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HONG KONG HUSTLE

There’s so much more to this glittering harbor city than its neon-lit streets and glossy shopping malls. With a wealth of outlying islands, well maintained hiking trails, and historic villages dotting the New Territories, Hong Kong packs in a dizzying array of experiences beyond its urban heart.

Less than an hour by ferry from Central district, Mui Wo on the eastern coast of Lantau is a favored haunt for expats seeking a quieter existence. The town’s multicultural makeup is evident at Deer Horn Restaurant & Bar—the menu features authentic Nepalese dishes such as momos, yak cheese fritters, and a spicy soybean salad called bhatmas sadeko—and The Stoep at High Tide (fb.com/thestoephk), a South African restaurant that relocated here after an 18-year run on a south Lantau beach. Mui Wo is also the starting point for a moderate 2.5-hour hike over the rugged coastal landscape to Pui O. Seasoned hikers requiring more of a challenge can tackle the trail toward Sunset Peak, a steep uphill climb that takes you almost 800 meters above sea level.

Over on the western side of the island, the centuries-old provides a glimpse of life before the economic miracle of the 1960s and ’70s—even today it remains a center for the production of salted fish and shrimp paste. Dubbed the “Venice of Hong Kong” for its distinctive stilt houses raised above the tidal flats and waterways, Tai O’s idyllic appearance belies a colorful past. What started out as a community of boat-dwelling Tanka people became a preferred base for smugglers and bandits; the village even witnessed a naval battle in 1855 between a joint British-American force and Chinese pirates.