Just found that a trip to the south Lantau coast at Shui Hau and nearby Tong Fuk makes a grand trip on a fine afternoon, especially on a hot day summer day when a swim seems a good way of cooling off.

Shui Hau

The Silver Mine Waterfall at Mui Wo, eastern Lantau, is one of the most easily reached of Hong Kong's best waterfalls. It's accessible by strolling gentle trails, passing by the beach, village houses, and through fields and woodland. Like all our waterfalls, it's best just after - or even during - spells of heavy rain.

Although Tin Shui Wai in northwest Hong Kong has become known as the "CIty of Sadness", its West Rail station is the starting point of Hong Kong's first heritage trail, along which you can see a fine selection of buildings hailing from an era when this was an affluent centre for agriculture, especially rice farming: the Ping Shan Heritage Trail.

I headed to the Hong Kong Wetland Park a few days ago, for my first visit since it fully opened. It's a place I've long been criticial of - even though had some involvement in creating educational videos, but I figured it may be interesting/fun to go with my wife, two-year old son, and a friend and his son.

Indeed proved interesting, but didn't raise my opinion of the park thing - which to me seemed surreal: as if a bunch of designers who aren't conservationists had been given vast budget and allowed to do as they pleased, with only small nod to actual wetlands and conservation.

Just look at the picture here, from a theatre in the visitor centre: is this like someplace in wetland area, or more like set from Star Trek?

Though "Hong Kong" may conjure images of a metropolis crammed onto an island on the South China coast, there is far more to the territory than high-rises and busy streets. It's in a superb natural setting, and Hong Kong Island is just one of over 200 islands and islets. While many of these are little more than rocks, there are islands that are home to thriving communities, and others where villages are partly or wholly abandoned. Exploring them, you can stroll along narrow streets through warrens of small houses, hike trails across hills and headlands, admire waterfalls, and relax on beaches in deserted coves.

Even Hong Kong Island has marvellous places beyond the city. One of Hong Kong's most rewarding short hikes leads up Dragon's Back, a ridge that ripples above the island's east coast. You can follow a gentle trail through woodland, then climb steps to the crest of the ridge. On a clear day, there are scintillating views of islands dotting the South China Sea, and of the coast below, where a beach is tucked into a small bay, and two other beaches flank a village that's clustered around a rocky headland.

After hiking, ride a bus down to the village, Shek O, for a cooling swim if it's a hot day, or - if an east wind is blowing - watch surf pounding the tip of the headland.

"I think the photography is excellent... very informative... I found it very interesting."

Shot over the course of 18 months, the 28-minute film is presented by Asiatic Marine director and local marine life expert - and HK Outdoors contributor - Charles Frew.

There's a new trail starting at Ngong Ping, Lantau Island. The 5-km Nei Lak Shan Country Trail circles round Nei Lak Shan, which at 751 metres is the sixth highest peak in Hong Kong. You can start on the trail in northeast Ngong Ping - just where a trail starts dropping down towards Tung Chung.

The trail is clearly marked by this signpost, from which you climb a little; then reach a junction, where you can choose to walk a full circuit, or walk to near the Lantau Skyrail station, looping along the southern slope of the mountain or (longer) heading along the north slopes.

I walked the southern slope in spring: pleasant, with grand views over Ngong Ping including the Big Buddha. Just tried the northern loop, which though longer is more interesting, with views over hills, Tung Chung, the airport and channel across to Tsuen Wan. Passes through woods, and close enough to the Lantau Skyrail that can hear babble from cable cars passing above.

WWF Hong Kong has launched a Save Our Seas campaign, aimed at combatting over-fishing. Just produced a short video, filmed by Hong Kong Outdoors contributor Charles Frew. You can watch the video online, including on YouTube:

WWF Hong Kong SOS Campaign (Eng)

WWF Hong Kong SOS Campaign (Chinese)

(added 27 March:) WWF HK has produded more info on how to help fishermen and our economy, and for consumers re choices of seafood based on how sustainable the fisheries/fish farming are: