Kowloon Peak and Suicide Cliff: A Tough Hike with Epic Sunset City Views
Contents
- Essential Information
- Kowloon Peak and Suicide Cliff Hike Highlights
- Google Route Map
- How to Get There
- Quick Route Summary
- Getting to the Trail from the MTR
- Climbing to Jat's Incline
- Jat's Incline
- Short Route to Kowloon Peak Viewpoint
- The Slow Route to Kowloon Viewpoint
- Kowloon Peak Viewpoint
- The Secret Sai Kung Viewpoint
- Kowloon Peak Viewpoint to Elephant Hill
- The Two Towers and the Safe Route Down
- Getting to Suicide Cliff
- View From Suicide Cliff
- IMPORTANT: How to Safely Descend From Suicide Cliff
- Getting Back
Essential Kowloon Peak and Suicide Cliff Hike Details
- District: Kowloon
- Duration: Around 4 - 4.5 hours
- Distance: 8.5 km
- Highest Elevation: 602 meters
- Difficulty: 4/5
- Facilities: Dodgy portable toilets on Kowloon Peak. It's best to use the toilet beforehand and don't forget to bring plenty of water along with snacks.
Why Hike Kowloon Peak and Suicide Cliff
If you're on the hunt for some of Hong Kong's best city views, then hiking up Kowloon Peak and Suicide Cliff will be a worthwhile challenge!
The start of the hike is almost devoid of views, making it a bit of a struggle to reach the top of Kowloon Peak. But, once you crest the Kowloon Peak Viewpoint, the entire hike does a 180 and you'll be spoilt with stunning overhead cityscapes.
There's even a secret viewpoint that overlooks all of Sai Kung so that you can gauge just how built-up Kowloon and Hong Kong Island are compared to the greener pastures of the New Territories.
From Kowloon Peak, you'll undulate over a few small peaks before arriving at Suicide Cliff. This is one of the best places in Hong Kong to enjoy a brilliant sunset while overlooking the vibrant metropolis below.
IMPORTANT: There are a few ways to descend from Suicide Cliff. The safest way down is just before climbing to Kowloon Peak Television and Radio Transmission Station. You'll have to backtrack a bit from the Suicide Cliff viewpoint to take this route.
Google Route Map
How to Get to the Kowloon Peak and Suicide Cliff Hike Start Point
The start point of the Hike is Choi Hung MTR Station Exit C2.
Quick Kowloon Peak and Suicide Cliff Hike Route Summary
- Climb the slope of Choi Hung MTR Exit C2
- Look for stairs on the right heading into Ngau Chi Wan Village
- In the village, follow the 'Hammer Hill Road Sports Ground' sign to the left
- Climb the stairs and turn left on Wing Ting Road
- Take a right on On Ting Road and then go left on Ping Tin Road
- Look for the silver sign pointing to some concrete stairs on the right
- Climb the concrete stairs (there's a shrine on the right if you want to explore that) and keep climbing by following the brown railings
- At the fork in the path, follow the green railing path with the silver sign that says 'To Jat's Incline, Fung Shing Street'
- Follow the trail until you arrive at a green-roofed pavilion
- Head behind the pavilion and follow the silver sign pointing to 'Jat's Incline'
- After a 10-15 minute climb, you'll arrive at a concrete road (Jat's Incline)
- Follow the road left for 30 minutes, after which you will see a maintenance slope
- For a steep shortcut to Kowloon Peak Viewing Point, take the maintenance stairs and look for the natural path beyond to the top. Otherwise, follow Jat's Incline to Kowloon Peak Viewing Point.
- From Kowloon Peak Viewing Point, look for the wooden arch with Chinese writing. Climb the stairs beyond it for a secret viewpoint of Sai Kung!
- Head down the forested path near the Kowloon Peak Viewpoint explanation sign and pavilion (back the way you came if you took the shortcut)
- Look for the path on your left where you can clearly see a hill with a rocky trail on it
- Follow the path under a large tower and climb the hill
- After the hill, stay on the path for another 30 - 45 mins until you arrive at the Kowloon Peak Television and Radio Tower (there are stairs here that you can backtrack to and climb down safely from)
- Go past the tower and hike to the smaller building that you have to descend some concrete stairs to get to
- Head left around the fence and continue onward to Suicide Cliff
- Directly to the left of Suicide Cliff, you'll see a dirt path heading downward. Head down this path or go back to the television and radio tower and take the safe path down from there
- After descending for a bit, you'll see the famous Suicide Cliff photo spot to the right (it's a shelf of rock that juts out from the side of the cliff)
- Follow the path to the left from where you see the photo spot and continue descending
- You will eventually see another point to turn on your left and you'll also see an open viewpoint below
- If you check out the viewpoint DO NOT take the path beyond it. Climb back up and take the path left
- Follow the left path downward for about 30 minutes before you'll see some ropes appear
- Another 25-30 minutes of following the ropes downward and you'll make it to Fei Ngo Shan Road
- Follow the road downward and head onto Clear Water Bay Road, where you'll see a bus stop with buses to Choi Hung and Diamond Hill MTR stations
From Choi Hung to the Trail
The Steep Climb to Jat's Incline
Jat's Incline
The History of Jat's Incline
Jat's Incline was built in 1907 by the 119th Infantry, later renamed the 2nd Battalion of the 9th Jat Regiment, and repaired in 1932 by the 3rd Battalion of the 9th Jat Regiment.
The word 'Jat' refers to a member of an Indo-Aryan people living mainly in northwestern India, Pakistan, and the Punjab region. This makes sense since the Jat Regiment was made up of ethnically Indian people fighting with the British.
The road connects Ngau Chi Wan Village with Tate's Cairn.
During World War 2, it was used to strengthen defenses throughout the Kowloon Ridge. It's crazy that Jat's Incline is still in use today and us hikers use it for our leisure!
Option 1: The Short, Steep Route to Kowloon Peak Viewpoint
Option 2: The Slow, Winding Route to Kowloon Viewpoint
Kowloon Peak Viewpoint
Don't Miss the Secret Sai Kung Viewpoint!
Kowloon Peak Viewpoint to Elephant Hill
The Two Towers and the Safe Route Down
Just before climbing the stairs to the Kowloon Peak Television and radio transmission station (after the overgrown grass section), there's a safer path that heads down. After getting to Suicide Cliff, you can return back to this path if you want to take the easiest route down.
You'll arrive at Fei Ngo Shan Road if you take this route. Once on the road, turn right and follow it all the way down to Clear Water Bay Road, where you'll find a bus stop.
From the bus stop, you can take the 1A green minibus to Choi Hung MTR Station.
You can also get bus 91 or bus 92 to Diamond Hill MTR Station (it also passes Choi Hung MTR Station)
The walk takes about 40 mins.
Getting to Suicide Cliff
View From Suicide Cliff
IMPORTANT: How to Safely Descend From Suicide Cliff
If you don't fancy a steep and technical downhill section that can take well over an hour, head back from the edge of Suicide Cliff to the path near the Kowloon Peak Television and Radio Transmission Station.
This route down is still a bit technical, but it's nowhere near as bad as climbing down from the edge of Suicide Cliff.
Descending With the Help of Ropes
Getting Back
From the bus stop, you can take the 1A green minibus to Choi Hung MTR Station.
You can also get bus 91 or bus 92 to Diamond Hill MTR Station (it also passes Choi Hung MTR Station)
There are a few more buses that service this stop, but they're much less frequent.
