Home to epic skyscrapers and incredible views, Hong Kong is the perfect city to channel your inner daredevil and try out one of the most extreme sports, Parkour.
There are plenty of opportunities to do parkour in Hong Kong, as there are a multitude of mammoth buildings with towering rooftops all around the city, but its definitely wise to get some training in and practice Parkour on a smaller scale first. Kowloon Park and Sha Tin Park are great places to start before heading up to the high-rises.
Originating in France in the eighties, Parkour is rapidly rising in popularity and becoming more and more accepted all over the world, particularly with millennials. The sport has no rules, so participants are allowed the freedom to be creative with their moves and engage in self-expression, which may be what attracts younger generations.
But not only must you have a rebellious flair, it is crucial that your body is in excellent shape. Being developed from a military training exercise, Parkour is obviously highly demanding, physically. It is essential that you have great co-ordination and spatial awareness; without these skills you could be setting yourself up for a fatal accident.
Kowloon Park has many great Parkour spots
While Parkour isn’t illegal in Hong Kong, many people who partake in the activity have landed themselves in trouble with the security guards of the buildings that they choose to use for their stunts. Always remain respectful of people and their property around the city and ensure not to not to cause any damage and leave if anyone expresses that they do not wish you to be there. If you want to see real life examples of Parkour fans vs. security (or even just some serious Parkour talent), YouTube has plenty to offer.
Parkour grew in fame in Hong Kong thanks to the movie The Way We Dance, which was released in 2013. If you happen to be in this spectacular city and want to try Parkour out for yourself, the Hong Kong Parkour Association holds training sessions weekly. Whilst Parkour may be too dangerous for some, if you’re brave enough to take on the challenge, Hong Kong will undoubtedly reward you with the most breathtaking sights from the ultimate adult playground.
