Instawalk — Mui Wo, Lantau Island, Hong Kong

a quick 30-minute “fast ferry” ride away from Central (Central Ferry Pier #6, cash and Octopus card accepted, fares 50% more on Sundays), Mui Wo is an anachronism when compared to the skyscrapers and wall-to-wall people of Hong Kong’s busier parts. that’s not to say it’s completely rural, though. there’s a 7-Eleven, McDonald’s, and several banks within spitting distance (don’t spit; it spreads germs! ;)) of the ferry terminal.

there is a Heritage Trail [map; i walked from the pier on the lower right to the silver mine near #7 and back] that takes you to a small temple, a waterfall, a (closed) mine shaft entrance, and beyond. just follow the shore to the right as you exit the ferry terminal past the “Cooked Food Market” and turn left just before the Silvermine Resort, then follow the signs. it’s a pretty easy trek, completely paved, but watch out for bicyclists. it’s about an hour round trip of brisk walking to the mine shaft if you don’t stop too long along the way.

when i went the waterfall was a relative trickle, but after a rainfall i think it can get quite torrential — there are flash flood warnings along the creek the waterfall feeds.

In which I hike onto rocks below a waterfall in inappropriate shoes and hope for the best. pic.twitter.com/qz2JNgZmcF

— Jonathan Khoo (@jonk) October 6, 2013