Flanked by a coastline of steep green hills, the heart of Tai O Village is the square in front of the ornate Kwan Tai temple. Narrow streets fan out in all directions, lined with shops selling local produce such as dried seafood and homemade shrimp paste. Food stalls — often with long queues of visitors — offer fish balls on skewers, pastries and tofu dessert. Old-fashioned businesses and houses open directly onto the street, adding to the area’s enticing buzz. There are also areas with traditional two-storey shophouses, including one fine example at 60 Kat Hing Street. Step inside the farmers’ co-operative-run shop in this Grade 2-listed 1930s building to admire its architectural features, including a curved balcony. You can also browse its locally sourced farm and specialty produce such as dried chillies, XO sauce — a spicy and savoury sauce consisting of dried seafood and ham, chilli, shallots and garlic — preserved radish and ginger tea. Narrow alleys, raised boardwalks and drawbridges wind their way above the canals while twisting around groups of stilt houses to offer Instagrammable views at every turn.

One distinctive feature of Tai O is that no motor vehicles are allowed. Stand on the pedestrian bridge over the main creek to get your bearings and take in the charm and beauty of the village in all its glory while watching the water traffic go by. Boats pass under the bridge as walkers and cyclists bustle across it. From the landing steps beside the bridge and several other points along the creek, small boats are waiting to take you on a tour of the village, where you’ll skim between the gangplanks and stilt houses.

Come back in the evening for the golden sunset over the water, flanked by nearby hills and dotted by the profiles of little boats and the breakwater. On festive days, the bridge is decorated with lanterns and transformed into a cinematic scene at night.

By the waterfront near the bus terminus, you will find the Tai O ferry pier, recognisable for its pavilion with multiple wooden roofs. This is also the starting point of the Tai O Promenade, which extends from the main creek and out along the seashore, bordering a large area of mangroves. The tropical plants thrive in salty water and are an important nursery habitat for many species, including fish, mudskippers and fiddler crabs. They were planted here in Tai O’s old salt pans, which fell out of use decades ago.

Near to where the promenade adjoins the village, you can visit the Tai O Rural Committee Historic and Cultural Showroom, which features a fascinating exhibition of historic photos and artefacts found in the area.

Strike out west from the village square, passing the open-air market, to find the way to the historic hotel. There’s a lot to look at as you walk along this coastal path: stilt houses, flowering gardens, prowling cats, ruined stone cottages, banana groves and Earth God shrines. The path ends at the village’s old pier, with Tai O Heritage Hotel perched on the hilltop right above it. The building was originally Tai O’s marine police station, built in 1902 to combat the pirates who raided Lantau Island at that time. Sensitively restored, it’s now a boutique hotel with nine guest rooms. Its first-floor, glass-roofed restaurant, Tai O Lookout, gives a nod to its local heritage by using shrimp paste as an ingredient in several dishes, such as the signature Tai O Fried Rice and homemade Pork Chop Bun marinated with Shrimp Paste.

On your way back from the hotel, turn into the courtyard in front of the Shaolin Martial Arts Centre. The signposts point to Fu Shan (Tiger Mountain), a hill providing great views not only of Tai O but also the wide, rippling waters of the Pearl River Estuary. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge curves its way across the channel, while on the horizon you can see the high-rise towers of the two cities on the other side of the estuary. The pavilion perched atop the green hill dotted with white-grey boulders has binoculars that point out to sea; further on, a wooden platform offers an ideal perspective on the waters below, which presents another chance to glimpse a Chinese white dolphin from afar.

This stone-paved trail is also another much-loved spot among Instagrammers looking to capture the sunset in Tai O, with the signature red railing and the profile of the tree-covered slope in the foreground.