HONG KONG — Hong Kong is best known as a dynamic metropolis replete with interesting culture, diverse history, excellent dining, colourful nightlife and unique traditions, all set against the backdrop of stunning skyscraper vistas.

However, Hong Kong is also very rural, as Travelweek discovered recently while exploring during the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s Connect Hong Kong Fam.

In fact, 40% of the territory of this special administrative region is composed of parks and nature reserves.

Here are four off-the-beaten path attractions for those looking for some time away from the hustle and bustle of the city when visiting this exciting destination.

NGONG PING 360 CABLE CAR

At 25 minutes, and travelling 5.7 kilometres from Tung Ching to Ngong Ping, this is the longest cable car ride in Hong Kong. Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week, each cabin can hold eight passengers, or a private cabin can be arranged for HKD4,500. Upon reaching the summit, visitors can bear witness to the Big Buddha, the world’s second largest outdoor sitting Buddha statue, and Po Lin Monastery, a Buddhist monastery with traditional Chinese-style architecture.

Connect Hong Kong Fam participants at Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car

SAI KUNG

The Sai Kung district, one of 18 districts in Hong Kong and known as the ‘back garden of Hong Kong,’ has 70 islands of varying sizes, plus it’s home to the UNESCO Global Geopark.

Surfing is possible in Sai Kung, at Tai Long Wan Beach for example. The district is also an excellent area for hiking. For instance, there’s Tai Long Sai Wan, a stunning 10.5-kilometre hike along the beach and through the hillsides which lasts approximately four hours. Those who seek more of a challenge can try the High Island Reservoir Loop near Sai Wan which is over 19 kilometres long and takes almost seven hours to complete. Cars need a permit to enter Sai Kung East County Park, so tourists access it using taxis and transit.

Tai Long Wan Beach in Sai Kung

TAI O

Tai O can be perfectly described with two simple words: fishing village. Visitors can expect all the sights, sounds and smells that one would imagine when the idea of a fishing village comes to mind. There are ample shops to explore, many selling treasures of the sea, as locals go about their regular day-to-day lives. It’s a unique

environment that may not be top of mind when many think of what one can find in Hong Kong.

Take a boat tour to see the iconic stilt houses over the water, where locals still live and work. For $250 per night, clients can stay at Tai O Heritage Hotel with breakfast included. High tea packages are also available.

Stilt houses in Tai O

ABERDEEN

Another fishing village, for generations Aberdeen has been an essential fishing and trading port for Hong Kong. It’s where the fishing industry of Hong Kong was born and where the name Hong Kong, which means ‘fragrant harbour’ in Cantonese, originated according to historians. The village is home to the Tanaka people, a community of fisherman that have traditionally lived on fishing vessels, small wooden sampans and, more recently, Chinese-style houseboats that are stationary most of the time.

Travellers here can see old shipyards, Hong Kong’s most expensive boats and visit a floating museum that has preserved its traditional setup of a boat from the past, and features art installations. Built in 1950, the Tai Pak Floating Restaurant is the only floating restaurant left in Aberdeen and can be reached by ferry. Aberdeen has a focus on conservation and education and is also home to the Aberdeen Boat Club and Aberdeen Marina Club.

Aberdeen

To learn more, go to DiscoverHongKong.com.