Lantau Peak

Lantau Peak, Fung Wong Shan, reaches 934 metres and is the second highest point in Hong Kong, a steep cone of rock and scrub above the Ngong Ping plateau. Its reputation rests on sunrise: the trail from Ngong Ping is climbed in the dark by walkers who want to be on top as the sun comes up over the sea and the ridges, often above a layer of cloud filling the valleys, and a shelter near the summit lets people wait out the cold. There are two main approaches, the shorter and steeper from Pak Kung Au and the longer from Ngong Ping past the Wisdom Path, and both are stepped, exposed and hard on the knees on the way down.

What you actually see

• Sunrise from the summit - the reason for the pre-dawn climb.
• Cloud filling the valleys - the inversion layer seen from above.
• Stepped ridge trails - the Lantau Trail approaches from both sides.
• The Ngong Ping plateau below - the monastery and Wisdom Path on the way.

When to go

October to March, when the air is clear and the heat manageable. Half a day, starting in darkness for sunrise. Bring a torch, warm layers and water; the summit is cold and windy.

Honest expectations

The climb is steep and stepped throughout and the descent is punishing. Sunrise crowds are heavy and the summit shelter fills. Cloud regularly hides everything. The first cable car or bus down does not run early, so the return can involve a long wait.

Nearby

Ngong Ping is west; Sunset Peak lies east.