Ma Shi Chau (馬屎洲)

Duration:  8km (3h)

Difficulty: 3/10. Half of it is stone path. The other is flat dirt path and beach. 150m elevation gain.

Cel phone coverage: Everywhere

Water needs: 1.5 liter. 20% shaded. 

Appreciation: 9/10. Very nice and unusual views.

Map & Details: 

https://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/5451562924

https://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/5451640585

Exercise Area: No

Transportation:  Tai Po Market MTR station. Take either bus 74K or Green minibus 20k, get off at Sam Mun Tsai Village.

Why it's worth it:

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Green minibus 20K at Tai Po Market MTR station

Sam Mun Tsai village where you will get off the bus. There is a roundabout.
Note the Royal China Aqua Garden restaurant in the back

Just off the bus, back a few meters, there are stairs.
Take them and go left on Sai Mun Tsai road.

After you have exited the village, you will start an easy and short climb on the first hill of the day. Tombs will be on your left and right everywhere... 

... and very nice views.

Left here. 

Left here again. About 15 minutes into your hike.

Tombolo between the two hills.

Head right after the tombolo. There is a path along the shore.

Leave the shore at this point and go back on the path on the left. You will just keep going on the path and along the shore until you reach a very big rock (there's a rope to climb it). That's the viewpoint and the end of the trail. Retrace your steps all the way back to the bus stop.

Siu Sai Wan (小西灣) to Shek O (石澳泳灘) via Dragon Trail, Pottinger Peak (砵甸乍山眺望處), and Big Wave Bay Beach (大浪灣泳灘)

Duration:  8km (3h)

Difficulty: 6/10. I rated it a 6 because of a 100m section after Pottinger Peak that is rope-assisted and slippery. If you decide that it is too risky (it is not bad at all), you can retrace your step from Pottinger Peak and walk on Pottinger Peak Country trail towards Big Wave Bay. Without the rope portion, the rating would be 4 out of 10. 

Cel phone coverage: Everywhere

Water needs: 1.5 liter. 80% shaded. 

Appreciation: 8/10. Great views, beach, food along at the end, what's not to like!?

Map & Details: https://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/5424169075

Exercise Area: Yes

Transportation:  Take a bus to Island Resort in Siu Sai Wan. There are many getting there (11 or so, Island Resort is the terminus for many). We took 85 from Exit A2 @ Heng Fa Chuen MTR Station (bus stop is just down the stairs on the right. Make sure you spot the bus going to Island Resort)
Return to Shai Kei Wan MTR via bus #9 in Shek O. If you do not care about walking to Shek O, there's a minibus from the Big Wave Bay car park that will get you to Shai Kei Wan MTR.

Why it's worth it:

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Just off Island Resort, walk towards the harbor, then head right, between the sports courts and the water facilities. Then right after the sports courts

There are toilets on your right at a distance, and stairs on the left. Take the stairs.

After about 25minutes/1.5km, you will reach this point where there are stairs on the left, take them. Then head right at the top of all the stairs.

Just after this little shop on the left, about 10m in...

... is the Pottinger Peak Country Trail on your left. Climb these stairs up.

Take the first left at the top of the stairs to reach Pottinger Peak View Compass

Enjoy the view at Pottinger View Compass, then retrace your steps...

... and go straight at the intersection where you had turned left.

Pottinger Peak in sight!

Very Instagramable Pottinger Battery
https://www.jstor.org/stable/23889786?seq=1
At this point, if you don't like the idea of going down a slope with the aid of a rope, retrace your steps to the crossroad, and go right. Otherwise, march on!

Keep going and you will see the RTHK broadcast antenna building, go around on the left.

It is a short while after this point that the path goes down and is rope assisted.

About 30 minutes after the RTHK broadcast building and past the ropes, you will reach this point, head left on the path and you will connect...

... to Hong Kong Trail Section 8. Head left where you will see...

... this gazebo. Follow the catch water on your left.

Keep going straight on Pottinger Peak Country Trail for about 15 minutes.

You will reach this fork, with a bench, head right, towards Big Wave Bay Beach.

At the bottom of the stairs, the path veers abruptly to the right a the cliff, with beach in sight. Take the path on the left which will take you to ancient carvings. Then head towards the beach.

Go past the lifeguard tower, through the BBQ site, then walk on the beach and go straight through the village...

... after a while, you will reach the car park, where you can take a minibus to the city, or keep walking towards Shek O. No sidewalks though so be careful.

Keep going straight at the roundabout.

After the golf-course, you will reach Shek O with the bus terminus being immediately on your left. #9 will get you back to Shai Kei Wan MTR. But, why not enjoy some food in Shek O, and check out the beach.

Wanchai to Stanley via Black's Link, HK Trail Section 4, Violet Hill, and the Twins

Duration:  11km (4h30)

Difficulty: 8/10. Lots of steps and for distance.

Cel phone coverage: Everywhere

Water needs: 2 liter. 70% shaded. 

Appreciation: 9/10. First kilometer is very very nice (look behind you!), but the rest is a bit boring.

Map & Details: https://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/5392531363

Exercise Area: Yes

Transportation:  Wan Chai MTR exit 'A3'. Return to Admiralty/Central right at the end of the trail, across Stanley Gap Road via bus 6, 6A, or 6X. Or, go to Stanley for a bite with any bus (right on your left on Stanley Gap Road, at end of the trail)

Why it's worth it:

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Right off Wan Chai Exit A3, cross and head right on Johnston road. 

After about 30m on Johnston road, head left onto Lee Tung street

Cross Queen's road and go up Spring Garden Lane.
You will see stairs in front of you

Take the stairs all the way up and head left onto Kennedy road

Cross Kennedy road at the pedestrian crossing. 

There will be a flight of stairs on your right with a signpost.
Get up the stairs. You will be going up on the stairs then path, for about 300m 

You will then cross the Bowen Road Fitness Trail at Orchid Valley (there are toilets there). Keep going straight and up, on  Wan Chai Green Trail

You will eventually reach Stubbs Road (about 350m), cross the road, and go up on Black's Link. 

Black's Link

Blac's Link will eventually merge into HK Trail Section4.
Just follow the path straight for a total of about 50-55 minutes and you will get to Wong Nai Chung Gap. 

Cross Wong Nai Chung Gap road and just follow the road around and under the bridge.

Immediately on the other side of the bridge, you'll see the petrol station with stairs just before it, which you must take.

Then head left at Tai Tam Reservoir Road after you climbed the stairs.
The brown-red buildings you see at a distance is Hong Kong Parkview Estate

After the pond on the right and just before you get to Parkview, there will be a trail map and stairs on the right. Take the stairs. The path will get you all the way up Violet hill. Take a look behind at intervals for views of the city. (BTW, there are toilets at the pond)

Only major fork that you should pay attention to at this point.
Head left towards Tsin Shui Wan Au 

Down from Violet Hill, with Repulse Bay on your right and the Tai Tam Intermediate Reservoir visible on your left

The last fork before the Twins. Cross the small bridge (Tze Kong Bridge) and head right and up the stairs on the right towards Stanley. The Tze Kong Bridge stone marker is encircled on the picture above. From that point on, you cannot get lost; it is a straight path with no forks. You will go up 950 steps, then down a bit, then back up to the second twin. Then finally down towards Stanley, which you will not reach as the trail stops at Stanley Gap road. There, you will have many bus options back to the city or to Stanley.