Keeping well in Hong Kong: FT readers’ top tips

There are great places to run in Hong Kong, especially if you’re looking to do some hill work. Hong Kong Park in Central has trails that lead to the winding hills and stairways around Kennedy Road, or head over to the Bowen Road Fitness Trail, a 3k path with exercise stations along the way.

— Donald Pearce, strategic trade controls, Washington DC, US

Take a long, quiet run along Bowen Road. Nestled in the quiet hills of Mid-Levels, it is not too far from Victoria Peak. I find it a welcome respite from pollutants, and it’s a convenient 10 minutes from the city centre, so you can easily zip in and out of the hills and back to the city in no time. Finding a lunch spot in the tranquil surroundings of Hong Kong Park or the outdoor area of St John’s Cathedral in Central is a to-do whenever I visit. It refuels you before another crazy afternoon of meetings.

— Francis Phuang, global markets salesperson, Singapore

A 15-20-minute run at 6am-7am along the Avenue of Stars on the Victoria Harbour waterfront in Tsim Sha Tsui, followed by a 20-minute swim at the nearby InterContinental hotel.

— Ignacio Gonzalez, global supply manager, Cupertino, California, US

A gentle jog in Victoria Park in Causeway Bay. On Sundays, there are usually exercise classes there too. There is always a lot to see and plenty of ways to unwind. The Park Lane hotel overlooking the park has yoga mats in each room.

— Damien Owens, engineer, Dublin, Ireland

As a triathlete, I try to stay at Le Méridien Cyberport hotel in Pok Fu Lam [expected to reopen in December following renovations] so I can run along the seashore. It’s a hilly road, so it’s perfect for training. The Kennedy Town swimming complex by Victoria Harbour has 50-metre indoor and outdoor pools.

— Jean Mong, general manager, Guangzhou, China

I try to do something fun and active regularly to de-stress — like going bouldering. Verm City in North Point is great. I stick to a meat-free diet and try to eat clean: Mana! in Central is great for a grab-and-go lunch or dinner.

— Olivia Lai, consultant, Hong Kong

I live in HK and use Air Matters, a pollution-monitoring app, to determine when I exercise or hike. I hike with Hong Kong Hikers, a free-to-join group that has different hikes at different levels, some riffs on familiar hikes such as Dragon’s Back or others where you take two ferries to an outlying island. If you don’t have hiking boots and have never hiked before, this is probably not a good fit. Also, even for seasoned hikers, a summer hike is probably not wise if you are not used to HK-like humidity. But . . . you can be a complete beginner and improve. Some HK Hikers members have gone from zero to top-place finishers in trail racing.

— Jackie Militello, Assistant Professor, Hong Kong

You can reach trail starting points around Hong Kong in less than an hour by public transport and finish hikes in three to four hours. I recommend the TrailWatch app, which navigates and tracks you through a range of user-generated trails while also covering the official ones. On Hong Kong Island, Dragon’s Back gives beautiful views over the hills and sea. You can end the walk at Big Wave Bay and go for a swim. The Lantau Trail is another highlight, taking in the giant Tian Tan Buddha statue in Ngong Ping. For the best city views, make your way up Kowloon Peak.

— Quan Tu Tran, student, Vallendar, Germany

Tucked away above Bowen Road, not too far from Admiralty or Wan Chai, Dutch Path is a quiet jungle trail with waterfalls, creeping vines and lush vegetation that feels miles from the city. Complete a loop via the traffic-free Bowen Road or extend your route south on the Hong Kong Trail, a 50km route across Hong Kong Island.

— Alison Cooke, property investor, Hong Kong

If time allows, take the Star Ferry between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island instead of the subway or a cab. The views are breathtaking, especially at night, and the air on the bay is much fresher than in the densely urbanised neighbourhoods. A one-way fare is just HK$2.60 ($0.33/£0.24) on weekdays or HK$3.6 at weekends.

— Alex Fowler, banking, Charlotte, North Carolina, US

I recommend taking out temporary membership at Pure Fitness to try yoga and other fitness classes. Also, order your food through Nutrition Kitchen, which offers meals based on your heath/activity plan.

— Manish Chawla, supply chain professional, Hong Kong

[When visiting Hong Kong,] I walk or run up to Victoria Peak each morning at 4am or 5am along with a few, mostly very senior, locals. The pollution doesn’t affect me at that hour and it’s dark, so I can wear leftover undershirts to keep my packing light. It’s an amazing view at the top and a very invigorating way to start the day.

— Karl Scheer, university endowment chief investment officer, Cincinnati, Ohio, US