Trail Reflections
Personal reflections and essays from students after their trail visits. Explore firsthand accounts of the people, places, and moments encountered along Hong Kong’s hiking routes.
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End of the Line for Stray Planet?
Hong Kong’s dogs are a topic of public debate these days, after rules allowing canines into cafes were relaxed earlier this summer; more recently, a spate of dog attacks occurred, one resulting in the death of a dog trainer. But at a facility in a rural area of the New Territories, a carer and her…
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CityU Researcher Warns Chemicals in Our Screens Can Harm Marine Mammals
By: Themis Yining Chen Updated March 25, 2026 HONG KONG – Hong Kong researcher Yuhe He has raised the alarm that chemicals in everyday electronics’ screens which can harm human health may also impact the health of marine mammals. Henry Yuhe He, a professor at City University of Hong Kong, said a growing body of…
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Mystery Artist Paves Hong Kong’s Streets with Love Letters
By: Lareina Mo On bustling streets in Hong Kong, traffic weaves into an unbroken golden stream, and voices mingle with the tinkling of signal lights between towering buildings. Pedestrians hurry by in a constant flow, each lost in their own rush. Then suddenly, someone pauses, staring curiously at a section of pavement beneath their feet, on which a…
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Peng Chau’s Renowned Watering Hole Where Local Community Protects Cultural Identity: The Old China Hand
By: Stark Yang and Andy Liu Han Yang laughed as she served two glasses of local craft beer with heavy heads of foam, sharing her life in Peng Chau. Crow’s-feet creased at the corners of her eyes, and a pair of old-fashioned reading glasses hung on her chest. She is the one and only person…
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“Handcrafted Trails”: The Sustainable Revolution on Hong Kong’s Hiking Routes
While hiking on Hong Kong’s world-class trails, have you ever noticed whether the path beneath your feet is made of cement or left completely natural? Or, more recently, there may be a third option: “handcrafted trails.” Since the 1970s, Hong Kong’s Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department (AFCD) has guided the construction of these trails, which…
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A Little Island, A Warm “Home”: The Quiet Journey of Angel Yang
By Cecilia Dong On the tranquil shores of Lamma Island, Angel Yang, owner of Home Pub, serves more than just beer. Her journey is a testament to resilience and reinvention. Originally from Guangxi, Yang moved to Hong Kong with her mother as a young girl, unable to speak a word of Cantonese. Instead of retreating,…
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Reflection on Outdoor Adventure Journalism: Why We Lean into the Wild
By Caroline Lin John’s Outdoor Adventure Journalism must be one of the most rewarding courses I’ve ever taken at the JMSC. Throughout this semester, we’ve analyzed several compelling journalistic documentaries addressing critical global issues, from environmental degradation and land protection to wildlife conservation. Specifically, films like The Ivory Game and A Plastic Ocean, which involve…
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400-Year-Old Hakka Village Revitalized after Decades of Decline
Lai Chi Wo–the “long-silenced” Hakka village with over 300 years of history–began to regain its former glory as residents were moving back, while NGOs, universities and government agencies joined forces to re-establish the community.
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Lamma Island: Escape from the Concrete Jungle
By: Stark Yang and Andy Liu Ilia Prokhorov has long, sandy curls, oversized square glasses and a sturdy build that carries a hint of hippie flair. On a recent Monday in April, he spoke about life on Lamma Island. The Russian expat came to Hong Kong at the outset of the Ukraine war and is…
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Trails and Tales: Stories that Linger Along the Way
By: Cecilia Dong The hike up to High Junk Peak and down to the small village of Tai Wan Tau was challenging but totally worth it. The hike was over, but the laughter and stories along the way lingered. The hike began on a steep ascent, but the higher we climbed, the clearer we could…
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Hiking Diary: Devil’s Peak
By: Julie Zhu 23/3/2026 Today we hiked to Devil’s Peak, along the Wilson Trail Section 3. The route was long and intensely sunny, with almost no shade along the way. Midway through, I was so tired that I seriously thought about giving up and sitting down several times. Luckily, my classmates kept going, so I…
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Up and Down along the Wilson Trail
By: Huan Ran On our hike along Section 3 of the Wilson Trail, we climbed up and down several hills and saw amazing views from the mountain tops. Devil’s Peak is an excellent spot to look out over the Tseung Kwan O Cross Bay Link, as well as the dense clusters of high-rise buildings in…