Lantau Trail section 1-2 | Mui Wo to Pak Kung Au

WEB EDIT August 15, 2023

The Lantau Trail is a well-known trail that frequent hikers often like to explore, and it is part of the four main trails in Hong Kong.

It is 70 km long and is divided into 12 sections, It’s very well-marked and has a beautiful landscape that offers stunning views along the trail. Note that some of the sections are great to do together.

We started at Mui Wo Ferry Pier at the green postbox; this mail post is normally used as a starting or ending point during ultra trail races in HK.

Distance - 9 km

Duration - 4 hours (Includes rest & photos)

Difficulty - 3/5 Intermediate

Following the signs that pass alongside the road, gradually head up the South Lantau Road heading toward Nam Shan Campsite.

Section 1 is an easy walk from Mui Wo to Nam Shan, it is mainly on the pavement along the roadside. Yet, it is a good warm-up to the more strenuous and hard walk-up of Section 2.

It doesn’t take long before we reach Nam Shan Campsite and the end of Lantau Trail Section 1 at this point you will notice the picturesque stone house next to the Lantau Trail wooden arch.

Once at Nam Shan, we continue to follow the signs to Pak Kung Au via Sunset Peak on Lantau Trail Section 2.

The trail starts easily along shaded areas of trees, followed by a few inclines and steps before reaching the Helipad.

From the Helipad clearing, continue along the trail to the intersection of Lantau Trail and South Lantau Country Trail.

Continue to follow Lantau Trail, this section of the hike is the toughest and steepest of the climb.

Stay hydrated and take your time during the ascend, there are shaded areas with benches along the way and it is best to rest and refuel before continuing.

As the steps become easier, the trail loses its shade and becomes more open. At this point, the toughest section of the hike is over, although it continues to climb but it feels much easier.

We stopped at the Yi Tung Shan Viewing Point to rest and refuel, this section offers views of Pui O, Chi Ma Wan Peninsula, Cheung Chau, Lamma Island, and even Hong Kong Island.

From the viewing point, Lantau Trail Section 2 continues to climb gently toward Lantau Mountain Camp. Situated on the plateau between Yi Tung Shan and Sunset Peak are 20 stone cabins that comprise Lantau Mountain Camp.

Unlike Lantau Peak, reaching Sunset Peak requires a detour from the Lantau Trail Section 2, by following unmarked trails to reach the summit point.

However, we decided not to head up to Sunset Peak summit as the weather was completely foggy and the views will not be visible.

We continued to follow Section 2, the trail begins to flatten before it makes way for steps, and we begin our descent toward Pak Kung Au.

Prepare your knees to endure flights of steps heading down to Pak Kung Au. This section consists of steep steps, feel free to rest your knees when needed.

Shortly after the brutal steps, we reached the Pak Kung Au rest area and pavilion.

Overall, the hike is challenging due to enduring flights of steps both from ascend to descend but all worth it as the views were stunning and could have been better during a fine day.

We recommend bringing at least 2 liters of water and snacks, wearing proper hiking apparel, and comfortable hiking shoes. You can also find it helpful to use a pair of trekking poles during the hike.