Ratna writes

This is the story of how Udai and I accidentally ended up scaling Sunset Peak in Lantau Island, ranked one of the top three hardest hikes in Hong Kong.  With an inflated feeling of accomplishment after last week's hike , I was all too willing to believe my husband when he said "I remember Sunset Peak being even easier than MacLehose Section 2..." (If you intend to use your quad muscles again after this trek, I strongly suggest considering MacLehose over this peak.) But I took him at his word and we arrived at the Tung Chung MTR Station Sunday morning, which we quickly realized is ludicrously busy because it connects to the Big Buddha. After spending 2 hours in the process of discovering that cab drivers waved us away rather than go to Pak Kung Au (the starting point for our hike), we almost turned back to go home when we saw the lines for the buses that go there. But we figured out that since bus 11A doesn't go to the Big Buddha, it's the most efficient route to...

We set off for Sai Kung this Sunday to check out Section 2 of the formidable MacLehose Trail , a 100-km network of stunning scenery. We chose our section because it's a 13-kilometer stretch that is relatively flat (though there are two major uphill sections that last 10-15 minutes). This was our route: From Sai Kung, we got dropped off at Sai Wan Pavilion , a good landmark to use for the start of Section 2! Although there's no signage for a good 20 minutes after this point, if you can follow other hikers or use GMaps to get started, you're soon rewarded with this view. About 15 minutes later, you'll come upon a map of the whole MacLehose Trail that'll give you a good idea of where to go! The first major built landmark we came across was Sai Wan Village, which has a tourist information center, a couple of spots where you can grab a Pocari or something to eat, and a public toilet. Beyond the small booths was Sai Wan Beach, sprawling and scenic though slightly better s...