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Nodar Kumaritashvili was born on November 25, 1988 in Borjomi, a town located in South Central Georgia. He started to compete in luge sports at [...]

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The San Francisco 49ers jersey that was worn by Colin Kaepernick on his NFL debut on Oct. 2th 2011 sold for $128,000. Auction house, Julien’s [...]

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Born in Orlando, Florida on 13 June 2004, Jaden Newman is a Basketball player, Instagram star, TV personality and singer. With all her success, what [...]

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These Hong Kong hiking trails are where you can get a great workout, the best views of the city, and enough Instagram-worthy pictures to amp up your social media feed.

Hong Kong is constantly described as an urban jungle filled with skyscrapers and concrete, but the fact is that roughly only 25 percent of the city’s 1,108 square kilometres has been developed.

The remaining three-quarters consists of spectacular natural settings, and there’s no better way to explore Hong Kong’s natural beauty than on foot. Indeed, the countless trails dotted across the SAR offer ample opportunities to escape that big-city feeling while enjoying breathtaking views of green mountains, glistening waters, and, yes, that million-dollar skyline from various vantage points.

If you’ve got itchy feet and eager for spectacular sights to soak up, these are the best hiking trails in Hong Kong with killer views.

High West

Distance: 6.2km (3.8mi) round trip | Duration: 1–2 hours | Difficulty: Moderate

Starting out in Kennedy Town, the hike from Sands Street to the viewing point atop High West includes roughly 2,000 steep steps and ends at an elevation of 494 metres (1,620 feet). It’s no walk in the park, but you’ll be rewarded at the end with panoramic views of everything from Sheung Wan to Cyberport, not to mention Kowloon and Lamma Island. You can shave time and distance by starting the hike on Pok Fu Lam Road, or you can cheat and walk an easy 2km (1.24mi) from Victoria Peak.

Lion Rock

Distance: 6.9km (4.3mi) | Duration: 2–3 hours | Difficulty: Moderate

Towering high over Kowloon at 495 metres (1,624 feet), Lion Rock is a must-do for any keen Hong Kong hiker. At the summit, you’ll enjoy 360-degree views of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island beyond; along the way, of course, you’ll get a closer look at this iconic geological feature made from granite estimated to be 140 million years old. The loop trail begins at the Wong Tai Sin MTR station, but you can take a taxi to Fat Jong Temple to bypass the initial steep incline.

Jardine’s Lookout and Mount Butler

Distance: 4.2km (4.3mi) round trip | Duration: 1.5–2.5 hours | Difficulty: Moderate

Head up to Hong Kong Parkview to tackle this loop trail offering both incredible city views and vistas of rolling hills and Tai Tam Reservoir. It’s a short 20-minute ascent to Jardine’s Lookout, where you’ll enjoy a west-facing perspective of Hong Kong Island, Victoria Harbour and West Kowloon. You could just turn around and call it a day, but it’s worth it to continue on for the southward views from the top of Mount Butler before heading down to the reservoir.

Violet Hill and Twin Peaks

Distance: 7.1km (4.4mi) | Duration: 2–3 hours | Difficulty: Strenuous

Also starting from Hong Kong Parkview, this is the hike for those who want a challenge. Getting to the top of Violet Hill is a challenge in itself, and it offers some nice skyline views, but then you’ll go on to tackle not one but two more summits: the dreaded Twin Peaks. Often referred to as the “Terrible Twins,” these leg killers won’t be easy, but power through and you’ll fall in love with the view of Repulse Bay and the panorama of Stanley during the final descent.

Pineapple Hill

Distance: 5.9km (3.6mi) | Duration: 1–2 hours | Difficulty: Easy

It’s less of a hike and more of a walk from Leung King Plaza in Tuen Mun to the top of Pineapple Hill, which takes its name from Hong Kong’s iconic pineapple buns. The major draw here is what has come to be called Hong Kong’s own Grand Canyon, technically named the Leung Tin Au Gorge. Parts of the route are located close to the Tsing Shan Firing Range, so it’s best to check the government’s firing schedule beforehand to avoid disappointment.

Kowloon Peak and Suicide Cliff

Distance: 7km (4.3mi) | Duration: 4–5 hours | Difficulty: Strenuous

Kowloon Peak, otherwise known as Fei Ngo Shan, is the tallest point on the peninsula at 602 metres (1,975 feet), so scaling this mountain is quite the challenge. More of a climb than a hike at some points, your sweat (and maybe tears) will pay off with unparalleled views from the viewing point at the top. About halfway down the mountain, you’ll find it’s most Instagrammable feature: Suicide Cliff. It’s a sight to behold, but in case the name didn’t tip you off, please be careful when posing to avoid any accidents.

Dragon’s Back

Distance: 8km (6.9mi) | Duration: 2.5–3.5 hours | Difficulty: Easy

Arguably Hong Kong’s most famous trail, and certainly one of its most popular, the Dragon’s Back is long but relatively leisurely, particularly after the initial ascent to Shek O Peak (284 metres/931 feet). From there, you can enjoy views of Shek O Beach and Big Wave Bay; 30 metres ahead, from the Dragon’s Back Viewing Point, you can also see Tai Tam Harbour. The best part? The undulating green hills which gave this trail its name.

Sunset Peak and Lantau Peak

Distance: 15.5km (9.6mi) | Duration: 5.5–6.5 hours | Difficulty: Extremely strenuous

If you want bragging rights for conquering Hong Kong’s toughest hike, here it is. You’ll start out in Mui Wo and work your way up to Sunset Peak (800 metres/2,624 feet) and then continue on to Lantau Peak (934 metres/3,064 feet), the second-highest point in Hong Kong. At this height, there’s a good chance you’ll be above the clouds, which makes for a spectacular sight in its own right, but if it’s clear then you’ll be able to see out to Macau and mainland China.

Tai Mo Shan

Distance: 9.7 km (6 mi) | Duration: 2.5–3.5 hours | Difficulty: Moderate

Here it is: Hong Kong’s highest peak, standing tall at 957 metres (3,140 feet), yet it’s not as difficult to reach the summit as you might think. After a steep initial ascent, it’s mostly ridge-top walking rather than rock climbing. There isn’t much of Hong Kong you can’t see from here on a clear day, but note that the view is often obscured by clouds or fog, which is part of the draw for many photographers who come here looking to shoot dramatic images.

High Island Reservoir East Dam to Tai Long Wan

Distance: 10.7km (6.6mi) round trip | Duration: 2.5–3.5 hours | Difficulty: Moderate

Undoubtedly one of Hong Kong’s most beautiful areas, Tai Long Wan is also one of the hardest to reach. To get here, you’ll start out at High Island Reservoir East Dam, located about a 30-minute taxi ride from Sai Kung Pier. From there, the sometimes-challenging hike takes around three hours and ends in paradise, on the beaches of Ham Tin or Tai Wan, popular places for camping when the weather’s not too hot.

Sharp Peak

Distance: 11.7km (7.2mi) round trip | Duration: 3.5–4.5 hours | Difficulty: Strenuous

For a bird’s-eye view of the beaches of Sai Kung East Country Park, make your way to the top of Sharp Peak (468 metres/1,535 feet). This hike, which begins and ends in Pak Tam Au, requires climbing and dealing with unstable terrain, so it’s best left to advanced hikers only. For those who succeed, the views of the beaches, crystal-clear waters and the country park are simply stunning.

High Junk Peak

Distance: 8.5km (5.3mi) | Duration: 3–4 hours | Difficulty: Strenuous

The narrow summit of High Junk Peak (344 metres/1,128 feet) is the highest accessible point on the Clear Water Bay Peninsula, and it offers amazing views of the bay and the surrounding scenery. On both High Junk Peak and Tim Ha Shan, which you’ll also scale on your way to the fishing village of Po Toi O, there are sections of gravel you’ll have to scramble up and steep sections to conquer, so this one is best left to the experts.

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One of the several rackets that Swiss born tennis legend Roger Federer had used in the 2011 French Open in Paris has been sold for [...]

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The investment quality of professional sports has become uncertain and volatile.

First they tell you it’s a business, not a sport. Then when you agree it’s a business, they call it a sport. For decades, professional sports franchises used to be recognised as a reliable long-term investment and an ideal private-equity asset class for ultra-high-net-worth diversification. Recent events have revealed how social media innovations have spawned an entirely new and unpredictable set of risks that threaten their value.

The data points to a grave prognosis. The NBA is suffering the most. In the US, according to Gallup, the percentage of people with a positive impression of sports has declined by 30 points over the past year from +20 to -10 nationwide. NBA first-round playoff viewership ratings plummeted 27 per cent, a 40 per cent drop since 2017-18. A Harris Poll observed that 38 per cent of sports fans explained that the NBA being “too political” is the reason why they’re watching fewer games. That represents a precipitous fall since last summer.

And the NFL is not immune from the social media-driven fan backlash. Sunday Night Football ratings fell by 28 per cent. Fans in attendance are openly booing players. A stunning collapse. Fans appear to be losing interest in sports.

[caption id="attachment_211699" align="alignnone" width="768"] (Image: Stephane Coudassot/Unsplash)[/caption]

The NFL and NBA are among the most popular sports leagues in the social media universe. Their content represents leading feeds on Twitter and Instagram. And yet despite their proven position in public, their ratings continue to plummet.

But not all leagues are waning. The UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) is experiencing strong gains. Despite basketball playoffs being played on a daily basis, NBA playoff viewership has declined from 2.39 million average viewers in 2019 to 1.68 million in 2020 – a 30 per cent decline. Meanwhile the UFC’s four preliminary fight cards since its emergence from Covid-19 have generated an average of 1.17 million viewers across ESPN and ESPN+. That’s an increase of 30 per cent compared with the viewership of pay-per-view preliminary fights in 2019. Average UFC ratings are trending upwards at a time when the NBA’s are shifting downwards.

More people should be watching pro-sports since many are homebound during the pandemic. Despite the re-opening of cinemas, attendance is falling, as box-office numbers have demonstrated. While it appears that fans resent the direct engagement of players and teams in social justice issues, greater technological forces are at work which may change the very idea of how professional sports are valued and governed.

Professional sports leagues have historically generated healthy, long-term private-equity returns – they’ve been a source of smart diversification for billionaire investors and syndicates. It’s a reputable private-equity class that allows owners a high-profile, celebrity status. They are also platforms for philanthropy and community affairs.

For example, Joseph Tsai, co-founder of Alibaba, is estimated to have paid US$3.3 billion for the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center. The previous owner, Mikhail Prokhorov, invested and spent about US$1.5 billion nine years ago. So doubling your money in nine years is a respectable return on a private, billion-dollar investment.

[caption id="attachment_211700" align="alignnone" width="1024"] (Image: JC Gellidon/ Unsplash)[/caption]

Recent events have pushed owners to decide if they’re investing in a sport, a social organisation or a business in the post-pandemic and Black Lives Matter era. Then are the players actually business partners with the owners who provide all the capital? Owners could have disagreed with player demands to support Black Lives Matter, but at a high cost. The business schism between owners and players threatens to destroy or split the league and make pro sports an unattractive investment.

The outcome for the sport as a business has impaired or confused corporate governance within the NBA as owners have been subverted. Their commissioners are supposed to work for the owners, not the players. Unless this division is resolved, the league’s corporate mission, message and product will be irrevocably divided. Fans will be confused and seek alternate and substitute forms of entertainment.

Players used to audition for teams. Now teams audition for players. The emerging ownership-player-fan relationship model may look nothing like the traditional one. Post-pandemic, league revenues may fail to recover and severely impact their social and financial model.

Social justice is only a current topic in this sports revolution. Technology’s relentless role in subverting and disintermediating established groups and relationships is unpredictable and unstoppable. It empowers and consumes everyone in its path. Social media and mobile computing have opened the door for anyone to either broadcast within their social silo or to the outside world.

Twitter was initially called text messaging for people without friends. But why make friends when you can build a following – and change your world? It’s emerged as an unavoidable platform for the liberation of one and many. And this version of disintermediation is pernicious, because it takes on a life of its own, tearing apart a global brand, a jointly shared common community product such as sport, as frustrated fans retreat into their own social media silos.

This story first appeared on Prestige Singapore

(Main and featured image: Bertrand Gabioud /Unsplash)

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Our golf bags are packed and we’re just waiting for the borders of the world to properly reopen so we can visit beautiful locations

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Our golf bags are packed and we’re just waiting for the borders of the world to properly reopen so we can visit beautiful locations

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