Some days do not go ahead as planned: The initial plan was to hike to Lantau Peak. But the bus queue was long on the first day of the Chinese New Year. Really long. And there were no taxis available. So, I decided to walk from Tung Chung directly to Sunset Peak, Hong Kong’s third-highest mountain. It was a great idea! But I was just not really prepared for all those stairs on the Wong Lung Hang Trail.
Starting Point
As you can see in the video, I did start my hike at Tung Chung. It’s worth mentioning that most people may hike a different route. They start their adventure at Pak Kung Au, a mountain pass along the Lantau Trail.
From there, you can reach Sunset Peak, as well as Lantau Peak. The walk along the street from Tung Chung Railway Station is approximately 2.5 km. To get to Pak Kung Au take the bus 3M, 11, 21 or 23 from the Tung Chung Railway Station.
How to walk from Tung Chung to the Sunset Peak (via Wong Lung Hang)
The stairway to the peak starts at the Wong Lung Hang Picnic Site. You can quickly find this place on Google Maps. When you arrive at the picnic site, you will find the entrance to the hike on the right side shortly after. Just continue on the street for around 100-200 more meters.
Now simply follow the signs “Sunset Peak”. Here starts the part that makes this trail challenging. The total incline in my case was more than 900 meters. The stairs at the beginning cover more than 400 meters of this incline in a row. Yes, that’s pretty hard. Especially if you don’t like stairs, like me. It’s a similar hike to Violet Hill and the Twins.
Duration, Difficulty & Distance
As mentioned, I began my adventure in Tung Chung. I walked down to Pak Kung Au and took a bus back to Tung Chung. The entire hike was 9.8 km and took me about 4 hours. However, I was filming, resting, and having some snacks at the peak. You might be quicker.
If you start at Pak Kung Au, you may walk down to Pui O or even to Mui Wo. Or you walk the stairs down to Tung Chung. There are many options on how to enjoy Sunset Peak.
Overall, I would classify the trek with a 6/10 — a challenging hike, but not steep, and the trail is safe. Everything that makes this hike challenging is the incline of around 900 meters. And the stairs at the beginning of the Wong Lung Hang Trail.
