This trail is a picturesque part of the famous 100 km MacLehose hiking trail, which runs east to west in the New Territories. At 702 metres, Ma On Shan (‘Horse Saddle Mountain’) is the second-highest peak in the New Territories.

This strenuous hike kicks off down at sea level and starts with a pleasant wander through lush green sub-tropical forest and dense exotic vegetation. You’ll get to see an abandoned Hakka village complete with ancestral graves, before beginning the trek uphill. Here the trail encounters low shrub-land, which is vibrant with wild azaleas and rhododendrons, while the mighty Ma On Shan range beckons from high above. Behind you will be a superb coastal panorama revealing the Sai Kung Peninsula. From the saddle itself, the trials of hiking this formidable section of the MacLehose Trail with its rugged rock formations will be rewarded by spectacular views of the New Territories and Mainland China.

The path then takes you along a remote, wild and windswept ridge, which mercifully begins to head down to a rolling plateau. A scenic track continues to wind downwards to the charming fishing town of Sai Kung, where you'll see local fisher-folk selling their wares on the Sai Kung jetty, and visit the local Tin Hau Temple, dedicated to the revered Goddess of the Sea.

(Booking site is in Chinese only)