wo, you’ll need to take the 3M bus. From Tung Chung you can take either the 3M, the 11 or the 23 bus.
Pak Kung Au is located at the top of the saddle as the road goes up one side of the mountain range and down the other side, so make sure you push the button just before you reach the top so the driver knows to pull over.
There is a campsite and picnic area here and you’ll be joining the Lantau Trail. The track heads uphill straight away towards Sunset Peak so take some time to eat and drink at the picnic area before you start.
Take care crossing the road from the picnic area as cars, taxis and buses are always present.
The Ascent
The track starts going steeply up straight away and continues to do so for 2km.
Soon you’ll notice that the usual bamboo and jungle vegetation has disappeared and you’re in grasslands.
It seems like a different world from most Hong Kong hikes!
Eventually, you will come up onto a bit of a ridge, the land will open up and you’ll find yourself gazing out at the panoramic views.
Keep going up until you start seeing some old stone huts ahead of you.
At this point you’ll see that the summit of Sunset Peak is up to your left, so don’t head over to the huts just yet; continue around the side of the peak until you see a path heading up to the top.
From the summit you can look in every direction over Lantau Island and beyond!
Lantau Peak, the highest on the island and the second highest in Hong Kong, is behind you in the direction that you came from.
The summit is a lovely place to sit and enjoy the view and, if you’re there at the right time, enjoy the sunset.
The Descent
There are two options for your descent: retrace your steps back to Pak Kung Au or continue on to Nam Shan, just outside Mui Wo.
To end at Nam Shan, head towards the stone huts that you saw earlier.
These were originally used as holiday accommodation for early British missionaries, but are now abandoned and empty.
They add a lovely atmosphere to the grassy area and, once again, make you feel like you might not even be in Hong Kong anymore!
The track winds its way gradually down and eventually descends into steps.
Towards the end, you’ll find yourself walking through forest before you come out at the Nam Shan campsite.
From here you can catch the 3M bus either to Mui Wo or Tung Chung.
If you’re heading to Mui Wo, you can also walk on the pavement alongside the road if you’d rather not get the bus. It’s not too far and it’s downhill all the way! You’ll come out at the roundabout near the ferry pier.
Hiking Sunset Peak is very rewarding as you experience incredible views and you definitely get a workout in the process, but you have the advantage of starting part-way up.
If you’d like to climb the mountain from ground level you can start in Mui Wo and do the route in reverse, or start in Tung Chung and climb to Pak Kung Au.
I love this hike, and I particularly like ending in Mui Wo and wandering along the water’s edge while looking up at the silhouette of the mountain I just climbed.
Want more like this? Check out these articles:
- Hong Kong: escaping the chaos
- Day hike essentials: what to pack
- How a Working Holiday Visa could change your life
All images are the property of lastminutewanders.com
Leave a Reply