The Real Hong Kong Is a Vast and Wild Natural Wonder
Fewer than 200 years ago, what is now the mega-metropolis of Hong Kong was little more than a couple handfuls of fishing villages scattered around the base of mountainous islands. Today, the average tourist can be forgiven for focusing their attention on the Special Administrative Region’s sun-reflecting, monumental glass structures.
Yet the intrepid traveler who can look beyond this mesmerizing, skyscraper-clad facade will be surprised to find that less than one-quarter of the SAR’s land has been zoned for development. Already, those who tram their way to the top of Hong Kong Island’s Victoria Peak marvel at how much of the area is covered in greenery. This, however, is only the tip of the iceberg.
A little farther away, just beyond the bowl of mainland and island mountains where the bulk of Hong Kongers congregate, you can hike for hours without bumping into another soul and spend days not seeing a single skyscraper.