First published in Elysiants on 20 November 2011.
Hong Kong is such a concrete jungle it is hard for us to imagine that there are any tranquil places at all. If you fancy taking your family or friends out for a decent picnic, a crowd-free jog, or even a biking trip, then Fairview Park would be your best bet. As someone from the island, we tend to be shunned by the New Territories, being way past the darker side. In reality, it is only one hour away by MTR, and that is nothing if you are originally from North America or Australasia.
En route to Fairview Park, you will have to go through Yuen Long, which looks rather like any other districts you will find in Kowloon or the New Territories. But as soon as you set foot on their estate area, you will feel like you have just been transported to Vancouver. On the promenade walking towards their main shopping area, you can spot white/black swans, fish, and turtles swamping over for any food that you can spare.
Right on the lakeside, you will find quite a few fellow joggers, so bring along your most fashionable running gear and join them for a great workout. They also have the M.B. Shop, a bike shop that could help you plan for a great tour around Nam Sang Wai, a breathtakingly scenic wetland park right next door.
At the end of the walk, you will reach a huge meadow where you can just throw your blanket and pop your champagne. If you aren't keen on lots of preparation, their shopping area inside the estate has a huge Park n Shop, a Pacific Coffee that does buy one get one free, a handy Cafe de Coral, a round the clock Circle K, and, surprisingly, a Wet Market. It gives you the choice of being spontaneous.
After all the lounging around, head back over to Yuen Long with their regular shuttle buses for a fantastic dinner at the phenomenal Tai Wing Wah Restaurant, and end your day trip with a gigantic bowl of B's Grass Jelly (B仔涼粉). On your way back to the island, why not get some souvenirs for your friends from Hang Heung? The locals promised that it taste so much better than what you would normally find in their chain stores on the island.
So how do you get there? Take the MTR to Yuen Long on the West Rail Line, and then interchange to Fairview Park's estate shuttle bus. Both have a rather frequent schedule, so you should get there in around an hour from Admiralty. If you are going during the weekends, avoid taking the bus (KMB 968) because there are so many people you will end up standing for the entire journey, and let's face it, that's just no fun.