Unexpected things that you can do in Hong Kong

Though Hong Kong's winter season doesn't bring snow, snowboarding enthusiasts can hit the slopes at one of the city's newest sports facilities. Snow & Surf is an indoor sports facility in Kwai Chung, offering both surfing and snow sports experiences in one place. The slopes, constructed from a unique material called 'needle mushroom', cater to skiers and snowboarders of all levels. For beginners, the slopes provide an authentic snow experience featuring movable jumps and obstacles for advanced skiers and snowboarders to learn new tricks. Additionally, the facility has two snow belt machines that enable skiers to practice and enhance their skills.

Many people have seen fireflies on TV, but few Hongkongers have had the opportunity to witness them in person. Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve, one of Hong Kong's most beautiful natural sanctuaries, is home to many of these luminous critters. The best time to try and spot fireflies is around 7 pm during the summer months. You can find them near the creek, particularly in the bushes as you walk along the bank. While you're there, keep an eye out for barking deer, turtles, and even porcupines. During the winter, you'll see owls perched on branches and a variety of colourful butterflies. 

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Get ready to unleash your inner ninja warrior at Ninja Force, Hong Kong's ultimate outdoor extreme fitness arena. Spread over a massive 18,000sq ft area in Kam Tin, this adrenaline-pumping venue offers three courses to test your skills - playground game, physical competition, and top competition. Each course boasts up to 20 exciting challenges that will have you jumping, climbing, and crawling your way to the finish line. 

Feel the adrenaline rush at Hong Kong’s first e-sports stadium. AME E-Sports Stadium offers five main e-sports facilities, including skiing, where you can experience being part of the US national skiing team; boxing with smart punching bags loaded with sensors; rowing across Victoria Harbour; horse racing, and cycling that mimics the famous Lung Wo Road cycling competition route. All of them are AME self-developed games incorporating VR multiplayer systems and professional sports simulators. 

Get your squad together and have the chance to play championship matches and win major spending discounts at the stadium.

Most Hongkongers have hiked the picturesque trail of Dragon’s Back, but perhaps not so many have taken flight from this famous spot. Soar through the skies and wave at hikers before gently gliding down to a soft landing. Regulations and limitations surrounding paragliding constantly change, so we recommend doing extensive research before trying it out. The Civil Aviation Department advises hobbyists to stay in the eight most popular areas for paragliding to avoid unwanted intrusions in Hong Kong’s crowded airspace. 

You can book a paragliding experience with Ascendia Sports.

Hong Kong has its fair share of sunken boats – and even cars – the fate of which is sometimes shrouded in mystique and unsavoury rumours. Experienced divers can travel to Yin Tsz Ngam, famous amongst divers for the ruins of a sunken cargo ship dating back to the 60s. Though the ship has suffered the ills of erosion, the cement packages it once held remain largely intact, and some have become artificial reefs that host abundant aquatic life.

Alternatively, travel to Bluff Island, a diving spot where you can find a sunken car – said to have been purposely sunk by evidence-destroying smugglers – along with a magnificent coral reef teeming with aquatic critters.

You can book a wreck diving experience through companies like Diving Adventure.

We’ve all indulged in many cliché movie where the protagonists huddle around a campfire and tell ghost stories, sing cheesy songs, or pour their hearts out to their fellow campers under the stars. Whether you are hoping for an intimate moment or just looking to roast a few marshmallows, one thing is for sure, a campfire is quintessential to any camping experience, and you can do all this right here in Hong Kong. There are many beautiful campsites in Hong Kong, but we recommend the Wan Tsai West Campsite, as its location by the sea affords campers a pleasant view of the sea by day and the gentle sound of the oceanic currents by night. It’s also easily accessible via a relatively gentle trail that even children won’t have a problem traversing – just in case you want a family singalong.

Most of us city dwellers only ever see one or two stray stars on a clear night – and a dazzling, starry sky is definitely not what comes to Hongkongers' minds when we think about the view after dark. Though Hong Kong’s most famous night view is of its illuminated skyline, travelling to the more sparsely populated regions of the city can be incredibly rewarding for stargazers. Armed with a proper camera, you can snap your very own picture of the Milky Way right here in Hong Kong. Who’d have thought? We recommend Cape D’Aguilar as a fairly accessible stargazing spot. Try to visit in the summer, as it is the prime season for taking pictures of the Milky Way. Before you go, check the weather conditions to see whether the night will be suitable for stargazing; otherwise, your journey might be for nought.

If you don’t feel like shelling out on your own VR headset, there are options in the city that allow you to have virtual reality fun with your buddies without breaking the bank. Whether you are looking to cooperate with your party to quell the next zombie apocalypse, smoke some errant aliens, or put wiley pirates to the better end of your musket, you can live out your fantasies in an immersive virtual experience for a reasonable price at VR spots around Hong Kong including Sandbox VR in TST and VR Arena in Causeway Bay.