Another Hong Kong, forty minutes from Central
Hong Kong is far more than glass towers, neon signs and crowded MTR platforms. The territory counts more than 260 islands, and a handful of them offer something the city centre cannot: empty beaches, seafood villages, incense-filled temples and easy hiking trails, all within an hour of the skyscrapers. A ferry ride from Central is one of the cheapest mini cruises in Asia, and for many visitors a lazy day on Cheung Chau or Lamma turns out to be the highlight of the whole trip.
Getting there: Central Piers and the Octopus card
Almost all island ferries leave from the Central Piers, a row of numbered terminals next to the IFC mall and the Star Ferry. Boats to Cheung Chau depart from Pier 5, Lamma ferries from Pier 4 and Peng Chau from Pier 6. Simply tap your Octopus card at the gate; single fares are cheap by Hong Kong standards, mostly in the HK$15-40 range depending on the route, the day and the type of boat. On the Cheung Chau line you can choose between the ordinary ferry, slower but with an open deck and lovely harbour views, and the fast ferry which cuts the trip to about 35 minutes. Weekend fares are slightly higher and boats fill up quickly, so start early in the morning.
Cheung Chau: the island without cars
Dumbbell-shaped Cheung Chau is the liveliest and most colourful of the islands. There are no cars here at all; everyone moves on foot or by bicycle, which you can rent cheaply near the pier. The waterfront promenade is lined with seafood restaurants and stalls selling two local classics: giant fish balls on skewers and sweet dried mango. A short walk inland stands the Pak Tai temple, the spiritual heart of the island and the stage of the famous Bun Festival held every year in late spring. During the festival, huge towers covered with thousands of lucky buns rise in front of the temple, and at midnight climbers race up them in a contest broadcast across the city. On the other side of the island stretches Tung Wan beach, a windsurfing hub where Lee Lai-shan trained before winning Hong Kong's first Olympic gold medal in Atlanta in 1996; a small windsurfing centre still rents boards today. Walk further south along the coastal path and you reach the tiny Cheung Po Tsai cave, said to have been a hideout of the legendary pirate of the same name.
Lamma: one trail, two villages
Lamma is the classic half-day escape and feels greener and quieter than Cheung Chau. It has two ferry villages with very different characters. Yung Shue Wan in the north has a laid-back, slightly hippie atmosphere, with vegetarian cafes, craft shops and bars run by expats who swapped Central for flip-flops. Sok Kwu Wan in the south is essentially one long row of seafood restaurants built on stilts over the bay, famous for steamed fish and garlic prawns. The two villages are connected by the Family Trail, an easy, mostly paved path that takes about an hour and passes Hung Shing Yeh beach, breezy viewpoints over the South China Sea and green hills. The perfect plan is simple: sail in to one village, walk the trail, sit down to a seafood dinner and catch the ferry home from the other side.
Peng Chau, Po Toi and Tap Mun
If you have more time, three smaller islands reward the curious. Peng Chau, just off Discovery Bay, is a miniature world of narrow lanes, temples and quiet cafes set among the remains of an old match factory that once employed thousands of workers; today artists have moved into some of its ruins. Po Toi, the southernmost inhabited island of Hong Kong, is served by weekend ferries only and draws hikers with dramatic granite formations, locally harvested seaweed and one famous open-air restaurant serving seafood noodles. Tap Mun, also called Grass Island, sits in the far northeast: a windswept meadow with grazing cows, weekend campers and some of the freshest sea air in the territory.
How to plan island hopping
- Count on half a day per island; Cheung Chau and Lamma each deserve a full day if you enjoy beaches and long lunches.
- Check the return timetable the moment you land; the last ferries leave in the evening, and small islands like Po Toi have sailings only on selected days.
- Combine Cheung Chau and Lamma over two days for a perfect contrast of festival colour and green hiking.
- Carry some cash for small eateries and bicycle rentals, plus sunscreen and swimwear from May to October.