Tags: Filipinos Abroad
By Jerico Abila
HONG KONG – Lush hills, glorious beaches, emerald blue waters and quirky rock formations. The view is picture-perfect everywhere you look.
On one side are tiny islets waiting to be explored, on the other are junk boats filled with enthusiastic swimmers and picnickers.
Take a deep breath and savor the crisp air as you gaze at the deep blue sky that provides a strong contrast against the ethereal white clouds.
Walk a bit further into the woods and you’ll come up close and personal with dragonflies, squirrels, monkeys and a rich variety of wildlife. Close your eyes and you’ll hear the chirps of birds, all enjoying what nature has provided for them.
By any indication you could be in an exotic paradise, but the inconspicuous markers and Chinese signages will remind you that you’re still in Hong Kong, famous for its sprawling skyscrapers, glitzy hotels and countless shopping malls.
Yes, welcome to the other side of Hong Kong, where the grass is literally greener and the views are alive with verdant rolling hills.
“There’s more to Hong Kong than shopping and dining,” says my hiking partner Smiley Julve as the National Geographic crew interviews us for their “Great Outdoors Hong Kong” infomercial.
The crew agrees, as we lead them into the unpaved road of the MacLehose Trail, a 100-kilometer hiking trail that wonderfully stretches from Sai Kung to Tuen Mun, named after Sir Crawford Murray MacLehose, the longest serving Governor of Hong Kong.
Smiley and myself, together with a dozen other Filipinos – all members of the University of the Philippines Alumni Association Hong Kong – have been invited by the National Geographic team and the Hong Kong Tourism Board to cast in an all-important infomercial to tell tourists what Hong Kong can offer the adventure junkies.
We told them why our group hikes every weekend, how we meet more Pinoy friends through hiking and how Hong Kong’s natural wonders compare to the Philippines’s very own Palawan, Boracay, Cebu and Puerto Galera.
We also mentioned how we use activities such as hiking to promote fitness, how regular treks beat homesickness and how hiking challenges us to conquer anything that seemed impossible.
We didn’t have to tell them what’s there to see.
As soon as the camera rolled and as we inched our way into the Stage 2 of MacLehose Trail, the rolling hills and sparkling beaches of Tai Long Wan spoke a thousand words for us.
(Photos courtesy of Butch Durias)
Jerico Abila has been in Hong Kong for almost five years and is currently working as editor for various travel and lifestyle magazines. When not stringing words for a living, he’s either exploring the beaches and jungles of Hong Kong or shopping in Shenzhen.
Read Pinoy Adventures in HK Part 1: Where to satisfy your craving for Pinoy food in Hong Kong
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Hong Kong’s trails miss you too, Smiley. We have a hike next weekend…
Aww… Jecko, you made me miss Hong Kong and hiking all over again.
Hi Tracy, just holler if you’re in Hong Kong next time so you can join our hikes.
Wow! I visited Hong Kong last year for theme-park-hopping. I’d like to see that part of HK next time!
I didn’t know it boasted some outdoor activities, too.
Cheers!