Lantau Trail Section 5&6 | Sham Wat Road to Tai O

Generally considered a moderately challenging route with spectacular views along the way.

The trail is well-maintained with plenty of signage to follow with various flat and hilly sections.

Distance - 10.5

Duration - 4.5 hours (Includes rest and photos)

Difficulty - 3.5/5

Intermediate to Advance

Lantau Trail Section 5 starts at the Keung Shan Picnic site just off Sham Wat Road. You will then ascend uphill along stone steps stairs before the trail flattens just below the summit of Kwun Yam Shan.

Take a short detour toward the summit to enjoy an amazing 360 view of the surrounding. Heading to the summit takes around 10 minutes, with a little bit of bushwhacking due to the overgrown trail.

Once you have enjoyed the views on top of Kwun Yam Shan, head back down the same trail to continue along Lantau Trail Section 5.

From here on out, the trail is quite exposed. However, there are a few spots where you will be passing sections filled with trees and we recommend using that time to rest and hydrate, especially if it's hot and sunny.

Most of the hike is on packed clay and rocks, which can be slippery when wet. The trail goes up Keung Shan and Ling Wui Shan before it descends towards the direction of Man Cheong Po.

The trail heading up Keung Shan can be challenging as it involves climbing a flight of steps that can be tiring but don’t forget to look back along the trail as the view is spectacular.

After passing Keung Shan, the trail then descends along a few stone steps before eventually heading uphill again along grassy hills toward Ling Wui Shan which is the 3rd mountain along Lantau Trail Section 5.

There are plenty of views on top of Ling Wui Shan, remember to take a short break as the journey down toward Section 6 is still a long way.

We continued to follow the signs of Tai O via Lung Tsai to stay on Lantau Trail Section 5, the trail begins to relax along shaded areas with a few descends along stone step stairs before it reaches the abandoned villa by the lake, Lung Tsai Ng (Secret garden), which is the junction of Section 5 & 6 of the Lantau Trail.

Lantau Trail Section 6 takes you to the old fishing village Tai O. The hike is not very long and mostly downhill.

The last part can be a little bit slippery when wet since it is very steep, the upside, it is a shaded and easy hike.

The end of Section 6 brings you to a playground at Nam Chung Tsuen, where the bus terminal toward the city is around a 10-minute walk.

Overall the hike has plenty of amazing views with a challenging start that gradually becomes more relaxed the closer you come to the end of the hike.

We recommend bringing at least 2 liters of water and a few snacks, wearing quick dry, and breathable hiking apparel, and wearing comfortable hiking shoes is a must for the long-distance hike.

Wear hats/caps, and cooling sleeves to protect yourself during hot weather.

Lastly, the use of trekking poles can be helpful during the climbs and long-distance of the hike.