Sharp Peak Hike In Sai Kung, Hong Kong: The Hiker’s Guide

Sharp Peak Hike in Sai Kung is one of the most scenic hikes in Hong Kong. The stunning coastline of Sai Kung wraps around the dramatic ridges below you as you stand atop one of the highest points in the region. The turquoise water and white sand of the beaches will blow away your perceptions of Hong Kong as a city destination.

SHARP PEAK HIKING GUIDE

In this blog post, I’ll share everything you need to know about the Sharp Peak Hike including where it is, how to get there, and when it’s best to visit.

After the rockpools, we made our way out to the Ham Tin Beach. There are two small restaurants in between Ham Tin Beach and Wai Tan Beach. They actually served uop some great food and we had a vegetarain fried rice with egg for $70HKD.

After lunch, we then linked onto the Maclehose 2 section of the trail. We were now pretty much back on the route listed above, which takes you along some beautiful coastal trails. It reminded me of a lot of the Great Ocean Road or walking the boardwalks at beaches in Sydney. It was a very gloomy day so don’t judge the beauty from my dark photographs but just trust me, on a sunny day this region is a pristine paradise with white sand and turquoise water.

The trail hugs the coast for the rest of the journey now until you reach the surf beach of Tai Wan. I was just praying for the sun to come out at this point because I could tell how beautiful the beach would be with just a little bit of a golden shimmer but it wasn’t to be. I’m sure the group of surfers at Tai Wan were keen on some sun too but nothing was stopping them.

Once you reach the far end of Tai Wan Beach, you will find multiple routes that all lead you up to Sharp Peak. We decided to take the furthest route and wrap around the far side of the summit. This adds a bit of time onto your hike but also gives you a little look into the scenery to the north of Sharp Peak.

Both ways are steep, there is no avoiding the incline from the beach that’s for sure. The entrance we took from the beach was not very formal but it was a defined trail most of the way.

At this point in the trek, it is time to roll up the sleeves because you are about to get climbing. Before the trek I had been reading some pretty bizarre comments about needing to use your hands a lot and it was very dangerous. This is not at all the case. We might’ve used our hands once but it was never a rock-climbing course. When I say ‘climbing’, I mean trekking up a mountain.

As you power your way up the rocky route the view slowly reveals itself. We found ourselves looking back towards the coast throughout the climb as the view became more and more impressive the higher we rose.

This part of the trail will challenge even those with good fitness. Those who are out of shape will curse their friends who dragged them on the hike. However, you are now so close. You can see the summit and there is no turning back. The trail becomes a white path of loose rock, cutting through the dead-orange grass. We’re nearly there.

The final section of the trail was rocky and almost could be called bouldering. It was possible to navigate without using your hands but as you can see below it was a section that required a bit of technical bouldering. Don’t fear this part, young and old were cruising through without a stutter.

Just before the Sharp Peak summit was a great little rocky outcrop with views over the Sai Kung peninsula. We stopped here before making the final ascent.

Finally, we reached the summit of Sharp Peak in Sai Kung. The top was quite crowded with around 20 or so others enjoying the views. After a few moments, there was a mass exodus and it was just a few of us left to take it all in. We hung out here at the top for about half an hour but some storm clouds were rolling in to make the dark scene even darker. The views on a clear day from this summit will be absolutely phenomenal. On this day they were great but with the light on the ridges and the blue water, it will be out of this world. Here are the photos from the summit taken on the camera and the drone.

After an epic time at the summit watching the clouds come and go, we made the dash back to Pak Tam Au, which took us just under two hours. The slippery gravel caught us off guard a few times as I went for a couple of slips but the trail was paved for the last 3-kilometers back to Pak Tam Au bus stop. 

I hope you get out and enjoy the Sharp Peak Hike and if you can make it work, I’m sure it would be an epic spot for a sunrise or a sun-set but due to its position, it may be a little tough logistically. Good luck and happy hiking.