Wild About Hong Kong - hiking, wildlife, weather, conservation and more
Occasionally, typhoons have caused immense damage and loss of life in Hong Kong; the worst effects arise from storm surges, which are somewhat akin to tsunamis accompanied by mighty waves; see Hong Kong Typhoons including Calamitous Storm Surges. But also,…
On 18 September 2025, the system that became Super Typhoon Ragasa developed into a tropical depression; it then rapidly intensified to the east of Luzon, before passing through the Luzon Strait and heading towards the Guangdong coast – looking set…
Even before it really formed, there were forecasts indicating Typhoon Ragasa – as it is now known internationally – would be powerful and could threaten Hong Kong. This remains the case; and here, some updates as Super Typhoon Ragasa approaches…
As I write on 13 November 2024, Tropical Cyclone Toraji is set to pass over Hong Kong, with a T8 signal warning of gales, and radar indicating intense rains to come. It’s highly unusual to have a tropical cyclone affect…
Wetter, Wilder Weather Events Loom with Warming World You may find yourself on a Hong Kong beach, on a roasting hot day when the sun feels extra searing, the air cloying and superheated. Though there’s not a breath of wind,…
While Hong Kong is sometimes hit by typhoons, predicting them in advance is tricky. Yet this doesn’t stop social media and even mainstream media posts that latch on to occasional results of computer forecast models that suggest potential typhoons, even…
Yesterday evening (30 April 2024), weather monitoring imagery showed an intense rainstorm/thunderstorm area – a “supercell” approaching Hong Kong from the west. I went from my home to the public pier at the nearby Cheung Chau typhoon shelter, with ideas…
25 August 2022 (evening) update: Ma-on took a track somewhat south and west of earlier forecasts; passed within 200km of Hong as a severe tropical storm early this morning. So, “no biggie”. Quite dry while it passed Hong Kong too,…
If you plan on using public transport in Hong Kong, consider getting yourself an Octopus stored value card: it’ll make your life much easier – especially on buses with no change given, and you can even use it in vending…
More DocMartin sites More sites by Hong Kong Outdoors founder and webmaster Dr Martin Williams Cheung Chau HK Cheung Chau – a small but fascinating island in Hong Kong (where I live) DocMartin – Hong Kong based writer, photographer and videographer…
Typhoon Mangkhut helped show “storm surge” is a threat to modern cities, not just something for the history books.
To anyone concerned about plans for Lantau Tomorrow Vision, the clobbering of Kansai by T Jebi should indicate it's a Really Bad Idea.
A consideration of science suggests the reclamation plans, including for East Lantau Metropolis are foolhardy, even irresponsible.
While climate change may have long seemed an issue for hardcore, tree-hugging environmentalists, concerns are spreading.
Typhoon Haiyan was among the strongest storms on record, and devastated a swathe of the Philippines. A storm surge was most damaging; and surges have hit Hong Kong.
As well as computer models and weather station info, the Hong Kong Observatory is uses flights to gather data from within tropical cyclones.
With global warming only just getting started, according to scientists, it’s time for Hong Kong to move beyond talk and switching off lights for an hour one day a year Early this month came news that Hong Kong ranked among…
Severe Typhoon Vicente slammed Hong Kong on 23 and 24 July 2012, with hurricane force winds blasting places including Cheung Chau. It was a surprising storm, as even a couple of days earlier it was a large but rather shapeless…
Free smartphone apps that can be helpful for heading outdoors in Hong Kong. My Observatory (我的天文台) Best of all, I think, is this app from Hong Kong Observatory: provides extensive information that can be a boon whilst outdoors. Such as…
Severe Tropical Storm Pabuk looked set to have passed Hong Kong, barely causing an impact other than a pulse of thunderstorms, some rain. Headed towards Hainan, and forecast to dwindle to nothingness. But, it stopped, strengthened again, and turned around…
Here’s short info I sent someone asking for advice on buying binoculars in Hong Kong: Well, I’m a birder, but rather rarely buy binoculars – my Leicas now maybe 15 years old (not sure)! [Since I wrote this, I lost…
Hong Kong does have some places to stay outside the main urban areas.Some are hotels, including in Sha Tin (still urban, but in the New Territories); while there are small village guest houses in wilder places, including several you can…
My farourite Hong Kong bus ride is east from Mui Wo to Ngong Ping, heading along the south coast of Lantau Island, then up into the hills. Though Hong Kong has some fine bus routes into and wholly within the…
Hong Kong's Number 8 tropical cyclone warning can be controversial.
Typhoons have sometimes caused massive damage and loss of life in Hong Kong. Just months after British sovereignty over Hong Kong Island was first declared in 1841, “a violent typhoon flattened all the insubstantial housing and damaged shipping.” (Endacott, A…
Hong Kong can be impacted by tropical cyclones including and typhoons. Happily, typhoons are scarce near Hong Kong, and rarely score direct hits (13 from 1946 to now) – but can be spectacular and deadly when they do impact the…
In Hong Kong, mosquitoes are pesky, but currently rarely carry diseases. For most of my time in Hong Kong, mosquitoes have been pretty much just an irritant – especially from spring to autumn, in and near woodland, and worst around…
Buses abound in Hong Kong, with even small villages served by regular minibuses.
Taxis are abundant in Hong Kong. In most city areas, you’ll find just the regular, red taxis; in the mainland New Territories there are green taxis, while blue taxis serve most of Lantau Island. Red taxis are priciest; flag falls…
Ferry companies serving islands in Hong Kong. (And of course there’s the Star Ferry Company, though that mainly shuttles between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. Plus the Discovery Bay Transportation Services routes serving the suburb across the water, Discovery Bay…
