Ever wondered what it felt like to stand at the northernmost hill in Hong Kong? Right here is Hung Fa Chai.
Hung Fa Chai lies in Robin’s Nest Country Park. It is a peak with a height of 489 metres. That is 1604 feet. This peak is located in the New Territories.
Hung Fa Chai sits just 500 metres northeast of Robin’s Nest. This area was once part of the Frontier Closed Area. Now, hikers can freely explore it. No permits are needed anymore.
Did you know Hung Fa Chai had another name? Old colonial maps called it Ben Nevis. This is after the highest mountain in Scotland. Quite a change isn’t it?
Its name has an interesting meaning. Hung Fa Chai shares the red flower root with Robin’s Nest. Chai means stockaded village camp or mountain stronghold. Interesting combination isn’t it?
There is more to know about Shenzhen nearby. In 1979 Shenzhen was a small border city. It had only about 30000 people. It was a customs stop from Hong Kong. That year it became a special economic zone. Foreign investment and technology flowed in. Wages rose and living standards improved. Workers flocked to factories. Shenzhen’s economy boomed.
The rapid growth became known as Shenzhen speed. The Chinese government created more special economic zones. Shenzhen became an experiment for economic reform.
As you stand on Hung Fa Chai remember its history. From a border marker to a hiker’s haven this hill has seen it all. It connects Hong Kong’s natural beauty with its dynamic past. Enjoy the view and the story of Hung Fa Chai.