Travel Adventures - SHARP PEAK or Shark bite on the body

City lights, tall high rises and shopping centres, that is the typical first impression you will have of Hong Kong. Introducing Sai Kung, a nature lover’s sanctuary that is away from the bustle and bustle of the city that is a mere 30 minutes bus or MTR Train ride away. Frequented by locals to get away from the confined walls of their apartment, Sai Kung has many routes to accommodate an easy hike to difficult 6-8 hour hike that you can reward yourself with a nice seafood meal at the end of it all.

What is the most exciting part of the trip?

Reaching the top of Sharp Peak and watching the view from there.

What is your largest takeaway from this trip – life advice, values?

Never take short cuts in life. Sharp peak is known for its many hills, so a hiker has to go up and down many times. It reached a point where we were very tired and saw a small path that looked like it went around the mountain. Little did we know that the small path brought us on a journey that was filled with landslides and it brought us on the wrong path out of the mountain.

Is there any “hidden gems” that you will recommend?

Sharp peak is not for the faint hearted but the view at the edge of the cliff was rewarding. Admire it for a good 30 minutes and start heading down as the journey down is long. For a moment I thought SHARP PEAK was SHARK PEAK because of the many little hill ‘peaks’ we had to encounter that looked like the fin of a shark. But always enjoy the mountainous view against the sea

What is the most interesting part of the trip?

Getting lost and trying to find the normal path by listening to human voices or trying to find fellow hikers. What does not kill you makes you stronger

What are some gears you find most important for such trips?

Water and good pair of hiking shoes. Keeping track of time is always crucial as you don’t want to hike when night falls. We did not bring enough water as we thought the hike would have been shorter. The hiking shoes as you never know when you hit a landslide path!

Did you face any challenges? How did you overcome such challenges?

We were out of water and we ended up climbing on dagger sharp rock stones that were a few meters above crashing waves with rocks. Tell yourself to just hang on to dear life when you face a path that has no paths and you have no other gear like ropes help you cross.

What did you want in a watch?

I wanted something that is hardy and I don’t feel bad for banging around. It had to be  affordably priced and match my style for a casual weekend hike.