Outdoor sights in China
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Zhongshan Park
Known as Jessfield Park to the British, this is a moderately interesting park located in the north east, in the former ‘Badlands’ area of 1930s Shànghǎi. Kids will like Fundazzle ( 翻斗乐; Fāndǒulè), an adventure playground with slides, mazes and tunnels.
reviewed
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Mai Po Nature Reserve
The 270-hectare nature reserve includes the Mai Po Visitor Centre(2471 8272) at the northeastern end, where you must register; the Mai Po Education Centre (2482 0369) to the south, with displays on the history and ecology of the wetland and Deep Bay; floating boardwalks and trails through the mangroves and mud flats; and a dozen hides (towers or huts from where you can watch birds up close without being observed). Disconcertingly, the cityscape of Shenzhen looms to the north. Visitors are advised to bring binoculars (they may be available for rent at the visitor centre for $20) and cameras, and to wear comfortable walking shoes or boots but not bright clothing. It is best…
reviewed
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Beaches
Tung Wan beach, Cheung Chau’s longest and most popular beach (though not its prettiest), lies at the end of Tung Wan Rd, due east of the ferry pier. The best part of Tung Wan is the far southern end, which is a great area for windsurfing. Just south of Tung Wan beach, Kwun Yam Wan beach is known to English speakers as AfternoonBeach and is a great spot for windsurfing. Windsurfing has always been an extremely popular pastime on Cheung Chau, and Hong Kong’s only Olympic gold-medal winner to date, Lee Lai-shan, who took the top prize in windsurfing at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, grew up here. At the northern end of Afternoon Beach, the Cheung Chau Windsurfing Water Sp…
reviewed
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Mui Wo
Mui Wo (Plum Nest), Lantau’s main settlement ‘capital’, is on Silvermine Bay, which is named for the silver mines that were once worked to the northwest along the Silver River. In fact, many foreign residents refer to Mui Wo as Silvermine Bay. About a third of Lantau’s population lives in the township of Mui Wo and its surrounding hamlets. There are several decent places to stay here and, though the options for eating and drinking are few, they are fine. Silvermine Bay beach, to the northwest of Mui Wo, has been cleaned up and rebuilt in recent years and is now an attractive place, with scenic views and opportunities for walking in the hills above. There’s a compl…
reviewed
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Zhongshan Park
Named after Sun Zhongshan, the father of modern China, this peaceful park sits west of the Gate of Heavenly Peace, with a section hedging up against the Forbidden City moat. A refreshing prologue or conclusion to the magnificence of the imperial palace, the park was formerly the sacred Ming-style Altar to the God of the Land and the God of Grain (Shèjìtán), where the emperor offered sacrifices. The square altar(wǔsè tǔ) remains, bordered on all sides by walls tiled in various colours. Near the park entrance stands a towering dark-blue tiled páilou with triple eaves that originally commemorated the German Foreign Minister Baron von Ketteler, killed by Boxers in 1900…
reviewed
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Hong Kong Wetland Park
The space and serenity of this 60-hectare ecological park make it a wonderful place to while away half a day. Its nature trails, bird hides and viewing platforms are windows on the wetland ecosystems and biodiversity of the northwest New Territories. The futuristic grass-covered headquarters houses interesting galleries (including one on tropical swamps), a film theatre, a large cafe and a viewing gallery. It’s oddly pleasing to watch in silence as a kingfisher dives and then turn 180 degrees to be faced with a bank of high-rise apartment blocks. If you have binoculars then bring them; otherwise be prepared to wait to use the fixed points in the viewing galleries and hide…
reviewed
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Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve
The Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve is a thickly forested 460-hectare ‘special area’ and is Hong Kong’s most extensive woodlands. It is home to many species of butterflies, amphibians, birds, dragonflies and trees, and is a superb place in which to enjoy a quiet walk. The reserve is crisscrossed with four main tracks ranging in length from 3km (red trail) to 10km (yellow trail), plus a short nature trail of less than 1km. If possible, avoid the reserve on Sunday and public holidays, when the crowds descend upon the place. The reserve is supposed to emphasise conservation and education rather than recreation, and about 1km northwest of the reserve entrance and down steep Hung La…
reviewed
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Ng Tung Chai Waterfall & Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden
The scenic area around the Ng Tung Chai Waterfall is worth a detour. It is near the village of Ng Tung Chai, which is several kilometres north of Tai Mo Shan and just south of Lam Kam Rd. Reach the series of streams and waterfalls by taking the path leading to Ng Tung Chai and the Lam Kam Rd from the radio station on the summit of Tai Mo Shan. Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden, southwest of Ng Tung Chai, is primarily a conservation and teaching centre, but the gardens are especially lovely, with many indigenous birds, animals, insects and plants in residence. You can reach Kadoorie Farm most easily on bus 64K, which runs between Yuen Long MTR West Rail station and Tai Po Mar…
reviewed
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Ma Wan Park
Ma Wan was once famous as the gateway to Kowloon, where foreign ships would drop anchor before entering Chinese waters. If you want to get away from it all Ma Wan, a flat, rapidly developing island between the northeastern tip of Lantau and the New Territories, is hardly the place to go. It has a couple of temples devoted to Tin Hau, a long beach on the east coast at Tung Wan and a massive, high-end residential community called Park Island. Basically you’re here to view some startling engineering feats (the Lantau Link) and perhaps to visit Ma Wan Park, an appealing park and open space that also serves as an education centre focusing on nature, energy use and the enviro…
reviewed
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Lu Xun Park
Especially gorgeous in spring and summer when the trees are in blossom, Lu Xun Park is one of the city’s most pleasant parks, with elderly Chinese practising taichi or ballroom dancing, and even the occasional retired opera singer giving a free performance. The English corner on Sunday mornings is one of the largest in all of Shànghǎi and a good place to chat to locals in English. You can take boats out onto the small lake. The park used to be called Hongkou Park but was renamed because it holds Lu Xun’s Tomb, moved here from the International Cemetery in 1956, on the 20th anniversary of his death. Mao himself inscribed the memorial calligraphy.
reviewed
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Wàngjiānglóu Gōngyuán
In the southeast of town, near Sìchuān University, is Wàngjiānglóu Gōngyuán, a park known for its beautiful bamboo-lined paths and dedicated to the Tang dynasty poet Xue Tao, one of the few women of this period whose work is still celebrated today. The four-storey, wooden Qing pavilion in the heart of the park overlooks Brocade River and was built in her honour. The well nearby is where Xue Tao is said to have drawn water to dye her writing paper.
The park also features over 150 varieties of bamboo from China, Japan and Southeast Asia, ranging from bonsai-sized potted plants to towering giants.
reviewed
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Plover Cove Reservoir
Plover Cove Reservoir was completed in 1968 and holds 230 million cubic metres of water; before then Hong Kong suffered from critical water shortages and rationing was not uncommon. Even after the reservoir opened, water sometimes had to be rationed; taps were turned on for only eight hours a day through the dry winter of 1980–81. The reservoir was built in a very unusual way. Rather than build a dam across a river, of which Hong Kong has very few, a barrier was erected across the mouth of a great bay. The sea water was siphoned out and fresh water – mostly piped in from the mainland – was pumped in.
reviewed
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Sai Kung
Apart from the Outlying Islands, the Sai Kung Peninsula is one of the last havens left in Hong Kong for hikers, swimmers and boaters, and most of it is one huge 7500-hectare country park. A short journey to any of the islands off Sai Kung town is rewarding. Hidden away are some excellent beaches that can be visited by kaido (small boats), which depart from the waterfront. The MacLehose Trail, a 100km route across the New Territories, begins at Pak Tam Chung on the Sai Kung Peninsula.
On top of this Sai Kung town boasts some excellent bars and restaurants, especially along the attractive waterfront.
reviewed
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Elephant Hill Park
At the southern end of Guìlín where the Li River and the Taohua River converge, one of Guìlín's best-promoted sights is Elephant Hill Park, where Elephant Trunk Hill - unlike other misshapen lumps of rock with tenuous names extracted from Chinese myth - indeed resembles a proboscidean mammal dipping its snout into the Li River. Visit Water Moon Cave and head up the peak walk to Puxian Pagoda (Pǔxián Tǎ) for views of the park and the picturesque Li River.
Cormorant fishing in the Li River is a popular tourist drawcard. Take bus 2 or freebie buses 57 or 58 to the hill.
reviewed
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Lions Nature Education Centre
Ideal for children, this 34-hectare attraction, located 2km northwest of Hebe Haven and just off Hiram’s Hwy, is Hong Kong’s first nature education centre and comprises everything from an arboretum, a medicinal plants garden and an insect-arium to a mineral and rocks corner and a shell house. We love the Dragonfly Pond, which attracts up to a quarter of the more than 100 dragonfly species found in Hong Kong. You can reach the centre on bus 92 from Diamond Hill MTR and Choi Hung, bus 96R on Sunday and holidays from Diamond Hill to Wong Shek Pier, and green minibus 1A from Choi Hung.
reviewed
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Seac Pai Van Park
At the end of Cotai, this 20-hectare park, built in the wooded hills on the western side of the island, has somewhat unkempt gardens sprouting species of plants and trees from around the world, a children’s zoo, a lake with swans and other waterfowl, and a walk-through aviary, which contains rare birds. The Museum of Nature & Agriculture has traditional farming equipment, dioramas of Coloane’s ecosystem and displays cataloguing a wide range of the island’s fauna and flora.
reviewed
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Chi Ma Wan
Chi Ma Wan, the large peninsula south of Mui Wo that can be reached via the inter-island ferry, is a relatively remote part of Lantau and an excellent area for hiking; just be sure to get a map as the trails are not always clearly defined or well marked. The Chi Ma Wan ferry pier is on the northeast coast; the large complex just south of the pier is not a hostel but the Chi Ma Wan Correctional Institution. There’s a decent beach to the south at Tai Long Wan.
reviewed
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Chairlift
Superb in the autumn, when the abundant maple leaves turn a flaming red, but great any time when the weather is right, this park snuggled in the Western Hills teems with hikers and day trippers at weekends. Make sure to check the view of Beijing available from Incense-Burner Peak – there’s a chairlift if you don’t fancy the walk – and to visit the lovely Azure Clouds Temple, which dates back to the Yuan dynasty.
reviewed
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Century Park
Shànghǎi’s largest park at the eastern end of Century Ave is strong on hard edges and synthetic lines, but there’s a great central lake with boat hire (Y40 per hour), and bicycle hire (Y30 to Y80 per hour) for getting around all the paths. Children will enjoy themselves, and the spacious paved area between the Science and Technology Museum and the park is great for flying kites (for sale from hawkers) and rollerblading.
reviewed
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Penha Hill
Towering above the colonial villas along Avenida da República is Penha Hill, the most tranquil and least visited area of the peninsula. From here you’ll get excellent views of the central area of Macau. Atop the hill is the Bishop’s Palace (built in 1837) and the Chapel of Our Lady of Penha (Capela de Nostra Señora da Penha; 09:00-17:30, once a place of pilgrimage for sailors.
reviewed
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Yellow Dragon Cave Park
West of the mausoleum, a path leads upwards above the lake, eventually reaching the secluded mountainside Yellow Dragon Cave Park , tucked deep into the hills and surrounded by bamboo, ponds and teahouses. At the park summit you'll see a small spring with the stone head of a dragon and a stele nearby with an inscription that reads, 'Where there are dragons, there are spirits'.
reviewed
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Taipingshan Park
The mountainous area northeast of Zhongshan Park is called Taipingshan Park , an area of walking paths, pavilions and the best spot in town for hiking. In the centre of the park is the TV Tower (Diànshì Tǎ), which has an express lift up to fabulous views of the city (around Y30). You can reach the tower via cable car (Y20).
reviewed
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Hǎikǒu Park
The joggers, badminton players, tai chi artists, kung fu kickers, chess players and people-watchers are a wonder to behold. Even if you can't speak a word of Mandarin, just bowl up and you'll soon be communicating with the locals. And don't miss the dancers; the 80-something geezer we saw could have cut a rug with Fred Astaire.
reviewed
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Tiger Beach Park
Tiger Beach Park has a massive carved-marble tiger sculpture, a small beach and a snazzy amusement park. On either side of the park the coastal road provides excellent views of the ragged cliffs and crashing waves. Buses 30 and 712 from Zhongshan Sq travel to Tiger Beach Park (Y1, 20 to 30 minutes).
reviewed
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Yuyuantan Park
With a huge body of water divided into east and west lakes, it’s a lovely park for walks, especially the short, but pretty west-lake route. In winter, you can ice skate; rent equipment from the vendors who gather around the lakes. Boats to the Summer Palace leave from the Bayi Lake Dock.
reviewed
