On our first draft of itinerary, trekking in Hong Kong was not really in it. But a week before the trip, I got a little down when I realized I would miss trekking in March. Our regular trekking group, NCR Trekkers visited Osmeña Peak on the weekend we were on travel. It gave me the idea to include trekking in the itinerary.
The husband, being the husband, was not hype up with the idea. Trekking in a new country with just the 2 of us seems a bit far off. Besides, he wanted this trip to be relaxing. But I assured him it would be nothing but pure awesomeness. Most people only saw the vibrant city life of Hong Kong and going on this trek would set us apart.
There are a lot of established trails in Hong Kong but Maclehose Trail caught my eye. The 1st stage ends on a beach. Trekking and beaching in one – who’d say no to that? But I, of course, didn’t know the weather in Hong Kong yet.
How to reach the start of Maclehose Trail?
There are 2 ways to reach Maclehose Trail: via Diamond Hill station or Hang Hau. We picked Diamond Hill. Upon arriving we hurriedly look for bus 96R that would take us to Pak Tam Chung, the start of the trail.
We were confused because 96R was no where in sight. It turns out, 96R buses only travel on Sunday. That was our 3rd day and I kind of realized that only a fraction of the locals understood English. We were lucky ’cause we found one who did.
We took bus 92 to Sai Kung. Note that bus 92’s last stop is Sai Kung terminal where you could catch bus 94 to Pak Tam Chung. We didn’t know this so we spent the entire hour of the trip worrying if we would miss the town. Pfft!
Trek Proper
We saw a lot of trekkers when we arrived in Pak Tam Chung. There were lots of trails and we didn’t have any idea which way for Maclehose. If we were in the Philippines, asking the locals would be a breeze. The helplessness annoyed me. I decided to just picked any trail. While walking we saw 2 Americans jogging, I then asked if we were on the right track. The woman directed us to the correct path.
Stage 1 of Maclehose trail is 90% walking on a paved road. It was a foggy day so we mostly see whiteness everywhere. The whole trail is 21 kilometers long, marked by distance posts at 500m intervals along the path. We enjoyed taking pictures each stop.
The paved road ended on a path to Long Ke beach. Stage 1’s last marker was just before reaching the beach. The husband and I had our triumphant pose and continued. After settling for 30 minutes, it was time to go. Initially, the plan was to trek until stage 2 but my feet was already sore and stage 2 is still 3.5 hours away.
We went back and could have taxi-ed to Pak Tam Chung but there were a lot of trekkers competing for the ride. We noticed some were calling for taxis. Because we planned to end at Stage 2, I had no idea of the fare. Worried about our budget and on how to communicate to the taxi driver plus the passengers, we decided to trek back. It was our longest non-stop walking for 2 hours.
With no idea of the last trip back to the city, the husband was afraid that if we’d trek longer than 2 hours, we would miss the bus back to the city. My feet was screaming in pain. I was full of remorse on the way for missing to research the exit strategy. The “Miss Sunshine” spirits totally left me. In that ordeal, the husband has remained strong. He calculated our time in between distance posts. Noted if we have been slowing down and inspired me to hasten my strides. In between managing our velocity, he would crack jokes and tell me stories just to take my mind away from the pain. That experience totally gave me a peek of that amazing side of him. He is not only an explorer but something more if the need arises.
Back to the City
Our efforts were not in vain. Minutes after arriving at Pak Tam Chung, we saw the bus. My feet was still sore but to our surprise, I had enough of energy to run to the bus. When we were safely settled, I kissed the husband and nearly cried of relief.
So how was Maclehose Stage 1?
It was fun even if we missed the views because of the fog. I’d like to come back on a different weather. But my greatest memory of Maclehose was not the trek itself but realizing just how blessed I am to have the greatest husband in the world. It was such a great way to celebrate our anniversary. Travel will indeed open you to more possibilities. The more you travel, the more you will encounter problems that will test your dynamics as husband and wife. =)
Breakfast at the neighborhood!
In the train with trekkers and the Pak Tam Chung stop with a lot of trekkers!
What you will see at Pak Tam Chung stop!
On the way to the starting point of Maclehose Trail!
This is where the trek starts!
Views on the way and the first distance post!
We weren’t that sweaty after 1.5 km of walking yet!
The husband was annoyed for I insist in taking pictures every post. Haha
More foggy views!
This was us after 2.5 hours of walking at the end of the road.
Yay! Stage 1 ends here!
After Stage 1 ends, you will see Long Ke beach. I planned to swim but it was just too cold!
This was after our ordeal.
This station has an open railway unlike the other stations. The husband and I are quite enamored with Hong Kong’s MTR. It was our main transportation in going to places. We were able to ride 6 out of 12 lines, most of them are traversing in Central Hong Kong. Our farthest was on the green line (Kwun Tong Line) – Diamond Hill to reach Sai Kung.
Trekking in Maclehose was the best part of our trip because aside from giving us a different taste of Hong Kong, we were able overcome an obstacle together. Travelling as a couple is always the best way for the relationship to grow. And for that, I am grateful to God for giving me the best partner. Yay!
Stay tuned to more posts. The husband and I are quite smitten-ed with Hong Kong’s beauty that we might come back soon. We haven’t really see the city at all since we mainly used MTRs in travelling to places. Hehe!
M&M 1st Int’l Travel HK Macau (1st Wedding Anniversary):
Summary
Hong Kong Disneyland Hacks & Tips
Why Hong Kong Ocean Park Is A Must
Trekking In Hong Kong in 1 Day: Maclehose Trail
Grandiose Macau: Hotel Hopping & More
Touristy Macau: A Cold Welcome
10 Things Why You Should Travel As A Couple
Filed under: Asia, Hongkong, Travel Tagged: Hong Kong, Maclehose trail, Nature, Scenery, Trekking, When in Hong Kong
