Despite the impression you may get from photos, film and TV, Hong Kong isn’t all towering skyscrapers and crowded streets. Here we discover that the territory has a more sedate side that is seldom seen by tourists.

A number of stock labels are regularly applied to Hong Kong – Pearl of the Orient, City of Life, Asia’s World City – but these do little to describe the great diversity which exists within this unique region on the coast of China. It’s true that the city centre areas are loud, crowded and sometimes overwhelming, but you don’t have to venture far to find mountain scenery, huge country parks, peaceful outlying islands and golden beaches.

Hong Kong’s highlands were originally saved from development by the need to safeguard water catchments. By the time Hong Kong started importing water from China, the public had come to realise the value of these untouched mountain areas, and a system of country parks was set up which now covers roughly 40% of the territory. Some of Hong Kong’s most spectacular landscapes are found within the parks, all of which are crossed by hiking trails of varying difficulty. Popular routes include the Dragon’s Back across Shek O Country Park on the south side of Hong Kong Island, and the MacLehose Trail, which is a 100km walk in ten stages across the New Territories. This is the venue for the annual Oxfam Trailwalker (www.oxfamtrailwalker.org.hk) when teams and individuals raise sponsorship money by tackling the entire length of the trail in one go (the 2006 winner finished in just over 12 hours). This year’s event takes place on 9 November. Country Parks Visitor Centres at popular entry points provide background information on geography, ecology and local culture, and trails have designated campsites and barbecue areas. The website of the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department (www.afcd.gov.hk) has more information on these parks, and www.hkwalkers.net is packed with information on the many walks and trails.

Hong Kong Island is just one of many mountainous isles included in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (or SAR). All told, there are more than 230 of them. Many have been inhabited for centuries by fishing or farming communities and their traditions live on to the present day. If you visit at the right time, you may happen upon a temple festival, a fishermen’s dragon boat race or a Cantonese opera performance in a bamboo theatre. The best-known islands are Lantau (which is home to the airport and Disneyland), Lamma Island, Cheung Chau and Peng Chau. Many visitors come not for culture but for sun and seafood, and the islands have plenty of both. Harbourside restaurants do a roaring trade catering to ferry passengers and weekend sailors. Although there are several beaches manned by lifeguards, a junk (a traditional Chinese boat) allows you to sail anywhere you please, and there are scores of deserted bays for you to drop anchor. Several different ferry companies run services and fares are low. Journeys between the islands typically take between 20 minutes and an hour. For more information on the outlying islands and their attractions, see www.discoverhongkong.com, and for details of the beaches managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/beach.

For details of places to stay and things to see and do, pick up a copy of the Hong Kong Mini Explorer. And if you’re considering making the place your next home, you’ll need the Hong Kong Explorer – the Complete Residents’ Guide.

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