Lantau Island

Hong Kong is known as an urban center, but just a short ferry ride away from downtown are traditional fishing villages and untamed beaches waiting to be explored.

Tai O village, sometimes called the Venice of the Orient. Christian Junker | Photography. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Hong Kong is a city of contrasts. It is where crowded slums stand next to glimmering skyscrapers, where its British legacy endures proudly with its Eastern roots, where poverty lives alongside some of the greatest riches in the world. It is also one of the most densely populated cities, with a population density of 17,311 people per square mile, packed inside a small urban center surrounded by mountains and outlying islands.

But right outside the hustle of businesspeople lies a different side of Hong Kong. In some of the outer islands, just 10 away from Central, people live simple lives, sustaining themselves by fishing. Other islands are completely free of development and offer secluded beaches. These islands are part of the New Territories, which is included in the land that make up Hong Kong but have been largely free of development until recently. Nevertheless, it is possible to seek solitude just a short ferry ride away from the heart of Hong Kong, whether it is for a unique cultural experience or for a thrilling outdoor adventure.

While Lantau Island, the largest in the special administrative region, is the location of the city’s airport and has some development on its northern side, the interior and southern side of the island holds quaint villages and massive religious monuments. In the interior of the island, one can find the Po Lin Monastery, a Buddhist monastery established in 1906, and the Big Buddha statue, a massive bronze sculpture of the Buddha completed in 1993. Taking inspiration from ancient Buddhist art forms, these sites offer a great opportunity to learn about the religion’s tradition. These sites are accessible via the Ngong Ping 360 cable car, which takes riders up the mountains from a commercial center near the airport.

On the western coast of Lantau Island lies the village of Tai O, a fishing village partially built on stilts over the water. The villagers there hold on to their traditional way of life, resisting the integration of their lives into modern Hong Kong society. Visitors to the village can experience an authentic fishing village unaffected by the hustle of modern society. Besides trying out the local cuisine, visitors can also take a boat tour to try to spot the endangered Chinese white dolphin.

Cheung Chau Island

Tung Wan beach. Lewi Hirvela. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

A 45-minute ferry ride from Central, Cheung Chau Island offers an adventure for all types of travelers. The island has a long history, being inhabited since prehistoric times. Ancient rock carvings left on the island by its earliest inhabitants have been declared as a monument of Hong Kong. In the 18th century, the island was the site of a pirate hideout. Today, the Cheung Po Tsai cave, where some booty of the pirate of the same name has been hidden, is open to the public to explore.

For those who prefer chilling on the beach, there are two public beaches on the island. Tung Wan beach, located at the heart of the island by the main village, offers soft sand, showers and changing rooms, concession stands, and all the amenities of conventional beach. The other beach, Kwun Yam, is a bit more out-of-the-way, with a smaller swimming area and coarser sand. However, it is the windsurfer’s paradise and was the training ground for Olympic windsurfing champion Lee Lai-Shan, who earned Hong Kong’s first gold medal in the 1996 Atlanta games.

Lamma Island

More laid back than Lantau and Cheung Chau, Lamma Island offers an idyllic landscape. There is an extensive network of paths that takes visitors to a variety of sites around the island, from Hung Shing Yeh beach to the Tin Hau temple. That temple is a prime example of the East-meets-West theme seen throughout Hong Kong; the otherwise Eastern-style temple is guarded by two statues of Western-style lions.

At the Sok Kwu Wan village, visitors can learn about the island’s fishing tradition. The Lamma Fisherfolks’ Village showcases the local fishing culture and history in Hong Kong for visitors. Floating fish farm rafts are spread out across the bay. A trip to Lamma cannot be completed without eating at one of the local restaurants, which serve freshly caught seafood from the island’s waters.

Po Toi and Tung Ping Chau Islands

The rocky coastline of Po Toi Island. Eddie Yip. CC BY-SA 2.0.

These two islands are for the more adventurous types of travelers. They are free from development. Po Toi, the southernmost of Hong Kong’s islands, is completely off the electrical grid, with its few buildings getting electricity from a small generator. This rocky island has many hiking trails, including one to Nam Kok Tsui, the southernmost point in Hong Kong. For the more brave, Mo’s Old House, an abandoned mansion built in the 1930s, is said to be haunted.

Similarly, Tung Ping Chau island, in the remote far-northeast corner of the special administrative region, is also undeveloped. Unlike the rest of Hong Kong, it is composed of shale, resulting in an interesting geologic pattern. While the east side of the island has a sandy beach used for diving, the main focus of the island is its unique rock formations. The special geologic formations have made it a place of scientific interest. Today, it is a part of the UNESCO Global Geoparks network.