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Hong Kong Information

City of Islands

Hong Kong is a magical combination of inviting outlying islands and a myriad of country parks providing some of the best locations for outdoor activities anywhere in Asia. Whether you are into hiking up mountains, lazing on an idyllic beach or want to take in some of the more distant tourist spots, the green side of Hong Kong's outlying islands offer an arresting itinerary.

Dumbbell-shaped Cheung Chau is the perfect getaway to explore by bike because it doesn't have any cars! Join the locals for some fine alfresco dining at night. The island still has a thriving fishing community and their Bun Festival with its parade - with costumed children suspended in the air - is unique. Just a short ferry ride away is Lantau Island which features spectacular mountain walks, great beaches and of course, the breathtaking, giant Buddha high on the plateau. Lamma Island offers great seafood and scenic surroundings. Sai Kung, also known as Hong Kong's back garden, provides great eating and drinking and outdoor pleasures for all. It is also a stepping stone to some lesser know island gems located nearby. All of these scenic getaways are only an hour away from the downtown by ferry.

Lantau Explorer Bus	Lantau Island Tour	Island Hopping Pass
Outlying Islands Escapade	Tap Mun Island Walk	Hong Kong Back Garden Tour - Sai Kung

Lantau Explorer Bus
Catch the wonderful scenery of the big island of Lantau. Allow at least 7 hours to explore the beautiful and green island. On the bus ride, the bus makes three scheduled stops and you will have ample time to explore the stops with the help of a guidebook. There will be a taped commentary in English and Mandarin on board to tell you more about the island. Starts with a ferry ride from Central aboard a New World First Ferry, which leaves from the Outlying Ferry Pier. In less than an hour you'll arrive at Mui Wo on Lantau Island. The air-conditioned Lantau Explorer Bus is waiting by the ferry pier. The first stop is 15 minutes at Cheung Sha Beach, the longest beach in Hong Kong.

Then it is back on the Lantau Explorer Bus to the Big Buddha for an up close and personal encounter with the world's largest, seated, outdoor, bronze Buddha. You may also try the Buddhist vegetarian lunch served at the monastery. The third and final stop is the Tai O fishing village, home to some of the ethnic boat people of Hong Kong. The village, with houses built on stilts, provides a wonderful photo opportunity before the Lantau Explorer Bus transports you back to Mui Wo for the return ferry trip to Central.

Hong Kong Back Garden Tour - Sai Kung
Sai Kung with its country parks, bays and tiny offshore islands, not to mention its cultural and heritage sites and the eclectic group of locals and expats makes for an idyllic weekend getaway. So large and green, Sai Kung is considered the "Back Garden" of Hong Kong. From hiking to swimming, from sailing to kayaking or just wandering the villages that dot the area, Sai Kung provides a remarkable alternative to the hustle and bustle of the city.

The theme of the Sai Kung tour is that vivid clash between old and new, east and west. Fishing boats potter out to sea past an island golf course; the local Tin Hau temple is located next to a western-style pub which beams in satellite television; old folk dressed in traditional straw hats and costumes share the sidewalk with youngsters wearing the latest designer gear. This tour encapsulates all the aspects that make Hong Kong such an endlessly fascinating city: the strikingly modern contrasted with the steadfastly traditional. The tour starts off with visit to Ho Chung Che Kung Temple, followed by a cruise through Port Shelter for a visit to the local fishing village on Kau Sai Chau and the Hung Shing Temple. The tour concludes as the boat pulls up to the Sai Kung waterfront. Back on land, it's time to visit the shops and find a place to eat.

Outlying Islands Escapade
What better way to discover Hong Kong than taking a leisurely ferry ride to Cheung Chau and Lamma islands on the Outlying Islands Escapade. This five-hour tour offers a chance to explore two of Hong Kong's most popular islands located about one hour from the skyscrapers of Central.

Your first stop is Cheung Chau, famous for its Bun Festival and great seafood. You'll stroll down the narrow streets and lanes of this tiny dumb-bell-shaped island past the fresh and dried fish stalls. Fishing is still a viable industry in these parts and many residents live on their boats in the typhoon shelter. You'll stop at the Pak Tak Temple, where every year they celebrate the Bun Festival that culminates with a huge procession through the tiny alleyways. You'll drop by Tung Wan Beach which is excellent for swimming and near where Lee Lai-shan, Hong Kong's first Olympic gold medal winner (windsurfing) trained. Then it's on to Lamma by exclusive charter boat. You'll dock at Sok Kwu Wan pier and then walk to the village of Yung Shue Wan on the other side of Lamma. The well-paved gently sloping route has superb hilltop views of the main harbour channel and its bustling traffic with the spectacular skyline of Hong Kong in the distance. Yung Shue Wan is an intriguing mixture of modern cafes and bars with shops selling Chinese herbs and produce. It's from here that your ferry returns to Central.

Lantau Island Tour
Explore Hong Kong's largest outlying island just an hour's ferry ride away. The morning begins with a ferry trip from Central. Cruise through Victoria Harbour and past islands dotted throughout the South China Sea to Lantau Island's Silvermine Bay (Mui Wo). From here, a coach takes you past the two-kilometre long, white sands of Cheung Sha beach and over the dramatic Shek Pik Reservoir dam. Visit the Tanka boat people's stilt-house fishing village at Tai O, then ride up to a 520-metre plateau to visit the famous Po Lin Monastery and view the world's largest seated, outdoor bronze Buddha. The tour includes a vegetarian lunch prepared by the monks at the monastery. Mandarin-speaking tours are operated by Gray Line Tours.

Island Hopping Pass
New World First Ferry’s Island Hopping Pass is a convenient way to visit the Outlying Islands in one day. The Pass allows unlimited travel during the day* to Cheung Chau, Lantau and Peng Chau. You can visit one, two or all three of the islands, depending upon your schedule. The pass comes with a handy guidebook that allows you to make the most of your stay on the islands. Cheung Chau is home to the unique Bun Festival. The island still has a vibrant fishing community and is a favourite getaway for locals on the weekend. The big attraction besides the quiet is the seafood. Eating al fresco along the waterfront is fun. The back streets and alleyways are neat. Have a look for the Cheung Chau Windsurfing Club where Li Lai-shan, Hong Kong’s first Olympic gold medallist, learned to windsurf.

Just a hop, skip and a jump away is Lantau Island which is larger than Hong Kong Island. It’s ideal for hiking (more than 50 per cent of the island is country park) and it has some great beaches. You’ll disembark at Mui Wo (Silvermine Bay). Buses from here are cheap and the best way to get out and see the sites. Don’t miss the Big Buddha at Ngong Ping or Cheung Sha (Long Sand Beach). There’s also Tai O, the fishing village on stilts. The nice thing about Peng Chau is that you can never get lost here. It’s so small that you can walk around it in an hour. Besides the quiet ambiance, there is the Kum Fa Temple dedicated to Lady Kum Fa who is said to help fertility.

* A surcharge applies to fast ferries and the deluxe class on ordinary ferries and travel on Sundays and Public Holidays.

Tap Mun Island Walk
Tap Mun (Grass) Island is located just off the northeast coast of Hong Kong and is accessible by ferry from Wong Shek Pier in Sai Kung. While Tap Mun may be remote, a walking tour of the island provides a charming getaway with trails crisscrossing the island. Tap Mum also boasts one of Hong Kong's oldest Tin Hau temples. Your journey starts with a short, scenic ferry ride followed by a 30-minute guided tour of the island. The walk starts in the village and heads up to a lookout point. From here you get views of China, Mirs Bay and Sharp Peak. You continue your walk along a coastal trail stepping lightly through a Taoist cemetery before reaching Tap Mun New Fishermen's Village for the return trip back to Hong Kong.

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  Information provided by Hong Kong Tourism Board.