Shek Uk Shan: highest peak in Sai Kung

Shek Uk Shan. Where is it? It is a little known fact for most casual hikers that Shek Uk Shan is the highest peak in Sai Kung. In fact, it has 17m on Sharp Peak – the sharpest mountain in Hong Kong (and Sai Kung), with a great view of it throughout the hike, too. Its more anonymous status also meant that it’s not as crowded and connected to the MacLehose Trail stage 3, right across from the Sharp Peak trail start. Here is how you hike it:

Summary of Shek Uk Shan

Difficulty: 3/5 – the trail is a bit obscure in places but still relatively easy to follow

Time taken: 4 hours on average, but if you’re fast, probably 3.5

Pros: amazing panorama view on top towards Ma On Shan, Plover Cove Reservoir, Sharp Peak, and Sai Kung Port shelter. Relatively quiet hike.

Cons: not as scenic as some of the other hikes in Sai Kung

Note: if you read Chinese, this blog is honestly super comprehensive. My only comment is that it doesn’t take as long as it says – we took a few breaks for rest and photos, and it still only took 4 hours.

How to get to trail start of Shek Uk Shan

Take the minibus 7 from Sai Kung town center to Hoi Ha, but the trail start for Shek Uk Shan is by an official stop, so you would need to watch the map and shout for the driver to let you off.

Once you pass the last bbq area sign, it’s at the end of the bend to the left, so you will be getting off on the left side (so it’s right). The sign reads Fire Lookout and Kau Tong, so make sure you get off at the right place

Note: a gps map is available in my Sai Kung Nature guide

Lo Fu Kei Shek

Once you’re ready, head on up the stairs as the Fire Lookout is actually Lo Fu Kei Shek. The name actually means ‘Tiger rides rock’, and the initial stretch up is in the forest with stone steps.

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Once you reach the part where there’s a sign that says Fire Lookout, you can go up to the top of Lo Fu Kei Shek, but note that you need to come back down and take the ‘Road Closed’ trail to continue.

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From that junction, the stairs become more well paved and out of the shades of the tree. At the top is the platform with a fenced white hut and a good view of the Mirs Bay all the way to Shenzhen.

We then went back down to the junction and took the ‘Road Closed’ Trail.

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This part of the hike is back in the jungle until we emerged to an unnamed small peak with a meteorological pillar.

This is a good place to take a break. The hike then goes up towards another small hill before Shek Uk Shan, with the view back to Sharp Peak and Lo Fu Kei Shek.

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The hill also has a great panorama of the Mirs Bay and on the other side. Shek Uk Shan.

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The hike is now exposed with the view of Plover Cove Reservoir, with the dirt trail going from being steep to flat as we approach the summit.

Shek Uk Shan 481m

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At the top of Shek Uk Shan are two radio towers which are behind a fence. While it blocks the view a little, you have a spectacular 360 degrees view of the entire area from Plover Cove Reservoir to Ma On Shan, Sai Kung Port Shelter, and Sharp Peak.

There is a rock that juts out towards Sharp Peak that makes for a great photo.

Once you’re done, go along the fence to the other side of the tower and follow the trail down.

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It’s a relatively steep hike with short shrubbery either side until we reach the electricity overhead cables.

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After that, it’s a wider, flatter trail to Cheung Sheung.

Cheung Sheung

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The trail emerges at a grass field at Cheung Sheung, where we found a group of cows and buffalos.

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There is a small cafe there where you can get some refreshment. Otherwise, just follow the trail to a bridge, and then to a junction.

MacLehose Trail Stage 3

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Once you’re at the junction, take the widest trail with bbq sites in the middle which is part of MacLehose Trail Stage 3.

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The hike is mostly flat with some uphill and downhill parts, and glimpses of the Port Shelter. Once you get out of the shade, you are near the monster flight of stairs down.

But the view there is pretty great from Port Shelter to Sharp Peak and Mirs Bay.

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The stairs down are long and windy, but it’s not too far if you decide to run down. It is relatively well-paved towards the end.

Getting out of Shek Uk Shan hike

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Once you get to the end of the trail, the bus stop is directly across the road. It’s the same bus stop that you take when you finished Sharp Peak.

Bus 94 takes you back to Sai Kung, and on Sundays and Public Holidays, there are also 96R to Diamond Hill and a few others that go to University or Shatin.