On Your Doorstep: Island Hopping!

Put on those sunglasses and jump on an early ferry to one of the outlying islands. Within minutes, you’ll find yourself well off the beaten track, writes Jason Pagliari As we DBers know, Hong Kong is much more than a harbour city with crowded streets: this glorious territory with its cloudy mountains and rocky islands also offers rural landscapes with breathtaking views. Much of the countryside is classified as Country Park and, although 7.3 million people are never far away, it is possible to find pockets of quiet that provide a total break from the hustle and bustle of city life. If you’re after a change of pace and a bit of a step back in time, exploring Hong Kong’s outlying islands is a good place to start. There are 263 sizable islands (over 500m2) in the territory, some uninhabited, many easily accessible by ferry. The outlying islands have been and to some extent continue to be Hong Kong’s hinterland, home to rustic fishing villages, the occasional temple or monastery and little else. The islands are car-free, so you’ll want to take to the trails on foot or by bicycle to find stunning coves, beaches, rock formations, stone carvings… and the occasional anomaly. At Tung Lung Chau, there’s the remains of a fort demolished in 1810, and at Tai A Chau, if you make it past the beach, you’ll come across the concrete foundations of a large-scale Vietnamese refugee camp, home to thousands from 1991 to 1996. Aside from familiar destinations like Lamma Island and Tai O, there are so many other islands to discover. There’s flat and rocky Tung Ping Chau, lying just 48 metres above sea level; Tap Mun, known for its rolling, grassy hills and sea urchin fried rice; and Kat O with its giant boulders and Hakka heritage. Read on for a guided tour of our top picks: Peng Chau and Cheung Chau. PENG CHAU A 10-minute ferry ride from Discovery Bay takes you to the sleepy island of Peng Chau, where you can enjoy the peaceful village atmosphere with some good hiking, ‘templing’ and dining options thrown in. Arriving at the pier, you notice the avenue of Banyan trees going inland and the old folks sitting out, chewing the fat. There’s a Wellcome on the left and an enormous modern sports hall on the right, with facilities that rival those found in Mui Wo. The sleepy main strip, Wing On Street, is lined with old-style stores supplying the usual assortment of Cantonese snacks, cakes, stationary and... bikes. A bustling industrial centre during the 70s, thanks to its lime kiln and match factory, Peng Chau is now best known for its temples. At Lung Mo (Dragon Mother) Temple, you can touch the ‘dragon bed’ for good luck and at Seven Sisters Temple, pray for fertility. The Tin Hau Temple, meanwhile, houses a Qing dynasty stone tablet that attests to a deal the then government made with the villagers, not to commandeer their fishing vessels in the ongoing war on piracy. Despite quaint, rustic first impressions, Peng Chau is rapidly becoming one of the city’s trendiest art hubs as evidenced by the vibrant graffiti art you come across on and around Wing On Street, and the growing number of art galleries and art cafés squeezed in alongside the mom-and-pop stores. In fact, one of the most popular attractions on the island is the Fook Yuen Leather Factory. Established in the 1930s, the factory has been revitalized and is now a Grade III historic building with a highly Instagrammable ar t space. You can also join ceramic workshops that offer a glimpse into the once thriving ceramic handicraft industry in Peng Chau. A good plan for the day is to walk clockwise round the island. The coastal trail takes you past some nice beaches and the landmark Fisherman Rock, a precariously balanced boulder over the sea. The trail then cuts inland through jungle before emerging at a horseshoe bay, facing east, where there are barbeque facilities on the beach. On a clear day West Kowloon looks surprisingly close, reminding you of the island’s proximity to modern civilisation. Next up, you’ll want to climb Finger Hill, the highest point of the island at 95 metres, with its panoramic views and giant boulders. The ascent is well signposted, and you can stop for a cold drink at the little shop halfway up with its rickety table and chairs and radio blaring non-stop. There’s a trail down the other side of Finger Hill to a pagoda on the island’s east side, if you feel you haven’t walked far enough. Before heading home, you’ll likely want to rest up and have a bite to eat. Some of the best restaurants (all with a sensational sea view) are found on Wing On Street, where you can enjoy everything from Cantonese or Thai to all-day breakfast. Local specialities include fried prawns and a deliciously gloopy ‘Orange Chicken’. CHEUNG CHAU Hop on the ferry at Central Pier 5 (or the Inter-Island Ferry from Mui Wo) and spend a day exploring lively and historic Cheung Chau. Best known for its bun festival held in May, the island has plenty to offer – glorious beaches, wild rock formations, a pirate’s cave and, of course, incredible seafood restaurants. If it’s seafood you’re after, you’ll find the most popular restaurants on the island’s west coast, on Praya Street – the waterfront road, right by the main ferry pier. As you sit down to your catch of the day, fishing trawlers and all sorts of smaller craft stretch as far as the eye can see, enhancing the fabulous sea views. Most of Cheung Chau’s development is centred on a spit of land sandwiched between two hills to the north and south, and to make the most of your visit, you’ll want to venture beyond the main village, on foot. Northern Cheung Chau offers up some glorious hiking country but if you’re looking for a leisurely ramble and excellent views, head south by way of the east-coast beaches, which offer up full facilities and several windsurfing and kayaking centres. To make your way to the south-side, turn left off the ferry, then right at Kwok Man Road and walk inland to the main beach, Tung Wan. Head towards and past the high-rise Warwick Hotel, with its excellent dim-sum lunch menu, to the next beach, Kwun Yam Wan, perhaps the island’s finest. From here, you can make your way along Cheung Chau’s Mini Great Wall – you’ll see signposts leading uphill through the jungle and past the Kwun Yam Temple. This reasonably short stonework trail hugs the south-east coast passing various boulder formations, all with bizarrely fitting names, such as Human Head Rock, Elephant Rock, Rodent Rock and even Zombie Rock. At the lookout at the end of the Mini Great Wall, you can either head back to the main ferry pier (turn left at the temple) and take a kai-to to the south coast or continue on foot, up a steep set of stairs. Assuming you choose the latter, follow the coastal paths and turn left onto Don Bosco Road, towards remote and rugged Nam Tam Wan, with its large temple overlooking Wailingding Island. There are regular informational maps to guide you. From here, it’s a bit of a walk up and over Peak Road, past the meteorological station and crematorium, to the signposted trail that drops down into truly off-the-beaten-track Pak Tso Bay. This trail follows along the coast and up through a stunning boulder cavern towards gigantic Reclining Rock. Next stop is Cheung Po Tsai Cave, named after the famous pirate who is said to have hoarded his loot here. Armed with a power ful torch (a phone flashlight won’t do it), you can squeeze vertically down through a narrow opening and pass through the cave to another entrance. From here, it’s a short walk over the hill to the Tin Hau Temple on Sai Wan, where you can take a kai-to back to the ferry pier... and order up that well-deserved plate of seafood.