Posted Monday, November 15, 2004; 21:00 HKT
It may sound utterly implausible, but just 20 minutes from the yammering streets and sooty sidewalks of Hong Kong's downtown heart is a ridgetop world of forested uplands and gurgling waterfalls. For the ideal escape from urban clamor, try the Dragon's Back—the city's finest and most surprising ramble.

From the trailhead at To Tei Wan, the initial half-kilometer ascent through bamboo and banana thickets is rewarded with breathtaking views of Hong Kong's craggy southern shoreline and a string of deserted islands. And the route only gets better from here, undulating along the ridgeline of a thin peninsula jutting into the South China Sea before plunging back down the mountainside. The second half of the 8.5-km trail is a tranquil stroll through thick forest that rings with the sound of birdsong and coursing water. The path ends at sleepy Dai Long Wan ("Big Wave Bay"), a short walk from Shek O where numerous restaurants ply weary hikers with cold beer and excellent seafood. The glory of it all is that you're so close to the city but could hardly feel farther away.

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October 11, 2004	July 26 - August 2, 2004	April 26, 2004