See Hong Kong nature & wildlife!
A lot of people don't even realise all that Hong Kong nature has to offer as I'm sure that most of those who travel to Hong Kong do it to see the metropolis. Instead, the city's usually known for its hectic urban life. But that is not all there is to see. Considering how crowded the city is, it might come as a surprise that most of the territory is still undeveloped. Actually, no less than 40% of Hong Kong consists of national parks. There could be several explanations for this, but I think it has much to do with the fact that the terrain is very mountainous, which makes it hard to use up all of the space. Indeed, it seems that the developers prefer to reclaim more land from the sea over trying to tame those hillsides. One good place to get a nice view of untouched nature is from the Ngong Ping 360 cable car that leads up to the Big Buddha. ParksBesides the unbridled nature outside of the urban areas, there are also a few organised parks with wildlife in Hong Kong: Ocean Park, although best known as a theme park, is probably the best place for learning more about marine life. It also houses land-living animals, including Hong Kong's only pandas! The Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens is rather small but has a wide variety of plants and a smaller selection of animals, consisting mostly of primates, birds and reptiles. It's conveniently located south of Central and offers free admission. Hong Kong Wetland Park is not nearly as convenient because of its location in Tin Shui Wai in the northern New Territories. On the other hand it is a unique area for protecting the local wetland ecosystem. HikingHiking in the beautiful mountainous terrain is a very different experience. It is definitely not what a lot of people do when they travel to Hong Kong, but it's a popular activity among the locals! There are many trails for different skill levels, from family walks to routes that will challenge even the more sturdy types. The Lands Department has put together a nice little hiking site with information about a great many trails, allowing the interested to search by district, difficulty, length, and so forth. Walk Hong Kong offers both walking tours through the urban jungle and hikes into the wild. Hong Kong Trampers arranges free walks led by volunteers. It is important to keep in mind that this activity can be very taxing if you're not good at handling the heat of Hong Kong weather. As always, make sure to drink a healthy amount of water.
BeachesIf you're feeling too hot to walk around all day, why not make the sun work for you instead? A Hong Kong vacation doesn't need to be all about running around. If you prefer, another way to enjoy Hong Kong nature is to visit one of its many fine beaches, several of which are easily accessible by bus and accompanied by nice seaside restaurants. Stanley, Repulse Bay, Sai Kung, and some of the outlying islands are a few of the places where you can doze off for a day at a sandy beach in the South Seas! Hong Kong Outdoors is dedicated to the preservation of the nature in the region and presents some of the best beaches.
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