China Visit Guide
Lantau Trail
Natural site · HONG KONG SAR
Lantau Trail
凤凰径 · Fènghuáng Jìng
About
70 km circular trail around Lantau Island. Crosses Lantau Peak (934m) and Sunset Peak. 4–5 days at a leisurely pace.
The Lantau Trail is a 70-kilometre circular route around Lantau Island — Hong Kong's largest outlying island and roughly twice the area of Hong Kong Island itself — divided into 12 trail sections of varying difficulty. The trail is one of four long-distance trails that Hong Kong Country Parks maintain across the territory, alongside the MacLehose, Wilson, and Hong Kong Trails. The full circuit takes four to five days at a relaxed pace; the 12-section format allows shorter day-hike extracts for visitors without overnight capacity.
The trail's high points are its two major peaks. Lantau Peak (Fung Wong Shan) at 934 metres is the second-highest point in Hong Kong, below Tai Mo Shan in the New Territories. The ascent from the Po Lin Monastery side is the most-hiked section of the trail, frequently combined with a visit to the Tian Tan Big Buddha at the adjacent Ngong Ping plateau. Sunset Peak (869m) runs parallel to Lantau Peak on a connecting ridge, offering a traverse that experienced hikers complete as a full-day circuit without completing the entire Lantau Trail. Both peaks are above the morning cloud layer on clear winter days, making sunrise hikes a locally popular option.
The trail also passes through the Tung Chung valley developed area, several Lantau villages including the Ngong Ping plateau, the southern coast with its uncrowded beaches at Cheung Sha and Pui O, and the Shek Pik Reservoir area. Overnight accommodation is available at YMCA huts at several campsites managed by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, plus monastery guesthouses at Po Lin. The hiking season runs October through April; summer typhoons and heat make the trail uncomfortable and potentially hazardous in the June–September period.
How to get there
MTR Tung Chung Line to Tung Chung as the main start point.
When to visit
October–April. Avoid summer heat and typhoon season.
Gallery
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Frequently asked questions
- How much does Lantau Trail cost to visit?
- Entry to Lantau Trail is free.
- When is Lantau Trail open?
- Lantau Trail opening hours: Trail 24/7. Sites along route variable.
- How long do you need at Lantau Trail?
- Allow 8–96 hours for Lantau Trail. Add buffer time if you plan to visit at peak season or include nearby sights in the same trip.
- When is the best time to visit Lantau Trail?
- October–April. Avoid summer heat and typhoon season.
- How do you get to Lantau Trail?
- MTR Tung Chung Line to Tung Chung as the main start point.
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