Into the Wild

Though Hong Kong has a skyline and harbor (3rd busiest in the world) to compete with anywhere, what sets it apart for me is that nature creeps right up to its doorstep. Towering above every sky scrapper was a mountain of unbroken greenery. It's impressive enough that over 70% percent of Hong Kong to be wilderness, but it's another thing altogether when you realize that so much of it is accessible for hiking, picnicking and relaxing. In my three days there I managed to stumble out into it twice, a pretty good average considering I've seen 'nature' once in the 9 months I've lived in Shanghai. I'd say its just a day trip away, but it isn't even that far.

Our first day we took a 30 minute ferry ride (worth it for the view of the skyline alone) to Lamma Island, a small fishing island on the backside of the main harbor. Costing $4 round trip, I can't imagine a cheaper escape anywhere in America. We arrived at a small village on one side of the island, resembling the type you'd find on Martha's Vineyard or any other small vacation island, complete with funky little shops and oceanfront restaurants. After walking through this little town, we abandoned our plan to trek the 90 minutes or so through the jungle to the other village, instead choosing to walk the 15 or so minutes to a nearby beach, soaking our feet in the warm tropical water, and basking in the warmth of the sun as it set behind the power plant at the far end of the island (I never said Hong Kong was perfect). Given the price, the journey, and the absolute feeling of being outside of a city, I'd recommend anyone who ever visits Hong Kong take a day trip here - or even an afternoon trip.

The next morning we signed up for one of the Hong Kong Tourist Bureau guided tours - a 5 hour jaunt into the New Territories towards the Chinese boarder. For many visitors the highlight is seeing the Chinese boarder, while they wonder what rights they would be sacrificing if they crossed it. For two old, China-hands, we knowingly yawned and tried not to fall asleep in the middle of our 2nd exhausting day of touring. We had gone as far away from the city of Hong Kong as we could, and were beginning to gaze upon Shenzen, the boarder city of China when we were treated to the most inspiring bit of nature I saw all weekend.

The tour led us to a steep, green tropical valley, stopping along one of the many scenic parks in the back country of Hong Kong. The sight was called Bridal Falls and was home to a small, but very pretty waterfall. The water was trickling it's way down the valley to the giant reservoir basin at the bottom, scenic as any small waterfall I'd seen in Yellowstone. Little, natural, tropical waterfalls exist in Hong Kong.

Proximity to nature isn't something I've ever come to expect from cities. Maybe my friends in Portland or Seattle might have a different take on things, but for a city of its size (Hong Kong is home to more people than Massachusetts) having such unspoiled natural wonders so close is a wonder to me. I don't know if its suitable for whitewater kayaking or overnight mountain backpacking, but I can't help but appreciate a city, especially a city in China now, which takes such good care of its environment.