During the festive season of this year's Chinese New Year, there are many things to do and to visit in Hong Kong. It is very busy and joyful everywhere, even in the countryside areas. Hiking is probably one of the most famous activities to do around this time. 

There are many good hiking spots in Hong Kong and almost every hike has different elements and experience for each hiker. In the meantime, this blog is about my experience hiking the Violet Hill and The Twins. 

 

A HIKE WITH THOUSANDS OF STEPS

Have you ever heard of such thing? Well, there are plenty of places to hike that consists of thousands of steps in Hong Kong. However, thousands of steps in Hong Kong means stepping on some endless flight of stairs. This could be a turn off to many people as stairs are often regarded as annoying and overwhelming, especially to the lazy bums. In my opinion, the stairs aren't that bad when hiking The Twins. Normally I would find stairs very annoying as I prefer climbing up steep rocks and steep paths rather than stairs. The only time I truly enjoy stairs is when going down. Fortunately, this hike was my favorite to my deepest surprise. 

 

THE VIOLET HILL

There are plenty of beautiful flowers including the violet-colored flowers and some butterflies and dragonflies species around the hill. This is how this hill got its name. Hiking the Violet Hill offers nice panoramic views of Jardine's Lookout, Mount Parker and as well as Tai Tam Reservoir. You may see why it is named after Violet Hill whilst climbing up The Twins. One has to look back to see it of course. 

 

THE TWINS

There are 2 twins to climb up and down. The first twin is probably the longest one to ascend and it is steeper than the second twin. Each twin should take about 30 minutes (depending on speed and resting time). Climbing The Twins can be slightly difficult, most especially for those who do not hike a lot or exercise regularly. The reward for conquering it though is very satisfying. The negative side of hiking The Twins is that there isn't any shade or resting place for you to properly rest. You must climb up the two twins in order for you to reach the Compass station and finally rest there before descending. 

 

BASIC INFORMATION OF THE HIKE

DURATION - 3-4 hours (depending on speed and resting time)

DISTANCE - About 6km (depending on routes) 

DIFFICULTY LEVEL - Medium (but can be challenging and tiring when climbing up The Twins)

CELLPHONE/ INTERNET COVERAGE - Everywhere

BEST TIME TO HIKE - Autumn, Winter or Spring (Definitely not during the summer as there are no shades or resting point in the hiking route)

STARTING POINT - Wong Nai Chung Reserviour

FINISHING POINT - Stanley Gap Road

 

HOW TO GET THERE AND WHAT TO TAKE

CONVENIENT AND EASIEST WAY TO START THE HIKE

Take MTR to Central or Wanchai Station, from there take the bus no. 6 via Stanley Prison (Exchange Square bus terminus in Central and Wanchai Market in Wanchai). Get off at "Wong Nai Chung Reservoir Park, Wong Nai Chung Gap Road". The bus will stop by the Petrol station and find the signpost on the right to Tai Tam Road. It's about 10 minutes walk to Wong Nai Chung Reservoir Park. Once you reach the park, you may take some time to look around at the reservoir and this is also the last stop for any proper toilet breaks. 

Also, make sure that you find the hiking map post and walk straight up to the left until you see a signpost to Hong Kong Parkview. This is where you start the hike to Violet Hills then to The Twins. 

REACHING STANLEY GAP ROAD AFTER THE HIKE

The hike will end at Stanley Gap Road. From there, there are buses to take to go back to the low land (Central, Aberdeen, Causeway Bay or Wanchai). However, if you wish to visit Stanley and if you have plenty of time to do so, you may take bus no. 6, 6A, 260 or 73 to Stanley. The bus stops in Stanley Market, Stanley Beach, Stanley Prison and many others. You may also choose to walk over to Stanley. It will take around 20-30 minutes. However, there is no footpath, so you must be very careful when walking to Stanley. 

You may also take a taxi to leave Stanley Gap Road but it may take some time to hop into one. 

 

HIKE DIARY

BUS RIDE TO WONG NAI CHUNG ROAD

As mention above in "How to get there and what to take", the easiest way to get to Wong Nai Chung Road is by taking bus no. 6 (via Stanley Prison). The bus ride normally takes around 15-20 minutes. Beware though as the bus ride may be bumpy and wobbly since you are going uphill. 

TAI TAM ROAD TO WONG NAI CHUNG RESERVOIR PARK

After getting off at Wong Nai Chung Road, find the signpost to Tai Tam Road on the right side beside the petrol station. It is about 10 minutes walk up to reach the Wong Nai Chung Reservoir Park. From there, you may take some quick tour around the park and this is also the last source for a toilet break. 

HONG KONG PARKVIEW VIA STANLEY TRAIL

This is where you start the hike. Be sure to find the signpost for Stanley Trail by walking straight uphill from the entrance of Wong Nai Chung Reservoir Park. The hike starts up with a few stairs up and followed by a ridge. Over there, you will see plenty of beautiful flowers and a glimpse of Wanchai and Kowloon views from a distance. 

THE VIOLET HILL

Hiking up the Violet Hill takes around an hour if you are taking a steady and relaxing hike. You will enjoy the panoramic views of Jardine's Lookout and Mount Parker once you've reached the hilltop. The south side of the Tai Tam Reservoir can also be seen whilst in Violet Hill. I must say that this is a peaceful hike. 

TSZ KONG BRIDGE (TSIN TSUI WAN AU)

The hike will take you directly to Tsz Kong Bridge also known as Tsin Tsui Wan Au. From here, there are 2 different paths - To Repulse Bay on the right side from the catchwater or you may go straight to climb The Twins and end the hike at Stanley Gap Road. Before you start climbing, make sure to take a quick rest and have a light meal and a good stretch to prepare yourself before climbing for what its known, the thousands of steps. 

FIRST TWIN

So this where your struggle begins, the first twin approximately takes around 20-30 minutes to finish. Well, it really depends on your speed, however, there are no proper spots for you to properly rest and the stairs are good for 2 people to fit in, so you may probably have to move aside whenever someone is passing whilst you are resting. The first twin consists of 1000 steps. After you're done ascending the first twin, you will pass by a ridge for a good 5 minutes and start to descend down to meet the other twin. 

On another note, you may take a look back at Violet Hill and witness the beauty of it and to understand better why it is named after Violet Hill. 

SECOND TWIN

Climbing up the second twin is actually a lot faster than the first twin. It is also a 1000 stairs for the second twin. There are some numbers drafted on the concrete stairs such as 100, 300, 500, 700, 900, 959 and 1000. Whoever did this is probably a genius. It helps motivate the hikers to keep going until they've completed the 1000 steps. Climbing the second twin took around 20 minutes. 

THE MOST REWARDING VIEW

The most rewarding part is when you've finally reached the Ma Kong Shan Compass Station. This is where you get to rest properly as there are benches around the station, an overview map of the area and of course let's not forget about the most spectacular view in this entire hike, which is seeing the peninsula of Stanley with your own eyes.

STEEP DESCEND AND MORE STAIRS DOWN

Going down can be challenging to the least experience hikers as it can be quite steep, however, it is quite safe as long as you are careful with what you step on. Whilst you're at it, be sure to check out the views right in front of you. 

ENDING THE HIKE AT STANLEY GAP ROAD

Once you've met some proper concrete stairs down, this is when you know that the hike is almost over. Be careful not to trip yourself as stepping down through the stairs can be steep. It takes around 15-20 minutes to walk down and finally ending the hike in Stanley Gap Road. From there, there are buses going back to Central, Wanchai, Causeway Bay, Aberdeen or to Stanley. 

STANLEY

After the hike, we decided to go to Stanley and visit the markets, beach and have a proper and well-deserving meal after finishing a hike. There are plenty of good restaurants at the beach side, so for those who want to dine in will never run out of options. 

 

THINGS TO WEAR & BRING WHEN HIKING

• Small towel
• Hiking pants/ jogging pants (no jeans/denim!)
• Short/ Long-Sleeve Shirt
• Hiking shoes
• Trekking pole - can be useful when descending 
• Extra shirt - for changing
• Cap - to protect your face from sun exposure
• Umbrella/ waterproof jacket with hoodie - in case of rain 
• Windbreaker jacket (optional) - It will be very windy in the middle of the hike from Violet Hill path to Tse Long Bridge
• Toiletries - tissue/ wet tissue, sunscreen, OFF spray (to avoid insects)
• Portable charger
• Water - 1.5L
• Snacks - fruits (apples or bananas), boiled eggs, protein/ energy bars, digestives biscuits or bread

 

OVERALL EXPERIENCE

The hike was very good overall. Frankly speaking, this is quite an easy hike, however, I have to say that it is quite tiring too due to the never-ending stairs when climbing The Twins. The hike is easily accessible and there were signposts everywhere, so it is easy to trek. The only downside in this hike is that there isn't any resting spot to take a quick rest, especially not in The Twins. 

Other than that, the hike was peaceful, although a bit crowded it is understandable during this festivities. I honestly wouldn't mind hiking The Twins again. This hike is actually good for exercise and making your legs stronger. 

 

I hope the information I had written on this blog will be of use and helpful in planning your hiking trip. Feel free to reach out if you have any concerns or questions. I will be more than happy to help. 

 

Yours Truly,

Michelle Chan