11 Best outdoor sports in Hong Kong for thrill seekers

While these extreme sports can be fun, they also carry a larger risk than your average stroll in the park. Below is a list of things to keep in mind before diving in:
– A lot of these activities require a minimum number of people, so always try to do these with a group of friends that you know and trust. Check out this list of outdoor adventures groups you can join in Hong Kong.
– If you’re planning to go on one of these adventures, do proper research and prepare the equipment needed beforehand as different sports will require different things.
– Many of these gruelling activities will require a basic fitness level, so make sure you’re physically (and mentally) capable to take on the challenge.
– If you’re new to the activity, always listen to the instructors and professionals.

Challenge yourself at Hong Kong's first outdoor extreme fitness arena. Ninja Force in Kam Tin, Hong Kong, provides an outdoor environment for intense workouts. The arena spans over 18,000 square feet and offers three courses with different difficulty levels – playground games, physical competitions, and top competitions, each of which features up to 20 challenges designed to test your strength, balance, and agility. The venue offers 90-minute sessions and classes for adults and children over the age of eight, and certified instructors will guide you through the proper techniques and ensure you complete the obstacle courses safely.

As a go-to summer activity for many locals, there are a lot of places in Hong Kong offering wakeboarding and wakesurfing lessons. Head to Tai Po and book private lessons with IM Wake. Their instructors will give you the rundown on how to brave the waves, showing the basics as well as cool tricks. You’ll no doubt impress your friends the next time you all head to sea.

Canyoning or canyoneering is a popular outdoor activity for those who aren’t afraid of a challenge. The sport entails hiking and traversing on canyons and any vertical natural landscape that follows a water route carved through rock formations. It requires various gears like a helmet, wet suit, and hard sole footwear for safety and uses techniques and equipment like ropes, anchors, and harness to support abseiling and rappelling down waterfalls. Many demanding activities are also involved like swimming, climbing, and setting up the anchors for the ropes, so you'll need the guidance of experienced outdoor adventurers. You can sign up for a Hong Kong Rock Climbing Adventure tour or join experienced groups like HKOutsider. 

A great combination of sailing and surfing, this extreme water sport places you on small, personal boards where you manoeuvre the waters with a sail. A popular destination for those seeking this rush is Stanley Bay, where many vendors offer rental and tuition for beginners. Aqua-Bound Water Centre offers a beginner group course and private lessons. They also have a dry land simulator, allowing newbies to try out their skills before they hit the water. 

This high-flying experience is a popular activity for Hongkongers when on holiday, but did you know you could zipline right here in the city as well? Hong Kong Rock Climbing Adventure offers a complete day of fun with zip lining between cliffs located at Tung Lung Island, east of Hong Kong Island and reachable by ferry. Flying between the cliffs on this remote part of Hong Kong is sure to give you a thrill like no other. With sessions at $580 per person, this is definitely a one-of-a-kind experience. Just don’t look down!

If you've already hiked the best Hong Kong hiking trails and now looking for a more gruelling adventure, you might want to check out coasteering. This extreme sport involves climbing, cliff jumping, and swimming around rocky coastal slopes, providing a unique way of experiencing Hong Kong's magnificent shoreline. One of the most popular spots for this water activity is the Sai Kung Geopark coasteering trail which offers majestic rolling hills, hexagonal rock columns, gigantic coastal cliffs, and various exciting jumping points. Check out this list of adventure groups in Hong Kong that will help you get started with your coasteering adventures in the city. 

Hong Kong is filled with tall buildings and urban architecture, making it a great location for free running. While we definitely don’t advise jumping between skyscrapers, we do recommend taking up sessions with the Hong Kong Parkour Association, where they run regular and kid-friendly classes covering the fundamentals of this popular sport, such as proper techniques and flipping. They also offer one-on-one training to hone your newfound skills and help you with further physical training, especially in flexibility and balance. You’ll be jumping over everything and climbing every wall before you know it.

Swap out the roads for a dirt track and your car for a motorbike. MXClub is situated far away in Sheung Shui, but they make good use of their space by offering flat practice circuits to hilly tracks. Beginners can cruise around the tracks on ATVs or dirt bikes, whereas experienced riders can choose to hop on a professional motocross bike to practise their skills. While you definitely won’t be able to perform tricks off a massive ramp at the end of your session, this little-known gem in the countryside is sure to give adrenaline junkies more than enough of a thrill.

If you want to get as close as possible to the clouds, paragliding might be the answer. On a sunny day, you’ll often see paragliders dotting the skies of Sai Kung and Lantau, where they can stay in the air for up to 20 minutes. The Hong Kong Paragliding Association is the best resource to consult if you’re interested in trying this soaring experience. Regulations and limitations are constantly changing surrounding paragliding, so we recommend doing extensive research before trying it out.

While there are many indoor rock climbing venues in Hong Kong, nothing beats the real thing. Hong Kong’s natural mountains and cliffs are ideal spots for those who like scaling vertically. Hong Kong Rock Climbing Adventure can guide you through all the safety precautions before a climb, teach you how to work the equipment, and share their experience on climbing techniques. Popular climbs include Beacon Hill, Cape Collinson, and Lion Rock, with the last being the most difficult but also the most rewarding. Prices range from $2,000 to $3,000 per session, and you can get it cheaper at $780 per person if you bring 15 people.