Classic Dragon’s Back route with a little adventure twist.

My relationship with the standard route has been a love/hate one. It is one of the first nice paths that I hiked, but nowadays it is too well-known and therefore crowded. I would highly advice avoiding going there on the peak hiking season: when the weather gets milder, above all late October up till January. You might feel like in Mong Kok on a Saturday evening instead of hiking in the nature in a good weather day… The views and the path itself continue being nice anyhow.

  • Difficulty (check this link if new here, this is not your standard HK hiking web): 3.5/10. The initial part is a completely well-marked mainstream path. Once out of Dragon’s Back per se things get bit more complex, but bush scratches aside not specially difficult.
  • Several alternative paths, start and exits. Concrete, earth path, finally rocks and stream.
  • Map with an alternative start and middle section. A bit more than 7 km and two hours and half hiking the red path. If starting from Chai Wan add 2.5km and bit less than one hour.

And the Everytrail map (I loved the application before was bought by TripAdvisor).

You can take minibus or bus from Shau Kei Wan to Shek O road.

From here go up to the “end” of Dragon’s Back. Otherwise, the blue line departing from Chai Wan will take you to the same place walking next to a Muslim cemetery and Mosque.

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Into Shek O Country Park.

Soon you will be walking on an earth path within the woods.

If there are too many people, you have already hiked it or you are in a rush you can take the alternative route in blue. The path here is almost completely flat and with views only to the West. Turn left to go to the crest to do the full thing. It is called Dragon’s Back because the undulating hills you will hike on, relatively gentle up and downs.

With nice views to the West, Stanley, and East, Shek O.

Starting from this point the nature of the hike will change a bit. Instead of continuing the usual Dragon’s Back downwards, just go ahead and pass these markets.

Soon you will see below the road where you need to arrive at, before reaching the stream.

Paths in the Opencyclemap and ribbons around to guide you.

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Carefully going downhill.

Down to Cape D’Aguilar Road. Jump the fence and you will find the rocky path below.

And little later a small waterfall and the stream.

Most of the times you will be able to hike on the banks of the stream. If it has been raining substantially previous days you might need to get your shoes wet, but no more than knee high.

In that case you might find a pool or two where to dip into.

And tons of vegetation and fruits around.

Just before arriving

at the West side of Shek O main beach.

Beach, shower, restaurants, buses and minibuses to go back home.