Youth hostels and camping

The Hong Kong Youth Hostels Association (yha.org.hk) operates seven self-catering hostels – mostly a long way from the centre – offering dormitory accommodation for IYHF members from $90.

You can camp for free at the forty campsites run by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (afcd.gov.hk; click on “Country and Marine Parks”), all in relatively remote sites. Facilities are basic – pit latrines and tank water that must be boiled – and you’ll need to be self-sufficient. Pitches are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so get in early at weekends and holidays.