Written by South China Morning Post ( Morning Studio )
Lamma Island's laid-back charms — just a short ferry ride from Hong Kong Island — will help you escape the city's hectic lifestyle. Long associated with the fishing industry, it is now home to a thriving multicultural community. Start relaxing once you start strolling along Sok Kwu Wan and Yung Shue Wan's waterfront village streets with shops selling beautiful fisherfolk arts and crafts, and restaurants serving fresh seafood and numerous East-meets-West delights. Nature lovers and Instagram buffs can explore the area's breathtaking scenery and cultural sites along the leisurely 5 km Lamma Island Family Walk, while history buffs can learn more about local culture at Lamma Fisherfolk's Village.
There are many local stores and supermarkets selling food, snacks and drinks, so you can refuel near Sok Kwu Wan Pier. You should bring enough water with you if you decide to take the walk to Yung Shue Wan.
There is no mistaking Sok Kwu Wan's close links with the fishing industry when you pass a series of fresh fish rafts floating in the bay as your ferry arrives at the pier. Although this tiny village may be much quieter, and not as popular as Yung Shue Wan, on the other side of the island, it attracts many devoted visitors — particularly for its restaurants’ reputations for serving delicious fresh Cantonese seafood cuisine. You can also find many stores selling assorted, locally produced dried seafood. A walk along the seafront, past rows of shops and restaurants, will bring you to a river estuary, where — amid the shallow waters flowing into the sea — if you are lucky, you may spot a school of larval fish and groups of small crabs.
A visit to this themed cultural village will help you better understand the history of fishing in Hong Kong. You will also be given a glimpse of the traditional daily life and culture of fisherfolk, including traditional dragon boats, rafts and dwellings. You can even board an authentic junk boat for a memorable, close-up experience. The village also features an exhibition with themed folklore booths, and family-friendly games and activities for visitors, including fishing, rope weaving and salted fish-making workshops. There is also a shop selling assorted dried seafood and souvenirs made by local fisherfolk. Entry tickets can be purchased at the kiosk located at Sok Kwu Wan Pier.
Lamma Island, which was founded on fishing, is home to three different Tin Hau temples, including one in Sok Kwu Wan, which looks more like a modern village house than a traditional temple honouring the Chinese goddess of the sea. The temple was rebuilt in 2005 to replace the original, believed to have been nearly 200 years old, which was destroyed by a fire in January 2004. It contains relics that survived the blaze, including an incense burner from 1826, and iron bell cast in 1895.
The small, gently curving stretch of Hung Shing Yeh Beach, with two stubby-finger-like rows of rocks jutting into the sea from the edge of its white sand, is Lamma Island's most popular place for swimming. The annual ranking of the beach has been maintained as ‘Good’ since the Environmental Protection Department's Beach Water Quality Monitoring Programme began in 1986. Its position at the foot of tree-covered hills provides a cosy setting for a relaxing day of sun, sand and sea. The beach lies close to a number of restaurants and stores where you can enjoy a meal or snacks such as smoky barbecued corn, barbecued sausages and frozen pineapple. Its barbecue area is a great place where families and friends can enjoy a relaxing freshly cooked meal while watching the sunset.
The peak of Tai Ling, on Lamma Island, is home to Lamma Winds, or Lamma Wind Power Station, Hong Kong's first wind turbine built to support the city's development of renewable energy. Located some way from Lamma Island Family Walk, it's worth a detour to see this landmark. Hong Kong Electric's grid-connected turbine's three blades, which have a diameter of 50 metres, rotate from a 46-metre-high hub, and each year generate an average of one million units of green energy — offsetting about 800 tonnes of carbon dioxide. The power station features an exhibition area explaining the different forms of renewable energy, and a real-time energy monitor so people can see the outside wind speed and power generated by the turbine.
The charming fishing village of Yung Shue Wan is the main centre of Lamma Island's thriving multicultural community, which includes a sizeable expatriate population. Its engaging East-meets-West vibe is apparent as soon as you begin to explore the narrow main shopping street hugging the edge of the C-shaped waterfront area, which is lined with stores selling food and groceries, clothes, fisherfolk arts and crafts, gifts and other souvenirs. You will also find a great selection of restaurants serving food to suit all tastes, especially freshly caught seafood, including prawns, clams and fish, popular Western fare such as pizza and pasta, Turkish kebabs, Thai curries and Japanese sushi, plus a number of cafes and bars.
The Family Trail on northern Lamma Island is a must-visit for outdoor enthusiasts. Hikers can head to Pak Kok Shan, a lookout point offering a panoramic view of the surrounding area via the Lamma Island Family Trail. Taking the tree-shrouded paved trails towards Pak Kok Tsui on the northern tip of Lamma Island, you will reach Pak Kok Kau Tsuen after a 25-minute walk. Here, you can enjoy the view of the southern side of Hong Kong and experience green living as you admire the aromatic flowers from villagers’ gardens and wild herbal plants along the trail. Just opened in November 2022, the new Pak Kok Pier on Lamma Island acts as a great starting point and finishing point for hikers on the trail.
Take a ferry to Sok Kwu Wan from Central Pier No. 4 on Hong Kong Island, which is just a short walk from MTR Hong Kong Station. The ferry journey takes 30–40 minutes. There is also a ferry service from Aberdeen to Sok Kwu Wan, which takes about 35 minutes.
After your visit, take a ferry from Yung Shue Wan Pier back to Central or Aberdeen. Ferries from Pak Kok Pier back to Aberdeen take about 20 minutes.
Written by South China Morning Post ( Morning Studio )
Lamma Island's laid-back charms — just a short ferry ride from Hong Kong Island — will help you escape the city's hectic lifestyle. Long associated with the fishing industry, it is now home to a thriving multicultural community. Start relaxing once you start strolling along Sok Kwu Wan and Yung Shue Wan's waterfront village streets with shops selling beautiful fisherfolk arts and crafts, and restaurants serving fresh seafood and numerous East-meets-West delights. Nature lovers and Instagram buffs can explore the area's breathtaking scenery and cultural sites along the leisurely 5 km Lamma Island Family Walk, while history buffs can learn more about local culture at Lamma Fisherfolk's Village.
There are many local stores and supermarkets selling food, snacks and drinks, so you can refuel near Sok Kwu Wan Pier. You should bring enough water with you if you decide to take the walk to Yung Shue Wan.
Take a ferry to Sok Kwu Wan from Central Pier No. 4 on Hong Kong Island, which is just a short walk from MTR Hong Kong Station. The ferry journey takes 30–40 minutes. There is also a ferry service from Aberdeen to Sok Kwu Wan, which takes about 35 minutes.
After your visit, take a ferry from Yung Shue Wan Pier back to Central or Aberdeen. Ferries from Pak Kok Pier back to Aberdeen take about 20 minutes.