NG TUNG CHAI WATERFALL HIKE IN HONG KONG

The Ng Tung Chai Waterfall hike is an epic adventure that guides you through the jungle, visits multiple waterfalls and can lead to the highest peak in Hong Kong (if you venture that far). Out in the New Territories, this is a wild hike. In fact, this hike was probably the most wild I saw the jungle in my entire time in Hong Kong.

 

NG TUNG CHAI WATERFALL HIKE DETAILS

Hike Distance: The hike distance on the return-loop is a 6-km return route from the Ng Tung Chai bus stop.

Hike Duration: The hike up and down took under two hours but make sure you leave some spare time to explore the waterfalls.

Hike Difficulty: The hike was relatively safe with no exposure/drop-offs on the trail for the most part. It was very steep in parts of course but it was more a consistent climb up rocky steps. The area surrounding the waterfalls was slippery so mind your step when it’s wet.

Hike Incline: The total hike incline to the Ng Tung Chai waterfalls was 350m from start to finish.

 

HOW TO GET TO NG TUNG CHAI WATERFALLS

I did the Ng Tung Chai Waterfall hike on my route to Tai Mo Shan, which is the highest peak in Hong Kong. However, you can take the same route and simply turn back after visiting the waterfalls if that is enough adventure for you. 

 

NG TUNG CHAI WATERFALL HIKE DIRECTIONS

1. Take the MTR to Kam Sheung Railway Station
2. Catch the 64K bus to Ng Tung Chai Bus Stop
3. Backtrack 100m to the trail entrance on the opposite side of the road (sign marked NG TUNG CHAI)
4. Follow the signs to the Ng Tung Chai Waterfalls
5. Return to Ng Tung Chai bus stop.
6. Catch the bus to Kam Sheung Railway Station.

The pin location for Ng Tung Chai Bus Stop is pinned below and I’ve also placed a photo below that shows the trail entrance from where the bus stops. It has a huge NG TUNG CHAI sign.

 

 

MY EXPERIENCE ON THE NG TUNG CHAI WATERFALL HIKE

As always, a little bit of transit preparation is required before a Hong Kong hike but with the 64K bus dropping us at the trailhead, we set off into the forest to find the waterfalls. The trail began like many in Hong Kong, a paved road winding up through the foothills. There were a few forks in the road but following the signs to the Ng Tung Chai waterfalls seemed to do us well. 

There was one intersection early on that pointed to the right and said “Tai Mo Shan via Ng Tung Chai Waterfalls’ and the other suggested it was not via the waterfalls. It’s only an extra 15-20 minutes (if you are heading to Tai Mo Shan, so we decided to visit the waterfalls as well. You have now entered the Tai Mo Shan Country Park.

At the start of the hike, the trail leads you underneath a beautiful archway near a temple, past some small mini-waterfalls, and through the wild jungle. This was the most wild I had seen in Hong Kong so far, which was surprising considering we hadn’t traveled far from the city at all.

 

After about 30-40 minutes we reached the first waterfall called ‘Bottom Falls’. Although it isn’t as big as ‘Main Falls’ further up the track it was our favorite because it is in a tiny slot canyon and it’s a magical little spot. You could definitely just enjoy the bottom area but you can also climb up the walls and reach the middle section, which is the best area in my opinion. The climb up on the rocks isn’t hard but you will have to judge for yourself if it is for you. We hung out here for almost an hour soaking it all in. No-one else was around and it was my favorite part of the adventure

 

The hike continues with a theme of rocky steps, which lead you up the relentless incline. The next waterfall was called Choi Hung Waterfall. It was still pretty but not as impressive as the others. You are really spoilt for choice here with more than five waterfalls in the region. I quickly stopped in for a look before continuing on to the Main Fall.

 

The Main Fall is unsurprisingly the biggest. It reminded me of the waterfalls in Hawaii the way it seemed to fall down the rocks on the cliff-side rather than free-fall down the pool below. It’s important to keep in mind that we visited in dry December, so it may be much more impressive to visit the waterfalls after heavy rain. There were many signs warning about flash-flooding so keep that in mind.

 

The next waterfall was Scatter Fall, which also fell down the rocks without much force. This would be a great spot in the rainy season I suspect. There was also a little cave to the left of this waterfall for those looking for a bit of extra adventure. 

 

There is one more waterfall called Yuk Nui Fall that I didn’t quite get to as the Tai Mo Shan trail took me a different way. The path looked quite overgrown. 

Along the way, there were lots of small rock pools and sections of cascades to explore so you really could spend a full day out here checking out all the spots. I suggest to come during hot weather but when it has been raining recently. That way it is hot enough to swim in the cold water but the waterfalls are in full force!

To get back to Kam Sheung Station you just need to return the way you came and catch the 64K bus back to the MTR station. It’s an out and back hike, which makes things pretty simple. I hope you enjoy the waterfalls and Tai Mo Shan summit if you decide to continue up the mountain like us!

 

TOP 4 PLACES TO STAY IN HONG KONG

Best Value Hotel: Metropark Hotel Causeway Bay – This 4-star hotel in Hong Kong Central is just $73 and looks like a luxury resort worth 4-times that amount.

Best Hostel: Alohas Hostel – For less than $12 USD, you have a great location in a clean and simple hostel.

Best Value Luxury Hotel: Hotel ICON – $140 for a 5-star hotel with an epic pool. Need I say more!

Best Hiking/Adventure Base: Hotel Stage –  In Kowloon and right next to lots of epic hikes, a gateway to the hikes in the New Territories. 4-star ultra-modern and a great adventure base.

Want a more detailed breakdown? I wrote the biggest ever guide for where to stay (and why) in Hong Kong! You can check it out here: WHERE TO STAY IN HONG KONG: BEST AREAS & HOTELS

 

BEST TIME TO HIKE IN HONG KONG

The ‘best’ time to visit Hong Kong will depend on a few factors. The biggest factor will, of course, be the weather. All of these hikes I did were in my month-long stay during December 2019. The weather was quite chilly as it was winter but the sun was still out on at least 60% of the hikes. In the day it was warm most of the time but I always had a jacket for at the summit. The suggest months for hiking in Hong Kong are:

Winter: December to February –  Mild weather and pretty comfortable for hiking. Minimal rainfall and still lots of sun during 2/3 of the days. I would suggest the winter after having experienced it myself.

Spring: March to May –  Unpredictable weather with some sun and some clouds, Humidity is now rising quite high. Rainfall can happen regularly during the spring.

Summer: June to August – This is not an ideal time to hike in Hong Kong. The humidity is at it’s highest, temperatures can reach 30 degrees daily and rainstorms can be frequent. There are beaches in Hong Kong, more than you would imagine but they aren’t all necessarily close to where you will be based in Hong Kong Central or Kowloon. 

Autumn/Fall: September to November – This is rated as the best time to visit Hong Kong. You have nice sunny weather but humidity is at it’s lowest for the year. Rainfall is also low during these months. 

 

PRE-BOOK YOUR 4G SIMCARD FOR HONG KONG (AIRPORT PICKUP) 

Before I arrived in Hong Kong, I pre-booked my 4G sim-card for pick-up at the airport. It gives you unlimited data for 5 days of traveling in Hong Kong at 4G speeds. As soon as I arrived at the airport, I walked to the stall, the guy put in my new sim-card and activated it and I was connected from the very first moment. You can Click Here to pre-book your 4G sim-card here and you’ll be surprised it’s actually cheaper to book it in advance.

Book yours now: Pre-Book 5-days Unlimited Data 4G Sim Card

 

PRE-BOOK YOUR 4G OCTOPUS CARD

You will need to purchase an ‘Octopus Card’ and then you reload it at the machine at the subway station. I pre-ordered my octopus card through Klook, which meant that when I arrived at the airport I simply picked the card up at the Klook counter and caught the train to my accommodation. It saved me from catching an expensive taxi and figuring out the Octopus card later.

You simply scan in at the station you enter and scan out where you exit and the fee is deducted from your card. On the bus, you will pay a fee depending on how much of the route is left and you only scan the card once for a fixed rate. I found moving around in Hong Kong very cheap, efficient and safe.

Click Here to pre-order your Octopus Card with 100 HKD credit loaded onto the card. Pick-up at the airport desk. 100HKD is good for 6-8 train rides and then you can top it up as you go.

Book yours now: HKD 50 Pre-loaded Octopus Card

 

CHEAPEST AIRPORT PRIVATE TRANSFER SERVICE

The airport in Hong Kong is on Lantau Island, which is about 40-minutes away from Hong Kong Central and 30-minutes away from Kowloon. If you don’t want to bother with public transport, you can book a private transfer that will pick you up at the airport and drop you to your hotel (or vice versa picking you up at your hotel and dropping you to the airport). It’s actually not that expensive and can save you valuable time. The cheapest option is actually the coolest and is in a Tesla car, which is pretty cool. I did this to and from the airport for less than $40.

Book yours now: Hong Kong Airport Transfer in Tesla

 

KEEP READING! CHECK OUT ALL THE BLOGS FROM MY HONG KONG SERIES

A complete guide to the best things to do: 27 AWESOME THINGS TO DO IN HONG KONG

My favorite hikes in Hong Kong: 21 AWESOME HIKES IN HONG KONG

How to plan your Hong Kong trip: 3-DAY HONG KONG ITINERARY FOR ADVENTURE-LOVERS

The biggest ever guide for where to stay in Hong Kong: WHERE TO STAY IN HONG KONG: BEST AREAS & HOTELS

My favorite EASY hikes: 10 EASY HIKING TRAILS IN HONG KONG

The most luxurious places to stay: THE TOP 10 LUXURY HOTELS IN HONG KONG (5-STAR LIST)

The ultimate adventure: EPIC HONG KONG HELICOPTER TOUR FROM THE PENINSULA HOTEL

The toughest overall hike: WEST DOG’S TEETH HIKE ‘HARDEST HIKE IN HONG KONG’

Best waterfall hike: TAI MO SHAN HIKE: THE HIGHEST PEAK IN HONG KONG