Sailing Hong Kong: remote villages, hidden bays revealed - it’s as if I am seeing the city for the first time after 15 years living here
- Villages preserved and abandoned, the turquoise waters of hidden bays backed by verdant green hills – Cameron Dueck discovers places he’s never paused to visit
- There’s never been a better time to explore Hong Kong’s hidden sides, so why not make the effort to try something new?
It’s not a good day to be out on the water. The sky is leaden, the wind is too fresh to be pleasant, and it is beginning to spit with rain.
I look at my sea charts for a suitable anchorage, a place sheltered from the wind where I can wait out the weather. I am on a week-long voyage through Hong Kong waters, giving me the luxury of time to work around the weather.
The name Snake Bay jumps out at me from the chart, triggering a faint recollection. It is tucked into the western side of High Island, just one peninsula away from the famous Yau Ley Seafood restaurant.
As soon as I steer my sailing boat into Snake Bay I know I’ve discovered another of those many places in Hong Kong that I’ve passed dozens of times, but never taken the time to visit. The bay is perfectly sheltered from the wind, narrow enough to feel snug but wide enough to be safe. Ramshackle yellow-painted buildings on the shore and a narrow trail fading into the hills invite me to explore.
Hong Kong has been my home for nearly 15 years, during which I’ve hiked many of its trails, kayaked along miles of its rocky shorelines, and camped on some of its most remote islands and beaches.
