Quarry Hill is a 107 metre (approximately 350 ft) high hill in Ho Man Tin known for its views of To Kwa Wan and Kowloon Bay. The top of the hill is flat and occupied by the Ho Man Tin High Level Service Reservoir Playground. However, more recently, it’s gained popularity as another Instagram-worthy location in Hong Kong.

Instagrammable steps at Quarry Hill

The hidden gem is a photogenic spot in question is a flight of steps connecting a sitting area, on the side of Quarry Hill, and the top, where the playground is located. The steps provide the illusion as if they’re emerging from the city!

The views of To Kwa Wan and beyond in the background with the steps in the foreground provide a unique opportunity to showcase the beauty of Hong Kong from a height without having to hike all that much!

In this guide, we’ll highlight how to walk up to Quarry Hill and the photogenic steps.

Quarry Hill Hike, Ho Man Tin

Quarry Hill, Ho Man Tin Map and Elevation Profile

To reach the top of Quarry Hill you have to walk uphill for approximately 15–20 minutes from the Ho Man Tin MTR. And that’s why, I’m reluctant to term it as a “hike”, when it’s really a “short uphill walk”.

Having said that, there’s one section that’s particularly tricky thanks to very short and narrow steps on the edge of a hill. More on that below.

In terms of the walk, Quarry Hill reminded me a lot of Checkerboard Hill. However, unlike Checkerboard Hill, which has a rich history associated with Kai Tak Airport, I couldn’t find much information about Quarry Hill. Except that the area was once zoned as the Shek Shan Resettlement Area.

Here’s a quick video to showcase the entire walk.

So, what’s the easiest route to get to the top of Quarry Hill?

Starting Point

To start your walk to Quarry Hill, arrive at Ho Man Tin MTR Station and then take exit A2 on to Fat Kwong Street.

Take Exit A2 at Ho Man Tin MTR Station

As you exit the elevator (there are no steps or escalators at this exit), turn right and walk for about 15–20 metres. Take the cut to a path on the right that heads towards a colourful flight of steps, almost behind the MTR exit.

To the Ho Man Tin East Service Reservoir Playground

Climb up the mural-painted steps behind the MTR exit to the top. At the landing, continue walking on the road.

The road runs past a couple of benches and an outdoor seating area on a very gentle incline before it reaches the Ho Man Tin East Service Reservoir Playground.

At this point, the route may not be that obvious. But to continue towards Quarry Hill, walk towards the fence and turn right onto the dirt trail that runs along the fence.

Continue walking on the outside of the fence as you admire the two football fields at the Ho Man Tin East Service Reservoir Playground on the right.

Up ahead, the path becomes quite narrow with fences on both sides now. Keep walking till you reach the steps to the back of a public toilet.

The trail continues behind the public toilet

At this point, the path continues behind the public toilet and finally reaches another set of steps.

To Quarry Hill (Ho Man Tin High Level Service Reservoir Playground)

As mentioned above, the steps that follow are the tricky section of the walk.

Here comes the final climb

After the first flight, there is a flat section. From here, you get the first views of To Kwa Wan below. But as you walk ahead, the steps become very narrow, and run up the edge of the hill with no support on one side.

If I’m being honest, I didn’t find the steps too difficult while walking uphill but did have to hold the railing tight while walking downhill.

At the top of the steps, there are two divergent paths. The one of the left leads to a locked gate. So, take the path on the right and enter the small area with trees and shrubs.

As soon as you cross that, you’ll reach a ledge on the outside of a fence. Carefully walk across the ledge to a railing on the other side. Hop over the railing.

At this point, you may be wondering if this is these are the stairs with the views. Although these steps have similar views, there is another flight of steps 50 metres ahead with better views.

Nope, not these steps

To reach those steps, step onto the path around the Ho Man Tin High Level Service Reservoir Playground, walk about 50 metres ahead and the steps will be on your right.

Views All Around

Enjoy the views from the top of the steps and take as many the pictures!

After that, be sure to walk down to the seating area on the side of Quarry Hill. From here, you can admire panoramic views of To Kwa Wan, Kowloon Bay, and beyond.

And towering behind the skyscrapers, you can also clearly see Lion Rock, Kowloon Peak, Tate’s Cairn, and Temple Hill.

There are a few more steps below the outdoor seating area where you can grab a few more shots.

There are a few more stairways below the seating area

Finally, when you’re done admiring the views and getting all the pictures, retrace your steps back to the starting point to end this excursion.

The photogenic steps at Quarry Hill

A Lovely Instagram Spot in HK

The best time to visit Quarry Hill is in the late afternoon/early evening when the sun is casting its light on To Kwa Wan. We were also lucky when we went to Quarry Hill as it was a full moon evening, and we got to see the moon rise behind the hills.

We caught the moon rise from Quarry Hill

If you enjoy such easy to reach Instagram-worthy spots in HK, we recommend the Sai Wan Swimming Shed and Red Incense Burner Hill (Braemar Hill).

Please feel free to share this post on the social media channel of your choice or drop us a message below.

droneandslr

That day when I got to see Mt. Fuji from Tokyo

The weekend is here. Time to hit the beach or the

Discover the wartime cooking ranges near Quarry Ba

Pui O

What a glorious sunset today

Another fascinating night on the snake safari in H

A burnt orange sunset today 🌇 😍

Just another day at Nara

Kofuku-ji Nan-endo (Southern Round Hall), Nara

Follow on Instagram