Why Hong Kong is Asia's best trail running destination

Holidays, hotels and insider travel news

escapes

HONG KONG

Rocky Road

5 tough trail races for a different perspective on Hong Kong. By Ric Stockfis

The Mira

Ovolo Central

ESSENTIALS GETTING THERE Tigerair (www.tigerair.com) can get you there from around $230 return. For Singapore Airlines (www.singaporeair.com) you’re looking at $550 upward.

TransLantau

Green Power Hike

MSIG Sai Kung

TransLantau

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rail and ultra-running has exploded in popularity in Hong Kong over the last few years and it’s now surely Asia’s premier destination for great routes, competitive races and an enthusiastic—bordering on obsessive—running community. With multiple races held every weekend through the season (October through March), there’s no better way to explore the scenic hills, rural villages and remote beaches, all a far cry from the bustling heart of the city.

Green Power Hike

King of the Hills

Don’t be fooled by the name. While plenty of people do indeed hike the 10, 25 or 50km courses on offer, runners take them pretty seriously. Held early in the year, it’s a great way to see the best of Hong Kong island, with the 50km race starting at The Peak and finishing all the way on the other side of the island at Big Wave Bay. www.greenpower.org.hk

Held between November and February, King of the Hills (KOTH) has been going for nearly 20 years and is perhaps the most popular—and over-subscribed—series of races, with events on Hong Kong island and Lantau, as well as out in Tai Po and Sai Kung.

Competitors get ranking points (and bragging rights). www.seyonasia.com

MSIG Sai Kung

The North Face 100

Organized in February by Action Asia, who put on a variety of races in Hong Kong as well as multi-day expeditions across the continent, this event offers up 12, 21 and 50k options out in the far northeast of the New Territories. It’s a wonderfully scenic, technically-demanding course that includes a run along Tai Long Wan beach. www.actionasiaevents.com

Widely considered the hardest 100k race in Hong Kong (at least compared to the better known Trailwalker), this December event covers a broad swathe of the New Territories, including Hong Kong’s highest peak, the brutal Tai Mo Shan. It’s not quite the ultimate test (that honor goes to the recently established Hong Kong Four Trails Ultra Challenge: close to 300km with a cut-off time of 60 hours) but it’s certainly a serious challenge. www.thenorthface100.com

TransLantau Held in March each year, with options of 25, 50 and 100km (the latter involving close to 6,000m of elevation gain, including the 934m Lantau Peak), this scenic (though punishing) race on the largest of Hong Kong’s islands is run almost entirely on trails, starting and ending on Silvermine Beach. www.translantau.com

WHERE TO STAY If you’re island-side, it’s hard to beat the location of boutique spot Ovolo Central (2 Arbuthnot Rd., www.mrandmrssmith.com/luxury-hotels/ ovolo-central), right off Wyndham Street and just up from Lan Kwai Fong. Some of the 42 rooms are small (it’s worth upgrading to an Executive Deluxe room), but they all come kitted out with nice luxe touches like in-room Nespresso machines, Malin+Goetz toiletries and Apple TV. Pitched halfway between a serviced apartment and hotel, it’s a great choice if you’re on a busy schedule and just need somewhere contemporary and convenient to spend the night (there’s even a small gym). While there’s no in-house dining, a decent complimentary breakfast is served next door at Café O. Rates start from $303 per night.

Over in Tsim Sha Tsui (a great option if your race starts early out in the New Territories), The Mira (118 Nathan Rd., www.themirahotel. com) is a bigger but very much design-focused property, with 492 rooms and more than 50 suites. It’s a stylish spot, nowhere more so than at courtyard drinking and shisha spot Vibes, which plays host to events like the Absolut popup bar for Art Basel Hong Kong. The Mira is also home to some of the city’s best restaurants, including Cantonese delicacies at Cuisine Cuisine (which looks directly onto Kowloon Park) and international buffet offerings at Yamm.

After a tough race, we particularly enjoyed the MiraSpa, home to an indoor infinity pool as well as a wet zone (featuring water beds and hydro pools) and aura rooms (with color therapy mood lighting and personalized playlists). Another nice touch: every room comes equipped with a “wifi buddy” a small portable device giving you complimentary high-speed internet connectivity wherever you go in the city. Rates start from $307 per night.

SUPPLIES There are plenty of trail running stores in Hong Kong where you can stock up on supplies or get tips about an upcoming event, including the Action X Store on Hong Kong island (28 Bonham Strand, www.actionxstore.com) and Lantau Base Camp over on Lantau (Shop J, Sea View Building, 1 Ngan Wan Rd., Mui Wo, www.lantaubasecamp.com).

FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2016 SG MAGAZINE

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escapes THAILAND

Skipping Town 6 reasons why Khao Yai—not Bangkok—should be your next weekend getaway. By Asia City Editorial

Khao Yai’s GranMonte Vineyard

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f you’re starting to tire of your frequent adventures to Bangkok—unlikely as it sounds— why not consider a couple quiet nights in nearby Khao Yai? Just a three hour drive from the city, this national park and surrounding town have plenty to offer, from design hotels and luxurious spas to good coffee and award-winning wine. Here are some things to do when you get there

Escape Khao Yai

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Set on a former quarry, Nhapha Khao Yai Resort is designed to blend with the craggy surrounds and comes with two room types: the hilltop 90-sq-meter deluxe Chom Hin Pha (from about $471) and the hill-side 50-sq-meter Ping Hin Pha (from about $314), which combines floor-to-ceiling windows with marble-stone walls. As it’s owned by Thavorn Ko-Udomvit, a renowned lecturer at Silpakorn University and the guy behind Ardel Gallery of Modern Art, the hotel is full of art pieces from leading local and international artists such as ceramicist Nino Sarabutra and sculptor/ photographer Wasinburee Supanichvoraparch, along with Japanese printmakers Tetsuya Noda and Kansuke Morioka. There’s also a red pool on-site. Bungtoey-Khlongdindam Rd., Moo 14, Moo-Si, Pakchong, +65 (0) 93 636 9999.

Escape Khao Yai

2 Birder’s Lodge

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SG MAGAZINE FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2016

Nhapha Khao Yai Resort

Stay in a European-style wooden cottage

Birder’s Lodge is a quaint new resort that features five European-style wooden cottages spread across lush, florafilled grounds. Each one comes in a homely modern-meets-rustic style, fully equipped with a kitchen and utilities. Prices range from around $118-177 per night. You can even ask for a free barbecue set for a private grill dinner right outside their cottage. There are also bikes available for you to take in all that fresh air. If you’re only doing a one-day trip, there’s also a pretty stunning cafe on-site that sticks to that winning combo of raw wood and greenery.

282 Moo 10, Moo-si, Pakchong, +65 (0) 96-545-4154.

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Atta Lakeside Resort

Submarine Coffee Tank

Stay in a resort that used to be a quarry

Check in to a beautiful lakeside resort with a spa

The people behind Kirimaya Golf Resort & Spa (complete with stunning Jack Nicklausdesigned 18-hole championship golf course) just unveiled a sister resort. Perched by a lake, in the foothills of Khao Yai National Park, Atta Lakeside Resort is home to 243 rooms spread across nine low-rise buildings.

It flaunts modern-style decor, in soft brown hues to complement the leafy surroundings, while floor-to-ceiling windows showcase the real highlight: unbeatable views. Rates start at around $610 per night for a one-bedroom suite. Splurge on the rooftop penthouses (about $1,299 per night) for panoramic views of the national park from your private

infinity pool. The mountain scenery from the swimming pool and open-air restaurant are also not to be missed. 1/3 Moo 6 Thanarat Road, Moo-Si, Pakchong, +65 (0) 44-426000, www.kirimaya.com/resorts/atta

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Or stay in a villa next to a gorgeous forest

Escape Khao Yai's new 263 sq-meter three-bedroom villas, decked out in neutral wooden furniture, come with three bedrooms and bathrooms, a pantry, spacious living room and, the highlight, a private, sunken pool.

You can also throw in high ceilings and big windows showing great views of the lush Khao Yai forests. The resort has plenty to offer after your daytime nature walk, such as a multipurpose outdoor spot with a fireplace, a restaurant serving farm-to-table dishes, rooftop bar and communal pool with a wellstocked bar. There is also a fitness center offering classes like indoor cycling to boxing.

Priced at about $984. 29 Pansuk-Kudkla Rd., Phayayen, Pak Chong, +65 (0) 92-823-2590.

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Sample good wine

Khao Yai’s GranMonte Vineyard and its Chenin Blancs and Syrahs have regularly won regional prizes in blind tastings, and its young winemaker Nikki Lohitnavy was recently on the Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 list.

Stop by for a scenic $11 wine-tasting tour and stay for lunch. 52 Moo 9 Phayayen, Pakchong, +65 (0)44-009-543, +65 (0) 81-900-8282, www.granmonte.com

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Have coffee at this new cafe

Submarine Coffee Tank is a project

by Secondfloor Architects, who have designed the property in a way that integrates it with the natural surroundings to provide visitors a relaxing, peaceful caffeine fix amid the leafy trees near the entrance of Khao Yai National Park. The industrial-chic, semi-open air cafe is already a hit with locals and visitors, thanks to its insta-friendly design and yummy drinks and dessert offerings, which include over 10 types of cold press juices plus a seasonal menu.

It’s only open three days a week, though (Fri-Sun, from 9am-11pm), so plan wisely.

149 Moo 10, Moo-si, Pakchong, +65 (0) 96-981-0682, www.facebook.com/ yellowsubmarinecoffee