As one of the top three sharpest peaks in Hong Kong, the High Junk Peak hike (釣魚翁) is perhaps one of the most challenging but most rewarding hikes in HK.
Located in the Sai Kung District in New Territories, the difficult 7km hiking trail takes you through the Clear Water Bay Peninsula mountain ridges. And at the summit, you can see one of the best 360-degree panoramic views of Hong Kong, including parts of Kowloon, New Territories and Hong Kong Island.
In this post, I will show you how to hike High Junk Peak, how to get there, and what you will see along the way. Keep reading and learn how to hike one of the hardest hikes in Hong Kong.
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What you need to know before starting the High Junk Peak Hike
Before hiking the High Junk Peak country trail, check out my Hong Kong solo travel guide and get an overview of the city first.
And here are few additional tips for hiking High Junk Peak in Hong Kong:
- The best time to hike the High Junk Peak Country Trail is late autumn, winter and early spring. The trail is exposed almost the entire way, so I would not recommend hiking during summer.
- As one of the sharpest peaks in Hong Kong, the trail going up to the top is quite steep and rocky. You may want to bring a pair of gloves for climbing up to the top.
- There isn’t anywhere along the trail where you can get food or drinks. Make sure to bring some snacks and enough water for a few hours.
- Get an Octopus Card, a rechargeable smartcard for taking public transportation and use it for taking the minibus to and from High Junk Peak. It costs $100HKD, but you can use $50 stored value and get your $50HKD refundable deposit when you leave HK.
How to hike High Junk Peak Country Trail
The best way to hike High Junk Peak is to hike from north to south of the mountain range. The actual peak is midway, maybe 1.5 hours into the hike.
The High Junk Peak hiking route starts near Ng Fai Tin in Clear Water Bay. Then, the point-to-point trail will end near the Tin Hau Temple near Clear Water Bay Golf and Country Club.
- Difficulty: intermediate to difficult (steep going up and down the peak)
- Duration: 4 hours
- Distance: 7km
- What to bring: hiking shoes, sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen), water, snacks, smartphone (for taking photos and navigation), gloves
High Junk Peak: how to get there
There are several to get to the start of the High Junk Peak hiking trail via public transportation. First, you will need to get to Ng Fai Tin in Clear Water Bay (see map). Bus 91, minibus 103 and 103M all stop at this bus stop. The trail starts on the opposite side of the street.
Typically, I like to take the MTR to the closest station and catch either a bus or minibus because it is the fastest way to get to your destination.
So here is what I recommend:
Take the MTR to Tseung Kwan O Station and take Exit A. When you are outside, keep left and walk under the pedestrian footpath. Then you will see a bus terminal on the left. Look for the bus stop for minibus 103M.
- Minibus 103M: from Tseung Kwan O MTR Station to Ng Tai Tinbus stop (see route)
- Time: 14 minutes (every 15 minutes)
- Cost: $9.30HKD (cash or Octopus card)
- Check: 16seats website for 103M for more information
The first peak on High Junk Peak trail: Sheung Yeung Shan
The flight of stairs at the entrance will take you immediately to, yes, another flight of stairs. It is all about going uphill!
At the first junction, take either path, and they will both lead you up to Sheung Yeung Shan, the first mountain along the hiking route.
The right points to Clear Water Bay Road and the left points to Tai Miu, which is the Tin Hau Temple at the end of the trail.
I took the left path because I remember reading about always keeping left on the trail and following the signs for Tai Mui.
High Junk Peak Hike: trail condition
The High Junk Peak Country Trail started with a proper set of stairs at the beginning. But throughout the trail, the trail condition ranges from a dirt path to a rocky trail. But the trail is clearly marked and there is no way to get lost.
If at any point you reach an intersection, follow the signs for Tai Mui, which is your destination.
Second junction: take the left path
At the second junction, you will see two paths: the left one has stairs and the right one is a flat dirt path.
It was tempting to take the flatter path but that is the mountain bike trail.
Again, take the path on the left because that is the country trail which is the path for hikers.
As you walk up the stone stairs, you’ll approach another path criss crossing the stairways. I believe this is the continuation of the bike path as the trail itself is quite flat and seems suitable for mountain bikes.
Views from Sheung Yeung Shan
Along the way, the path is semi-covered by trees. But as you get to the top of the first hill, the view opens up and you’ll see the first glimpse of the area.
From this viewpoint, you can see Sai Kung to the north, and Clear Water Bay to the east. This is quite a view!
Third junction: take the left path
At the third junction, the path splits again. Like the previous junctions, take the route on the left because this route will take you up to Miu Tsai Tun (name of the mountain) and all the way up to the High Junk Peak summit.
From what I can tell on Google Maps, the right route is the High Junk Peak Country Trail, which does not take you up to the peak. So make sure to stay on the left.
Views from Miu Tsai Tun: Looking East
As you walk up the mountain, the trail is somewhat covered with trees so at least you’ll be getting a bit of shade from the sun.
Then the view slowly opens and you can start to see the views on the east side.
When you look towards the northeast direction, you can see Ng Fai Tin, the area where you started your hike. And in the distance, you can see a few small islands.
Plus, you can see Tai Hang Hau, a village in Clear Water Bay with many spacious residential homes.
Views from Miu Tsai Tun: Looking North
The views from Miu Tsai Tun gets better and better as you trek up the mountain. This is the perfect spot to get a 360-degree panoramic view of the area.
When you look back at the trail you just completed, you will be looking north, where you can see different areas in Kowloon, including Tseung Kwan O and Sai Kung in the distance.
Views from Miu Tsai Tun: Looking West
When you turn to the west side, you will see many more landmarks on the Kowloon side and Hong Kong Island.
The area closest to High Junk Peak Mountain is Lohas Park, which is an area with many high-rise buildings on the left. And Tseung Kwan O is directly in front where you can see many more high-rises and a mid-size mountain to the left, which is Devil’s Peak.
And if you are on Miu Tsai Tun on a clear day, you can see as far as Central on Hong Kong Island. You can actually see IFC (International Finance Centre), the second tallest building in HK, which is in Central.
When you pivot towards the south, you can see all the boats in Junk Bay and several areas on the Hong Kong Island including Chai Wan and Siu Sai Wan.
Views from Miu Tsai Tun: Looking South
And last but not least, you will see the sharpest part of the High Junk Peak hike when you are facing south. And the view of the actual peak is quite impressive (and scary at the same time)!
The top of High Junk Peak trail looks pretty sharp and pointy. The whole time I was looking at the peak, I was thinking to myself: “really? I am going up there? But it’s so sharp!”
And you can see the peak as you walk along the hiking trail. Here are a few snaps of the pointy mountain top:
At this point, you will walk along the path where it will take you up a mountain, then on a plateau, and last but not least, hike straight up the High Junk Peak summit.
Climbing up to the summit of High Junk Peak
After the plateau area, the trail takes you straight up the mountain. This is the part where you will be physically climbing your way to the top. At this point, you may want to wear your gloves because you will need to use your hands to balance yourself.
This is perhaps the hardest part of High Junk Peak Hike, especially if you are not used to the idea of literally climbing up a mountain. But the good news is, the climbing part is not that long. It takes about 10 minutes or so to get to the top.
The top of High Junk Peak hike
At 344m, High Junk Peak is not one of the tallest mountains in Hong Kong, not even close! But it has one of the best 360-degree aerial views of Kowloon, New Territories and Hong Kong Island. Since this is the only mountain range in the area, you can see panoramic views on all sides.
At the very top, there is a flat area with a triangulation station. The actual standing area isn’t that big. I went on a weekday and there were a few people at the top so it didn’t feel crowded at all.
And I don’t typically like heights. I had concerns about hiking up High Junk Peak because it is pretty high, steep and the top area is pretty narrow. But I felt okay and didn’t freak out or anything. Perhaps it helped that there weren’t that many people up there. Just a FYI if you have anxiety about heights.
Descending High Junk Peak trail
What goes up must come down. Going up to the top of High Junk Peak was difficult, but the duration was relatively short. And descending the peak is just as steep and may take longer (depends on your athleticism).
The trail going down is on the other side of the peak. The path is a steep, uneven rocky stairway where you should really take your time to climb down. Wear your gloves if you need your hands to balance yourself because it is quite steep.
I thought going down High Junk Peak is harder. But I took my time with going down the rocky stairs and it didn’t last more than 20 minutes or so.
But before you make your way down, take in the 360-degree unobstructed view! From this point, you can see the area to the south beyond High Junk Peak. The southeast is Clear Water Bay, a large body of water surrounded by beaches and mountains, and the southwest is Lohas Park and Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate.
High Junk Peak hike: rocky trail going down
As I mentioned, the trail going down is steep and rocky. Take your time and wear your gloves if you need to use your hands to balance yourself.
Keep going down until you reach the junction between the High Junk Peak trail meets the High Junk Peak Country Trail. At this point, follow the signs pointing to Tai Miu, which will also take you back onto the High Junk Peak Country Trail.
Views of Clear Water Bay
The High Junk Peak Country Trail will continue going down the mountain via either a flat path or stairs.
Along the way, there are opportunities to take a closer look at Clear Water Bay. You can see Clear Water Bay First Beach and Clear Water Bay Second Beach while you are descending down.
Going back up the mountain at Ha Shan Tuk
When you think you are at the bottom of the mountain, you will find a set of stairs that go back up. I wasn’t really expecting to see the trail going up again – I thought I was done! Ha! But to my surprise, the trail goes back up at Ha Shan Tuk, a scenic spot along High Junk Peak Country Trail.
The rest of the trail isn’t too hard but it may feel a bit more difficult because you may be tired from hiking one of the three steepest peaks in Hong Kong!
Descending the last hill on High Junk Peak Country Trail
When you reach the top of the last hill, you will see Clear Water Bay Golf and Country Club. And to the left of it is Po Toi O, an inlet next to a small fishing village called Po Toi O Chuen.
The end of High Junk Peak trail
If you want to explore a bit more, there is a Tin Hau Temple just south of the trail.
Or you can visit Po Toi O Chuen, which is the fishing village you saw on the trail. There are a few seafood restaurants and a pier. You can also catch minibus 16 back to the city.
Otherwise, from the exit point of the trail, walk north on Tai Au Mun Road until you reach Po Toi O Chuen Road. The bus stop for minibus 16 is on the right side (see map). The minibus goes all the way to Po Lam. If you want to get off near an MTR Station, get off at Nan Fung Plaza, which is across from Hang Hau MTR Station.
- Minibus 16: from Clear Water Bay Golf and Country Club bus stop to Nan Fung Plaza bus stop (see route)
- Time: 14 minutes (every 20 minutes)
- Cost: $9.60HKD (cash or Octopus card)
- Check: 16seats website for minibus 16 for more information
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Are you ready to hike High Junk Peak in Hong Kong?
It might seem intimidating to hike one of the sharpest peaks in Hong Kong on you own but the trail is well-marked and there are always hikers around. I am afraid of heights and I didn’t have any issues.
I hope you will consider adding High Junk Peak hike when you are travelling solo to Hong Kong. And if you are interested in hiking in Hong Kong, take a look at some of my other posts.
Other Hong Kong hikes you might be interested:
- Victoria Peak Hike: See Hong Kong’s beautiful skyline
- High West: A short hike to see the Victoria Peak sunset
- Dragon’s Back Hike: the most popular day hike in HK
- Violet Hill and the Twins: hike over two mountains with over 1,000+ steps
- Rhino Rock Hike: see a rocky rhinoceros head in Stanley
- Pineapple Mountain: the Great Canyon of Hong Kong
- Lamma Island: hike from Sok Kwu Wan to Yung Shue Wan
- Red Incense Burner Summit on Braemar Hill: best spot for sunset and night views
- Ma On Shan Hike: hike across the horse-saddle mountain to Sai Kung
- Pat Sin Leng Hike: hike over 8 peaks named after Chinese Mythological immortals
- Mount Nicholson Hike: see hidden rock statues in the middle of HK Island
- Plover Cove Reservoir Country Trail: hike around HK’s largest reservoir
- Kowloon Peak and Suicide Cliff: See HK’s most dramatic cliff
- Po Pin Chau: hike around hexagonal rock columns in Sai Kung
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