Midsummer Day’s Dream

( Pic courtesy: Satyabrata Tripathy / HT Photo )

By Raul Dias

Ignoring the putrid stench of dried fish that fogged us up with every passing sea breeze, we quickly stepped into The Looney, The Lover & The Poet for lunch on a torrid summer’s day. This rather whimsical restaurant occupies the same Khar Danda location where the short-lived Mumbai outpost of Thalassa had set up shop.
In fact, we caught glimpses of quite a few residual décor elements from its predecessor. Cases in point: the Portuguese Azulejo tiled bar counter and straight back wooden chairs that find new purpose here. But then, there are new trimmings too.
These take the form of the colourful fabric pinwheels that are attached onto the ceiling inside and the multitude of swaying dreamcatchers and fairy lights festooned from trees in the al fresco area. Intent on paying homage to a Midsummer Night’s Dream, this place clearly borrows more than just its name from a part of the Shakespearean comedy!
The menu here is quite literally all over the place with elements from cuisines as disparate as Georgian and Japanese. Twinnings that you’d never imagine working so well. But here, they do. A perfect example is our quartet of Italy-meets-Thailand savoury cannolis generously stuffed with kafir lime-laced crab meat and limoncello salt. We only wish they’d used less of the processed crab stick and more of the real crustacean.
Plump and succulent with a ricotta cheese and scallion core, slathered in an umami-rich lamb sauce, the Afghani ashak dumplings were as exotic as they were tasty. Bursting with its kale, green apple and cucumber flavours, the gin-based almost a detox held great promise of a healthy cocktail…if there ever is such a thing. Caprice, our non-alcoholic strawberry, pineapple and goji berry drink was refreshing, if a tad diluted with all the ice.
Introducing us to the wonderful, boat-shaped flat bread from Georgia—the khachapuri, the all vegetarian version served here was sublime. Perfectly marinated artichokes, sundried tomatoes and mushrooms sat atop a soft pizza-like base, with toasted pine nuts providing texture. Though missing the authenticity mark by a mile, and more on the lines of a Goan curry than a typically Japanese karē, the Hokkaido chicken curry, served with fluffy jasmine rice was both comforting and flavoursome.
With a limited dessert selection to pick from, we called for all the honey in the world. And that’s just what we got. Honey drizzled homemade chamomile ice cream cushioned by a moist, fragrant pistachio cake, dusted with the very au courant bee pollen made this one a winner.
“What’s in a name?” One might ask. The Looney, The Lover & The Poet has the answer. 
     

WHAT: The Looney, The Lover & The Poet
RATING: (3.5 out of 5)
WHERE: 216, Khar-Danda Road, Sai Baba Nagar, Koliwada, Khar Danda.
WHEN: 12 pm to 1.30 am
COST: Around Rs 3,500 for two, with one cocktail each
CALL: 9820029933

(An edited version of this review appeared on 12th May 2018 in the Hindustan Times newspaper, India https://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/a-slightly-messy-tribute-raul-dias-reviews-the-looney-the-lover-the-poet/story-5oqAfkwRNvk28w6Zx4TD8I.html)

Notes from Oman

By Raul Dias

Ever the aviation geek, I realised recently that—barring the now-defunct Mumbai-Karachi flight—the Mumbai-Muscat flight of a mere two and a half hours is the shortest international flight out of my home city, direct or otherwise. Yes, even the direct flight to Kolkata is longer for us Mumbaikars!
But then, there has always been some sort of close affinity between Oman and India for centuries. An invisible bond that lasts to this very day. At Mumbai’s street shopping hub of Colaba Causeway, one can still see scores of visiting Omani merchants go about their business, easily distinguishable from their other Middle Eastern neighbours thanks to their distinct wrap-around head gear called the massar. A friend in the henna export business tells me that her number one clients are Omani, with no Omani bride’s trousseau being complete without loads of the stuff that she has applied on her hands and feet, much like an Indian bride would.

The Indian Connection   
And it’s the same story, albeit told a bit differently in the souks of Muscat. Especially at the bustling Mutrah Souk in the old quarter of the city, just besides the beautiful Muscat Corniche. Here, the default lingua franca is Hindi with both local Omani and vendors from the Indian subcontinent peddling their wares lustily in the language.
As I sit down for a meal of the decidedly biryani-meets-yakhni pulao lamb and rice dish called suwa, at a local Omani home a little outside the town of Jabreen, my host Nadir greets me in shudh Hindi. And guess what? He’s never been to India in all his life. His linguistic skills are courtesy of the many Indians that call Oman home.
At the airport in Khasab, up north in Oman’s rugged Musandam Peninsula—as I wait to board my return flight to Muscat—the official checking my passport claims to have seen me shopping the night before in the town’s Lulu Hypermarket. And why wouldn’t I be? It’s one of Khasab’s ‘hot-spots’ on the weekly holiday of Friday with scores of bargain hunters shopping the night away as late as 12am!
As one of the Middle East’s largest supermarket chains, Lulu has 18 such mega marts across Oman selling everything from bisi bele bath paste to Arabic baklava. Once again, an Indian connection springs up in the form of a certain Yusuff Ali M.A. who hails from Nattika, in Kerala’s Thrissur District and who founded Lulu in the year 2000.

Same, Same, but a Little Different!  
Coming back to food, the ubiquitous fried dumplings called luqaimat that I am served at almost every kahwa coffee session are dead ringers for the East Indian community’s fuggias. The only difference is that the luqaimat are doused in either honey or date syrup and served as sweets as opposed to the fuggias’ savoury role in mopping up curries.
The laban that’s almost always served after a heavy meal is another doppelganger. This time of India’s cooling dairy drink—chaas. The only distinguishing factor is that this buttermilk iteration is generously spiked with salt and thicker in texture than the spicy chaas.
Interestingly, this cultural intermingling also works in the opposite direction, with Omani flavours often influencing desi ones. And this is made amply evident when I visit the Nizwa Souk. The Omani halwa that I pick up at one of the shops here, I’m told, is what the gooey, translucent Bombay halwa is based upon. This saffron-pistachio-date redolent sweet that I am offered a taste of, is bolder in flavour with a lingering taste of spices like cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg…that came from? You guessed it—India!

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the 13th May 2018 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 7 http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/travel/notes-from-oman/article23854701.ece)

A-N-A-T-O-M-I-Z-E: Nitro Dahi Bhalla

By Raul Dias

“Should I tackle it as a savoury snack, or simply think of it as one of the most unusual desserts I’ve ever tried?” I do my best to rationalize my order of the wacky-sounding Nitro Dahi Bhalla to no one in particular. Now, if there are two things that challenge me, culinarily speaking that is, then they would have to be the twinning of sweet with savoury in a single dish and molecular gastronomy. Call me a Philistine, but I just don’t get the appeal of either.
While the latter may be on the wane worldwide, try telling that to the guys at Prankster in Gurugram! This restobar, that prides itself on ‘pranking the palates’ of its diners, is enjoying one last little dalliance with molecular gastronomy thanks to this dish. A misnomer of sorts, the making of the Nitro Dahi Bhalla has nothing to do with nitrogen, I soon learn. It only comes to the table shrouded in an icy fog generated by the chemical.     
Created by Chef Harangad Singh, Prankster’s executive chef, the multi-layered dish is composed of a creamy, parfait-like ice cream made from one of North India’s all-time favourite chaats—dahi bhalla. Where the bhalla component is a deep-fried fritter ball made from lentil batter. Liquidized along with tangy yoghurt and churned in an ice cream maker, two scoops of this zany, savoury ice cream sit atop a bed of crispy roomali rotis. Slathered in a sweet-spicy dehydrated tamarind chutney powder and crunchy sev, it is topped off with a sprinkling of fresh pomegranate seeds, mint leaves and shards of papdi.
Interestingly, this dish reveals its two distinct flavour profiles when eaten in parts. If you’re to simply go for the ice cream, then yes, it’s got all the indicators of a well-made dahi bhalla, fresh ginger taste et al. But if you take the trouble to get every single component into one bite, you’re in for a surprise, as your Nitro Dahi Bhalla instantly transforms into an icy rendition of another ‘chaat’-buster—papdi chaat!   


(This column first appeared in the 6th May 2018 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 8 http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-sundaymagazine/nitro-dahi-bhalla/article23789436.ece/amp/)

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A Serving of BKC, Please!

As Mumbai’s most popular commercial super hub, the Bandra Kurla Complex—or BKC to use its trendy moniker—is a vertiginous warren of glass and steel buildings where business booms all day long. Interestingly, it is also one of the city’s premier dining destinations, offering a plethora of options for those after work dining and partying needs. We bring you a serving of BKC’s top 10 hot spots.

By Raul Dias

O Pedro
Fast becoming the go-to place for some fun, fusion-forward Goan nosh and imaginative
drinks, is this whimsically decorated bar-cum- restaurant. Here, one can expect drinks that
bring back the fun of tropical living along with simple, yet sophisticated food that reflects
Goa’s stunning culinary diversity, going back to its Portuguese influences and further
beyond. The food at O Pedro sidesteps Goa’s touristy flavours to evoke all this rich, complex
culinary history. But that’s not to say that a meal here is a meat lover’s feast alone. The menu
includes a host of vegetarian renditions of Portuguese and Saraswat classics. So, expect to
dive into a stuffed charred cabbage foogath and the breadfruit rawa fry with as much gusto as
a serving of the sublime chicken baffad curry or Aunty Braganza’s crab rissois!

Unit #2, Ground Floor, Jet Airways-Godrej BKC Building, BKC
Tel: 022-26534700/01/02


Nara Thai
Think flavourful Bangkok-style street food—über reasonable price et al—in a jazzed-up
setting and this elegant restaurant, replete with an al fresco sitting area, pops into mind. Done
up with hints of royal Thai purple with carefully manicured topiaries and flower beds, this
place is a calm spot amidst BKC’s humdrum. Perfect for a quick lunch is the express business
lunch that gives you a brief sampling of the authentically Thai menu. Here, you can expect to
tuck into everything from dishes like crispy fried morning glory and the refreshing yum som
o pomelo salad to gai tord samunprai (crispy fried chicken and Thai herbs) and an authentic
north-eastern Thai spicy chicken salad called larb gai. But save space for Nara Thai’s
signature dish like the khao phad samunprai that’s made with the brilliantly blue butterfly pea
flower that also finds itself in drinks like the butterfly pea sour.

Ground Floor, Raheja Towers, Opposite SIDBI, BKC
Tel: 022-61378080


Masala Library
Responsible for bestowing a certain classy cache on to Indian cuisine thanks to the brilliantly
conceptualised and plated out dishes on its menu, Masala Library by the legendry Jiggs Kalra
has been at the very vortex of the whole BKC dining scene for a few years now.
Experimental, yet retentive of the traditional technique and flavours that go into making the
perfect Indian meal, here equal emphasis is placed on both substance and presentation. And
though the a la carte offerings represent the restaurant’s food philosophy perfectly, it is the
16-course degustation menu featuring dishes like the wild mushroom chai and the charcoal
bhajia that take fine dining to a whole other level and that truly makes dining here a highly
recommended indulgence.

Ground Floor, First International Financial Centre, G Block, BKC
Tel: 91-8454900900


Toast & Tonic
The easy, languid vibe that this restobar projects is perfect for a post-meeting unwind session
over well-made drinks and sophisticated food, in a setting that is effortlessly chic and refreshingly minimal with its Scandi-chic décor accents. It borrows heavily from the East Village, in the south of Manhattan which is easy going and irreverent. At Toast & Tonic expect to find small plates like lightly poached kokum shrimp in a kokum and coconut broth, prawn pickle and prawn crackers and the tuna tataki tostada with jalapeno cream, ginger and sesame oil. Sip on a host of tonic-based drinks like the spiced vanilla tonic, the flower power tonic (jasmine, elderflower and grapefruit) and the yummy star anise and pear tonic.

Unit #1, Ground Floor, Jet Airways-Godrej BKC Building, BKC
Tel: 022-26534722



CinCin
This trattoria-style Italian restaurant’s approach is stylish yet casual where you can enjoy a
post-work drink with some cicchetti or small plates that are typically served in a traditional
Venetian bacari. Featuring arched windows connecting the main dining area with the al
fresco section via an open bar, this is the place to grab a table or sit by the bar and enjoy the
lemon trees and shrubbery. CinCin draws inspiration from the potent flavours of regional
Italy to deliver seasonal, ingredient-driven plates of food like strozzapreti, a slow cooked
chicken ragu. But for those who prefer to graze, you can choose from 30 odd cicchettis to
hand rolled pastas, meat specialties and Napolitan style pizzas. And for dessert, don’t miss
the tre latti, a luscious milk-saturated cake.

Ground Floor, Raheja Towers, Near Dena Bank, BKC
Tel: 022-69956666


Hello Guppy
This cute and whimsical restaurant offers a range of Japanese food in an easy-to- eat format,
within an approachable, friendly space. Packaged perfectly to appeal to the office-going
crowd seen in the BKC area, the menu includes soup, salads, sushi, soba and udon noodle dishes, donburi rice bowls and yes, the ubiquitous Japanese favourite ramen as well. The space is an explosion of Japanese pop culture with every corner of the compact space covered with vintage robots, Japanese transistors, wall art and posters. But once the sun sets, Hello Guppy undergoes a transformation, with neon lighting, a crazy disco ball, and an emphasis on innovative drinks, as it becomes time to let loose and party the night away.

Ground Floor, Jet Airways-Godrej BKC Building, BKC
Tel: 022-26534720


SodaBottleOpenerWala
Despite this zany eatery clocking in almost three years of existence, it is still a die-hard
favourite of the BKC crowd. And why not? SodaBottleOpenerWala is your quintessential
Bombay Irani Café and bar with all its idiosyncrasies pat in place. It truly is a modern tribute
to the dying legacy of a Bombay Irani Cafe bringing with it typical Parsi cuisine, some Irani
specialties and Bombay street food in a fun, quirky and contemporary avatar. Nostalgia
warms your heart as you navigate through the menu that has on it specialities like dhanshak,
paatra ni macchi and their version of the famous berry pulao. Drinks like the iconic raspberry
soda and Parsi ‘choi’ infuse a bit more nostalgia and fun into your post business meeting-
saturated day.

02, Ground Floor, The Capital Building, G Block, BKC
Tel: 022-40035678


​Hemant Oberoi
As perhaps Mumbai’s only restaurant that’s named after a person, Hemant Oberoi is the
culmination of 40 years of culinary mastery by chef Hemant Oberoi. Perfect for a celebratory
dinner with the team, the large, 3,000sq ft property is done up with plenty of rich golds, reds
and dark wood. The menu is primarily European fine dining, but one can often find bursts of
whimsy like in the Asian style Chilean Sea bass served with orzo pasta and spinach. For
those on the go and desirous of a quickie, the 2- and 3-course lunch menus offered here are a
perfect way to get a glimpse into the mastery of the legendary chef. But for those with time
and yes, money, do indulge in the super-indulgent a la carte dinner service and thank us later!

Unit #5, Ground Floor, Jet Airways-Godrej BKC Building, BKC
Tel: 022-26534757


Taftoon
Inspired by the food that can be found along the Grand Trunk Road, that runs from
Chittagong to Kabul, this bright and airy restaurant offers up an exotic taste of everything
from Kashmiri to Rampuri cuisine. Named after the leavened, milk, yoghurt, and egg-
redolent Persian bread that has a mere whisper of saffron anointing it, we see Taftoon paying
homage to it in myriad ways across its vast menu. Try it in the taftoon pe harissa, which is a
mix platter of three, coin sized harissa-smeared taftoon disks—each topped with different delicacies like a divine mushroom paté and a spicy pulled chicken. This is also the place to sample the more robust Bihari cuisine staples like litti chokha that’s best chased with the fragrant Kashmiri kahwa tea, or with a saffron cocktail, perhaps?

Unit #2, Ground Floor, Naman Centre, G Block, BKC
Tel: 022- 26530253/65656100


The Good Wife
Ignore its borrowed-from- a-TV- show name and hang out with your colleagues on a Friday
night at this buzzing hotspot that’s somehow always packed to the rafters. But there’s a good
(pardon the pun!) reason for that. Famous for its reasonably priced drinks and food, a night
out at the wood panelled and be-chandeliered restobar won’t put in a dent in anything… least
of all your wallet! Taking its business district location very seriously, The Good Wife’s
signature drink is called The Wolf Of BKC. Team this one with a host of nibbles like the
three-peppercorn grilled chicken and the soy ginger prawns and kiss the past week’s blues
away.

Ground Floor, The Capital Building, G Block, BKC
Tel: 022- 40109433


(An edited version of this article first appeared in the May 2018 issue of Jetwings International in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)

Thai Yourself Up!

A perfect marriage of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and spicy flavours, Thai food has been basking in its much-deserved worldwide popularity for the last decade or so. So, why not immerse yourself in the wonders of this beloved cuisine, by signing up for a cookery class at these five top culinary schools on your next Bangkok jaunt?

By Raul Dias

Blue Elephant Cooking School
Run by the indomitable mother-daughter team of Chef Nooror Steppe and Sandra Steppe, the
Blue Elephant Cooking School was established in the year 2000 at the historic Old Thai
Chine Building. All cookery classes at the school start with a guided visit to the local
morning market to purchase the ingredients that you’ll need for the class. This is followed by
a hands-on instructor-led class, ending with eating the meal cooked by you at the onsite
restaurant of the same name. From learning the secrets of ancient royal Thai cuisine to the
more contemporary fusion style, there’s something for everyone here. And for those with a
yen for leaning the intricate art of vegetable and fruit carving, the school also has a special
carving class to add on to your time table once you’re done with the cookery component.

233 South Sathorn Road, Kwaeng Yannawa,
Khet Sathorn, Bangkok 10120
+66 (2) 6739353-8
blueelephantcookingschool.com


Chef Leez Thai Cooking Class
Though this cookery school was established only in 2011, what’s better than learning home-
style Thai cooking from someone who has been cooking since the age of five? Yes, the multi-
lingual Chef Leez has culled recipes from her grandmother’s restaurant repertoire and curated
an exhaustive list of dishes that include everything from starters and curries to salads and
desserts. This means that you can pick a whopping 12 family recipes from the list to learn in
a single class. What makes Chef Leez’s classes most interesting is the fact that she even
caters to the needs of vegans, vegetarians, those with allergies and even children. Known for
her very precise instructions and fun approach to cookery, the journey chez Chef Leez
doesn’t end once you’re done with your day of class. All alumni members have unlimited
access to her online recipe book that also has videos and additional tips to get you going.

4/1206 Seri Thai 57 Alley,
Khet Bueng Kum, Bangkok 10230
+66 865681311
chefleez.com


Silom Thai Cooking School
One of the most basic, yet authentic schools on our list, the Silom Thai Cooking School is for
the serious learner. With an outdoor kitchen, the classes at this cooking school are held only
in the mornings, following a dawn market visit to procure fresh ingredients. Also, the focus here is on small numbers. Preferring to limit their classes to just eight students at a time, in order that each one gets enough one-on- one time with the instructors. This is one school that believes in doing everything from scratch which means, detailed instructions on the cooking techniques, ingredients and utensils used. Here, even the curry pastes are prepared fresh by the students themselves. And while all the herbs used are freshly picked, only whole spices go into the dishes rather than packaged ones. Once done, students and instructors sit down to a home-style, five-course meal in the school’s beautifully appointed traditional Thai garden.

68 Waiti, Khwaeng Silom,
Khet Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500
+66 847265669
bangkokthaicooking.com


Baipai Thai Cooking School
Though a good half hour out of Downtown Bangkok, near the weekend shopping wonderland
called Chatuchak Market, this school is located in a paradisiacal setting of a traditional two-
storied Thai wooden house in a lush garden. All this making for a great day trip out of the
city for a spot of culinary education Thai Style! Established in 2002, the Baipai Thai Cooking
School offers a mind-boggling array of cookery classes that range from private classes to
team building classes to the very popular and much recommended half day classes.
Accredited by the Ministry of Education of Thailand, the focus at Baipai is very much on the
food, its preparation and presentation—all in an ideal home-style learning environment. In
fact, the food and cooking techniques here are so authentic, that it’s not surprising to see local
Thai food professionals come here to further hone their skills.

8/91 Ngam Wongwan Road, Soi 54,
Ladyao, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900
+66 896606535
baipai.com


May Kaidee
Ignore the incessant din of the backpacker-infested Khao San Road nearby and immerse
yourselves in all things delectable and Thai at this cute little cookery school located slap bang
in the heart of the city. Akin to a rarer than rare find in a city obsessed with meat, this school
that was established 30 years ago in 1988 is an all vegetarian affair, folks! Yes, recipes taught
here substitute non-vegetarian staples like the unavoidable fish sauce with a fermented soy
sauce etc. Catering to beginners and experienced chefs alike, the most popular Thai cooking
class is the half day program beginning at 9am in the morning and again at 2pm in the
afternoon. But for those with limited time, the school offers an express cookery class of just
two hours. Taught at 3pm and 5pm daily, you will learn to whip up three recipes and a
dessert. Taking the whole vegan thing a notch higher is the unique one-day introduction to
raw vegan Thai recipes class. Fancy a raw Thai ice cream sandwich, anyone?

59 Tanao Road, Watsamphraya,
Phranakorn, Bangkok 10200
+66 (2) 6294413
maykaidee.com


The Essential Thai Larder
No self-respecting Thai recipe would be complete without a pinch here, a dash there and a
generous splodge of at least one of these five larder staples:
1. Nam pla or fish sauce- This amber-hued nectar that’s made from fermented, salted
anchovies serves a dual purpose of not only imparting to the dish a delicate fishy hint,
but also steps in as the de facto salting ingredient, thus eliminating the need to add
any salt whatsoever to the dish.
2. Palm sugar- Used in lieu of sugar for thousands of years in Thailand, the almost
caramel-tasting palm sugar isn’t just limited to the making of khanom or Thai sweets,
but also finds itself generously used in curries, and stir fry dishes like pad thai and as
a dressing for salads like larb.
3. Curry paste- Be it the mild yellow, the deceptively hot green or the medium hot red
varieties, curry pastes are the lynchpin of Thai cuisine. An amalgamation of
lemongrass, chilli, galangal, sweet basil, kaffir lime leaves and garlic, curry pastes can
be found in fish cakes, soups and the ubiquitous plethora of curries, of course.
4. Coconut- Milk, cream, flesh, desiccated, juice—the coconut in all its wondrous forms
is a crucial element of Thai cuisine and there’s probably ne’er a day in the life of a
Thai cook when they won’t encounter the coconut.
5. Rice- After India, Thailand is perhaps one of the only countries in the world that
offers such a mind-boggling variety of rice. From the perfumed jasmine rice and the
gooey wonders of sticky rice to the nutty flavour of black rice, this grain is a much-
revered staple. And rightly so!

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the May 2018 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)

Take a Hike!

While most see Hong Kong as a bustling urbs primus saturated with its glass and steel skyscrapers, there’s another, equally vertiginous sporty facet to this island city. We bring you some of HK’s most scenic and adrenaline pumping hikes to recharge yourselves with.

By Raul Dias

Dragon’s Back
Without a doubt, the meandering path up Dragon’s Back is HK’s most widely followed path
by both hiking enthusiasts and general thrill seekers alike, making it the city’s number one
hike at a comfortable 8.5km. Also known by the drabber sounding ‘Hong Kong Trail Section
8’, this southside island hike is not very challenging and perfect for families and those with
moderate levels of fitness. At around 284 metres high, the sightseeing platform on Shek O
Peak is the perfect place to take a nice mid-hike break while enjoying the panorama of Shek
O and Tung Lung Island below. Once at the top at Tai Long Wan, you will be rewarded with
sights of golden sanded beaches and picturesque little fishing villages dotted along the South
China Sea coast.
Getting there: Metro to Shau Kei Wan MTR, then take bus number 9 to To Tei Wan on Shek
O Road which is close to the start of the hiking trail.

Morning Trail
Another easy, relaxed hike, this approximately 3-hour, 2.8km trail reaches an altitude of only
400 meters, starting at one the city’s most enduring icons—The Peak. Turning off Harlech
Road, stunning vistas can be found along the paths surrounding the Peak, where you will
encounter lush bamboo forests and extensive birdlife and insects. A few meters in and the
trail curves downwards along the Hatton Road fitness trail, where a short diversion on the left
of the trail half deposits you at the abandoned Pinewood Battery. Constructed in 1903 during
British colonial rule, with two six-inch guns installed for the defence of the harbour, the
battery makes for a great snack stop. Here’s a little insider tip we found useful: Never mind
the ‘morning’ in the trail’s name, if possible, time your hike towards sunset time and see all
of HK and Kowloon below bathed in the ethereal golden glow!
Getting there: Tram, taxi, bus number 15 or minibus number 1 to the Peak Galleria and then
follow Harlech Road to start the hike.

Lantau Peak Hike
Characterised by its low mountains and serene environment, Lantau Island is the perfect
getaway from the frantic city life. No great surprise then that the hiking paths on this island
are among HK’s best. As the second highest peak in HK at 934 meters, the 4km hike to the
top of Lantau Peak is adrenaline packed thanks to the beautiful scenery, though the climb to
the summit can get a tad rugged. Designed in such a way that you can end the hike at various
points, one of the best options is to end your hike after about three hours of ascent at the
stunning Big Buddha statue where you can refresh yourselves with a snack and a drink while pottering around the Ngong Ping park with its monastery. For those who wish to continue,
you can hike down to Tung Chung along the tree-covered Tei Tong Tsai Country Trail, as
you take in the beauty of the monasteries you will pass by. Alternatively, seasoned hikers
may want to continue down towards the Shek Pik Reservoir.
Getting there: Metro to Tung Chung MTR Station. Cable car at Tung Chung Ngong Ping
Cable Car terminal to the Ngong Ping terminal. From there follow the signs to the start of the
Lantau Trail.

Violet Hill and The Twins
While it may not be a very long hike at just around 4.8km, this hike also known as Wilson
Trail Section 1 isn’t for the faint hearted. Try working your way uphill at the steep Violet Hill
for a good half hour and then descend around 1,000 or so stairs to start the Twins section of
the hike. For an added twist, many hikers try incorporating the easier Tze Lo Lan Country
Trail after completing the main Violet Hill-Twins trail. This can be done by hiking a little
way back up Violet Hill then turning left where the sign says Wong Nai Chung Reservoir.
But for those preferring to stick to the original trail, you will finish the hike at the beautiful
Repulse Bay where you can reward yourself with a nice relaxing meal at one of the many
restaurants that dot the beach.
Getting there: Taxi or hire a car to Parkview, then walk back uphill to the marked entrance of
Wilson Trail section 1 at Violet Hill.

MacLehose Trail
We’ve truly saved the best and the most challenging hike for the last. Yes, the MacLehose
Trail makes the strenuous Violet Hill-Twins seems like a walk in the park in comparison!
Truly the mother of all HK hikes, this one in the city’s New Territories area clocks in a
mammoth 100km, winding through beautiful countryside. While no one actually does all of
this hike in one go, the hike is divided up into 10 sections of varying degrees of difficulty,
with hike times ranging from 1.5 hours to five hours each. If we had to pick, we’d go for the
Sai Kung section that boasts an impressive collection of natural formations along the way,
including sea caves, sea stacks and the Giant’s Causeway-esque hexagonal columns that add
a sense of mystery to the hike.
Getting there: Bus number 94 to the Pak Tam Chung Terminus. The hike starts at the junction
of Pak Tam Road and Man Yee Road.


Naturally Speaking
It’s not just scenic hiking trails that bestow HK with some serious street cred as a nature
lover’s paradise. Here are a few more places to take in all that serenity:
 Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park-Not just a protected area that contains 60 types of hard
coral and 120 species of marine life, this park—that means ‘Bay Beneath the Sea’—inthe city’s New Territories area, is also the place for those interested in snorkelling and
coral diving.
 Tai Po Kau Special Area-Listed by the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society as one of
the best places to see rare birds and insects, this protected ecosystem near Chung Tsai
Yuen is also a treasure trove of indigenous flowers and fruits.
 High Island-Part of the Hong Kong Geopark, this island alone has some of HK’s most
spectacular rock formations that take the form of angular patterns. Don’t miss
checking out the hill at Po Pin Chau that’s split into two sections by natural forces.
 Hong Kong Wetland Park-with over 60 hectares of swampland, this park in Tin Shui
Wai is teeming with everything from birds and butterflies, to amphibians and reptiles
like Pui Pui the resident salt water crocodile.

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the May 2018 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)