Lantau Island, Hong Kong — A confluence of surging tourism, driven largely by mainland Chinese visitors seeking out scenic autumn views, and a major international ultramarathon transformed Sunset Peak (Tai Tung Shan) on Lantau Island into a dense bottleneck over the weekend, underscoring rising pressures on Hong Kong’s cherished country parks. The unexpected crowds, drawn by the viral popularity of the mountain’s golden silvergrass fields on social media platforms like Xiaohongshu, coincided with the TransLantau by UTMB race, leading to stretches where elite athletes navigated narrow trails shoulder-to-shoulder with hundreds of sightseers.
The popular locale, known for its tranquil nature, temporarily became a hub of human traffic on Saturday. Eyewitness accounts described queues stretching hundreds of meters near critical photo spots, highlighting the challenge of balancing recreation, conservation, and commercial events in the limited space of Hong Kong’s natural reserves.
Viral Images Fuel Mass Influx
Sunset Peak’s autumnal appearance, when the sprawling silvergrass turns a distinctive golden hue, has long been appreciated locally, but its recent surge in popularity is attributed significantly to digital promotion. A key catalyst was the widespread association with Eason Chan’s album, Taste the Atmosphere, which helped cement the mountain’s iconic status years ago. More recently, aggressive posting on mainland social media has turned the site into a mainland tourist hotspot, particularly during the silvergrass season which peaks in November.
Reporters observing the scene noted queues exceeding 100 people at the main silvergrass viewing areas. At “Skipping Stone,” another prominent viewpoint near the summit, dozens of visitors waited in line to capture photographs, a testament to the influence of online “punch-in” culture. Many tourists were reportedly following detailed hiking guides sourced from Xiaohongshu.
Racing Against the Crowd: Runners and Hikers Converge
The unusual congestion was exacerbated by the TransLantau ultramarathon, one of Asia’s preeminent trail races, which runs across Lantau’s challenging terrain. Race checkpoints were established at the foothills of Sunset Peak, requiring organizers to deploy additional staff to ensure participant safety and manage the flow of both runners and sightseers.
Along the narrowest sections of the Lantau Trail (Section 2), particularly between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., runners moving at speed passed hikers moving slowly, resulting in moments of close contact. Both groups, however, generally maintained order through mutual courtesy, with the runners and hikers demonstrating patience despite the physical limitations of the trail.
Conservation Enforcement and Safety Warnings
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and the Country Parks authority increased their presence on the mountain, patrolling for illegal activities and monitoring compliance with conservation rules. Park authorities reported that while the overall atmosphere remained orderly due to mutual consideration, they were forced to take enforcement actions.
The Hong Kong Country Parks Facebook page confirmed that staff issued numerous verbal warnings and took action against four individuals for rule violations, though specific details of the infringements were not immediately disclosed. Authorities had previously warned the public about the anticipated crowding due to the race and provided safety advice, urging hikers to:
- Move single-file and keep to the left when encountering opposing traffic.
- Minimize noise pollution to protect the natural environment.
- Strictly avoid stepping on the silvergrass to prevent environmental damage.
- “Leave No Trace” by carrying all personal refuse out of the park.
The simultaneous pressures of major recreational events and burgeoning social-media led tourism present a growing sustainability challenge for Hong Kong’s country parks, forcing authorities to continuously adapt their management and enforcement strategies to protect these vital natural spaces.
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