The Heritage Hiker’s Guide to Hong Kong

". A lot of people outside of Hong Kong call the city a concrete jungle, but actually about 70% of land in Hong Kong’s territories are country parks. We are blessed with amazing hiking trails, the best in the world. It’s the contrast that is so stunning. One moment you can be shopping at a megamall, and five minutes later you can find an entrance point to a hiking trail. I live near Hong Kong University and I have a hiking trail right next to my apartment building. I can get up on a Sunday morning, go out the door and be on the trail in thirty seconds. Get the weekly Five Books newsletter This is Pete Spurrier’s third hiking book about Hong Kong, following the Leisurely Hiking Guide and the Serious Hiking Guide . The Heritage Guide is my favourite of the three, as it takes you on a historical journey through Hong Kong. It marries history and exercise. For example, if you’ve watched the Ang Lee film Lust, Caution , the student rebels check into a rich man’s home and spend weeks there training to act like tycoons. That house is featured in the book, although it has since been redeveloped. A lot of the other places you find in the book won’t be around much longer too, so best go visit now. Everyone complains about air quality in Hong Kong. Hiking allows us to escape the polluted air, if only for a few hours. For a visitor, it’s the perfect way to get a feel for the geography of Hong Kong. When you’re hiking on trails like the Dragon’s Back, at any time you can still see the skyline of the city. I’m biased, but I think it’s one of the most dramatic and beautiful skylines in the world."