From 21 December 2020 to 18 January 2021, together with Designing Hong Kong, the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and iDiscover, we organised the event, “Rediscovering Hong Kong: Mapping the Hong Kong Island Coastal Trail.”
Through this trail that connects known routes and small paths, we invited teams to walk around Hong Kong Island. The goal was to co-create a community-map that will include the experiences, stories and points of interest of trailblazers who rediscovered the fascinating and varied Hong Kong Island coastline.
To TrailWatch users who joined this event: thank you. We really enjoyed looking through the photos that you took during your journey!
One of the prize winners. Sai Wan Swimming Shed by Candy SC Ho
200 teams participated to try out the Hong Kong Island Coastal Trail (“HKICT”), and documented their favourite places and moments along this 65km route that was split into 8 sections. From easy to moderate in difficulty, and from steep remote mountain climbs to flat urban harbourside walks, this route offers something for everyone! Some teams ran the whole trail in one day, most split the journey into smaller leisurely walks.
Highlights included:
1. Over 1,500 photos and stories submitted, capturing the beautiful, stunning, surprising and constantly changing views along HKICT
2. Blessed with clear blue skies during this month-long event, Hong Kong's waterfront had never looked so good! The upgraded harbour fronts in Wan Chai and Kennedy Town received much praise.
3. Views from Dragon’s Back and sunset at Cyberport and Sandy Bay were also very popular.
4. The most photographed places included:
– Sai Wan swimming shed
– Spectacularly steep cliffs at Cape Collinson
– Always vibrant Aberdeen promenade, Waterfall Bay and the celestial hole in Wah Fu, a secret sanctuary filled with thousands of shrines and deity figures donated by nearby residents.
One of the prize winners. Un parco tranquillo – Kennedy Town Park – by Silvia Ching
The Participants’ feedback and enthusiasm — including from TrailWatch users — was amazing as they shared detailed accounts of their walks, pointing out suggestions for alternative routes, inconsistent signposting, sharing historic references, old maps and even postcards. One family walked the entire trail with their two young children, another group road-tested the dog friendliness along the trail and there was one participant who walked the urban sections of the trail by night. This event demonstrated the Hong Kong Island Coastal Trail is accessible to everyone!
Prize Winners
Yes, there were prizes to be won, by those who captured some of the best photos from their trip. Congratulations to all winners!
Chai Wan Nights – Aldrich Bay – by Jasmine Zeng
Be in the moment at the other side of time 此時·彼岸 歲月·靜好 – Causeway Bay – by Tina Hui
Being stuck – Quarry Bay – by Riela Tsoi
What’s Next?
We are curating the most compelling stories and photographs covering some 40 points of interests and these stories and visuals will be made available with an illustrated map and in the iDiscover App.
Some feedback from the event trailblazers:
“Amazing educational and sensational experience. Such a great initiative for me to be mesmerized by the beauty of my home town which I have never seen before,” said Silva from Hung Hom.
“A great opportunity to reacquaint with this beloved place that we live in,” commented Wallace from Happy Valley.
“Hong Kong is a magical city that never fails to impress. I’ve discovered so many places I’d like to revisit and I’m glad I can do something for the community,” said Jasmine from Shatin.
What we have learned from HKICT
There are many fascinating trails in Hong Kong that are rich in history. The HKICT was an opportunity to rediscover and reinstate lost urban and countryside trails. Together, with your voice (and feet!), you helped us identify improvement works required (without pouring concrete!) and look for help from various government departments.
This is important, because in a place where many of us live in densely populated and urban areas, bringing nature closer to the community and enhancing the walkability of the waterfront supports our health and wellbeing. Walking the trail helps us realise the need for public spaces that are open to all, and providing such access in a way that also showcases the beauty of Hong Kong and its changing coastal faces is an added benefit.
Not to mention, observing the intuitive and ingenious solutions of how people made the waterfront work for them: community-created ladders, benches, sheds and pods for fishing, gardening, exercising and swimming shows what city planners can learn from!
Last but not least, this is not simply a route that gives people a different way to experience Hong Kong and to have avenues where they can enhance their health and wellbeing. As hiking trails inside country parks and nature have become increasingly popular, and in some places are overused, having a coastal trail gives people an alternative route to visit.
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If you have not yet tried the HKICT, we suggest you take a look for yourself to experience and rediscover parts of Hong Kong Island!
For more information:
Designing Hong Kong: https://www.facebook.com/DesigningHongKong/
iDiscover: https://www.facebook.com/idiscoverapp/
Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong: https://www.facebook.com/DutchChamberHongKong/