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Where to eat, drink and take tea across Lantau With so many wonderful and varied restaurant s across Lantau, we really are spoilt for choice when it comes to eating out. So the question is, what ’s hot this summer? Where should you be spending your hard- earned dollar and what are the F&B promotions you need to know about? Enjoy our top picks! AUBERGE DISCOVERY BAY HONG KONG Promotions on offer for DB residents at Auberge Discovery Bay Hong Kong this month start at Bounty Entertainment & Sports Bar with selected beer priced at HK$30 (Mondays and Wednesdays), and selected house wine at HK$50 (Tuesdays and Thursdays). At Café bord de Mer & Lounge, from Monday to Thursday, residents can enjoy the Breakfast Buffet for HK$88 + 10% service charge, and 30% off the À La Carte Dinner Menu. From Friday to Sunday, there’s 30% off the Twinings Tea Pairing, and 50% off the Dinner Buffet. Our top pick is the Twinings Tea Pairing (HK$428 for two + 10% service charge, before discount), served from 3pm to 5pm on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. We love the Twinings Lemon and Ginger Tea Jelly with Vanilla Pannacotta, and the Twinings Earl Grey Tea Jelly with Scallops. You’ll also want to treat yourself to Semi-Buffet Lunch, Sundays, at Café bord de Mer & Lounge from 12pm to 3pm – there’s a premium seafood ice bowl, cold cuts and desserts, with prices starting at HK$398 per person + 10% service charge, and add-on items starting from HK$168 + 10% service charge. To make a booking, call 2295 8299 or visit www.aubergediscoverybay.com . BASIC BISTRO You are invited to embrace the spirit of joie de vivre, joyful living, at Basic Bistro which opened in January at Tbay. The chefs combine French techniques with innovative twists, and an enchanting mural by renowned French artist Eric Reno helps establish an authentic Parisian feel. The menu is big on crowdpleasing French classics, like Bouillabaisse, Beef Bourguignon and Crepe Suzette. Basic Bistro is open daily, from 9am to 11pm, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can make the most of the daily specials and sets or go à la carte. Our top pick? Sunday Roast and Brunch, 11.30am to 3pm, with soup or salad to start, priced at just HK$220. To find out more or make a booking, call 2305 5508 or visit www.basicbistrohk.com . DBRASSERIE Launched in February this year, right opposite the bus station in DB Plaza, DBrasserie has already established itself as a go-to neighbourhood meeting point. It’s somewhere to relax with friends either indoors or on the rooftop terrace, while eating, drinking and taking in the stunning sea views. We head there for the live sport screenings, comedy nights and live music performances. Open by 6.30am Monday to Friday, and by 7.30am on the weekend, DBrasserie closes at 10pm Sunday to Thursday, and as late as you like on Friday and Saturday. You can sample the eclectic Asian Fusion menu round the clock, drop in for a quick (Uncle Russ) coffee during the day, or head there for latenight drinks on your way home from work. The menu is extensive, neatly covering breakfasts, breads, snacks and salads, mains and graffiti bowls, burgers and grills, and desserts. To find out more or make a booking, call 9848 1101 or visit www.dbrasserie.com . HANDI INDIAN RESTAURANT DB-based fans of Handi Indian Restaurant in Tung Chung will be excited to know about two special promotions starting in August. Take a taxi to the restaurant and Gill, the owner, will cover your fare (max cap HK$120), if you show your taxi receipt and make a minimum restaurant spend of HK$1,000. Prefer to pick up a takeaway? The team now delivers to the DB bus stop in Tung Chung for free, or to DB North Plaza via taxi with a delivery charge of HK$120. Open seven days a week for lunch (11am to 3pm, last order 2.30pm) and dinner (5.15pm to 11pm, last order 10.30pm), Handi Indian Restaurant has an extensive and mouthwatering menu. Dishes are crafted with passion, precision and a deep-rooted love for Indian culinary traditions. Must-tries include the Butter Chicken, Lamb Rogan Josh and Yellow Dal. To make a booking or order a takeaway, call 2988 8675 or visit www.handi.com.hk . IL BEL PAESE GROUP Dine at any Il Bel Paese Group restaurant this month (linktr.ee/ilbelpaesegroup) and you can enjoy 10% off purchases at any of the group’s delis or supermarkets, including Italian Express and European Touch in DB. What’s more, if you are a DB Summer Splashtopia ticket holder and/ or have a Hang Seng Bank credit card, you can enjoy 10% off food ordered from the à la carte menus at Il Bel Paese Ristorante Italiano, Pascucci and The Rink - Bar & Restaurant. Our top pick for summer is the premium Italian Gelato at Il Bel Paese Ristorante Italiano available in either a cone or cup. There’s a wide selection of flavours from Vanilla to Crème Brûlée, plus real Italian classics like Tiramisu, Espresso and Stracciatella. Our favourite is the Campari Gelato (for adults only). To find out more or make a booking, call 2987 0202 or visit www.ilbelpaese.com.hk . TREASURE ISLAND’S BEACH CLUB One of our favourite places to hang out, with a prime position on Pui O Beach, Treasure Island’s Beach Club Restaurant, Sun Terrace and Bar is open Fridays (12pm to 10pm), Saturdays (10am to 10pm), and Sundays and public holidays (10am to 8pm). The menu has something for everyone including a wide selection of burgers, salads, beach snacks and sharing platters. There’s an impressive range of vegetarian and vegan dishes, and a dedicated kids’ menu. We love the Cosy Coastal Breakfast Buffet served up every Sunday, from 10am to 12pm, HK$138 per person. Look out too for the Friday Night Specials – first Friday of each month: two hours All You Can Eat Wings & Free-flow Beer, HK$228 per person, and the last Friday of each month: two hours All You Can Eat Tacos and Free-flow Beer, HK$248 per person. The Burger of the Month and Wine of the Month specials go down a treat, and there’s no place better to grab a sundowner and watch the amazing sunsets over the bay. To find out more or make a booking, call 5236 7013 or visit www.treasureislandhk.com .

On the back of his success at DB Definitely Best and Nextwave Beach Music Festival, Phoenix Broderick is preparing to release his first album. Elizabeth Kerr reports Seventeen-year-old, DBIS student Phoenix Broderick is dialling in from Bristol one morning in early July where he’s vacationing with his dad and stepmother, just a few shor t days after his set at Tai Pak Wan’s Nextwave Beach Music Festival, alongside the likes of Tyson Yoshi, RubberBand and KOLOR. That after radio vet Brian Chow, songwriter T-Ma and singer Walton Pun Van Taylor decided Phoenix was the DB Definitely Best singing contest’s DB champion in June. “I made it through to the DB Definitely Best finals in 2023, so winning this year was a proper full-circle moment,” Phoenix opens. And what of per forming at Nextwave, one of the biggest music festivals in Hong Kong? “It was a great experience that definitely taught me a lot about how life is going to be as I continue to grow as a per former. Just the little things like having a dressing room, in-ear monitors and proper microphones was enough for me, but then per forming in front of roughly 500 people with my own song, You, just topped off what has been the best year of my life – my final year of being a teenager.” As it turns out, Nextwave isn’t Phoenix’s biggest gig to date, that honour falls to DBIS Carols on the Pitch 2023, still one of his favourite performances. “We got 1,000 people to sing Hey Jude with us, not a very festive song but it got people buzzing,” he explains. “That performance was huge for me and the band. Most definitely, DBIS has changed me and inspired me to become who I am today as a performer, songwriter and as a person.” A true fan of per forming live, Phoenix has four future must-dos: Wembley Stadium, Glastonbury, St Peter’s Village Hall in Paekākāriki (his hometown) that holds about 100, and DBIS’s Globe Theatre. THE FIRST SINGLE On the music front, Phoenix has gone from zero to 60 in a relatively short span of time, crediting Harry Styles with getting him into music and Ed Sheeran for keeping him there. Rewind to 2020, when he decided to pick up an instrument, and settled on the uke. “You can just whip it out, and you’ve got a whole lot of songs you can sing around the campfire,” he says with a chuckle. A teacher caught wind of Phoenix’s playing and encouraged him to start singing too. From there it snowballed and he finally took up the guitar, learnt more about singing and started writing his own songs. One of those is the just-released I Don’t Need to Write a Break-up Song to be Successful, available on Spotif y (Phoenix Broderick), Instagram (w w w.instagram.com/phibrodt v) and YouTube (w w w.youtube.com/watch?v=FF Wtu86 _908). Is that a dig at Taylor Swif t? “It is if people want it to be,” he says with a grin. To Phoenix’s mind, his first-ever single reflects most of the material on his forthcoming debut album, which is determinedly free of what he calls break-up songs. “I’ve never been through one of those proper heartbreaking break-ups, you know? I’ve been a part of a couple of teenage relationships, but nothing too intense,” he says. “People expect good songs to be break-up songs, but I want to prove they don’t have to be.” Phoenix will be promoting I Don’t Need to Write a Break-up Song on RTHK this month. His second single, Stars, follows in September (check his socials @phibrodtv for updates). THE ALBUM Phoenix refers to himself as a “classic four chords guy, no Jimi Hendrix-type shredder” – and it’s his catchy melodies and riffs that make him stand out. “Ed Sheeran is someone I constantly look to for inspiration on new guitar skills, crowd interactions and, of course, singing,” he says. “In terms of my own lyrics, I really just write about how I feel that day. I often have an idea in mind as I pick up my guitar. Sometimes the lyrics are proper rubbish but sometimes the lyrics are deep and just hit different when I sing them back, those are the ones that will make it into my album.” Despite being somewhat self-effacing, Phoenix is clearly ambitious – and focused. When asked what he’s doing for the summer, there’s no mention of plans to sit on his duff cruising Netflix or playing the Elden Ring expansion. He’s trying to cut down on the time he spends scrolling through Instagram reels, and the main goal is to put the finishing touches on the album. “I’ve pre-recorded a lot of videos for my YouTube channel, so between editing those and recording the album, and editing a couple of videos for school, it’s not going to be a summer where I can just sit back and relax,” Phoenix says. Not that he wants it to be. He’s well aware of the nature of the modern music biz, and he’s putting real time into socials and building a brand that way. Which in itself is nerve-wracking. “It’s extremely terrifying, because I go on Instagram and my feed is… just so many people like me, people who’ve already got so many followers and have posted so much more music than I have,” he says with a head shake. Then he imagines all the musicians who share his dream who aren’t on social media; the ones outside his geography. “I’m putting so much time and effort into music, if it doesn’t work out, then what, you know?” By the same token, Phoenix is keenly aware that if you don’t take the risk, things really won’t happen. Hence his focus. FINAL YEAR AT DBIS The next year or so is going to require just as much drive, and Phoenix is off to a great start. He’s heading into his final year at DBIS as a Head Prefect, something he’s aspired to since joining the school in 2015. “After three stages of difficult interviewing processes, I feel so grateful to be in a position where I can give back to the school that has given so much to me,” he says. Phoenix is studying Music, Media, BTEC Business and BTEC Travel and Tourism – and he’s really into the extra-curricular: “being a House Captain and running the events that role entails, organising and running end-of-term assemblies, creating large whole-school events and, of course, the performing arts.” He played Shrek in Shrek Jr. The Musical at DBIS in March, and one of the leads in last year’s school show Fame. “2024 has been the busiest year of my life, however, with what I want to achieve within DBIS before I leave, and what I want to achieve as a singer-songwriter in the future, my life is only going to get busier,” he concludes. On finishing school, Phoenix plans to take a gap year to travel and make a name for himself. He’d like the album to “blow up” but isn’t fussed if he doesn’t break out on his first try. His deadline to get the ball rolling is 2033; he’ll be 26. No one needs to remind him that Sheeran didn’t go viral until the release of his third EP. Good things come to those who wait, and to those who deserve them.

Balconies and terraces are easily transformed into fully-fledged alternative living areas: it’s a cinch to make them just as comfortable and personal as the indoor variety, says Jane Clyde For most of us island dwellers, outdoor living and entertaining is a big factor, whatever the size of our balcony or terrace. But the truth is not many of us do al fresco decorating well. We may have the interior decor down pat (be the scheme East meets West, modern minimal or contemporary classic), but all too often our outdoor areas let the side down. So what’s the way forward? The trend in recent years has been to bring the outdoors in but right now, it’s all about bringing the indoors out. Having already achieved a breezy, free-flowing feel within our homes, the goal is to make outdoor living spaces homey and inviting. SPLURGE OR STEAL Step one, when bringing the indoor vibe to outside living is, of course, to furnish outdoor spaces with pieces that are weather resistant but also comfortable and attractive. Furniture in teak, high-pressure laminate (HPL) and glass are bang on trend, as are pieces with aluminium and stainless-steel frames and accents. And the good news is that many existing pieces, that have perhaps become redundant inside the home, transfer well to the outdoors. Myriad materials exist just as easily outdoors as in: the spectrum ranges from powder-coated aluminium to rattan and recycled plastic. If you like a timeless look, wood, particularly teak which was originally used on boats, is a good bet. Let it weather to its natural silver grey, and it will last forever. Remember that the new-look outdoor area also requires a little dressing up. The trend is decorative and personal, and again there is no reason why indoor accessories (think ceramics, candlesticks, glassware) cannot be moved outside. It’s clear that in taking this design route, one thing you won’t end up with is a cohesive look. The decor will be eclectic. But that’s all to the good, since it’s currently fashionable to mix and match. Following this trend is slightly risky (you don’t get to go to a shop and buy a matching set) but it brings with it plenty of creative freedom. Start simply by, for instance, pairing brand-new aluminium bistro chairs with an old wooden table. You’ll see that the combination of warm wood and cool metal creates an elegant contrast. No matter how thrifty you are feeling this year, you’ll likely want to splash out on a couple of items when redecorating. If you are looking to splurge, prioritise durability rather than fashion – you want classic, hardwearing pieces that are built to last. Remember too that multi-purpose pieces or pieces that fold up are a good bet, particularly for small outdoor spaces. A few wellchosen pieces create a welcoming impression, a truckload of furnishings doesn’t, no matter how fashionable each piece is individually. As always when it comes to decorating, less is more. A word too about the fabrics you choose, particularly for upholstery. Opt for materials that have been developed specifically for purpose – outdoor Sunbrellas and synthetics are ideal, since they are waterproof, sun-resistant, anti-microbial, stain resistant and easy to clean. BEST BUYS What you really want to prioritise is creating a fully functional space in which to have a good time with family and friends. To facilitate al fresco entertaining, suppliers are getting more and more creative with the essentials. Everything from pestcontrol devices to fans and heaters are now being designed to make the outdoors a prettier and more practical place in which to entertain. Certainly, the latest outdoor lamps look like they belong indoors, but waterproof and washable, they are specifically designed for year-round outdoor use. Rechargeable lights are popular, as are “noflame” candles for the tabletop. You can also shed a little light (and keep the mosquitoes at bay) with lavender-scented candles and incense sticks. And how best to cool things down in the long, hot, Hong Kong summer? Why pick up a couple of parasols and a misting fan, of course! Add a por table heater or statement-making fire pit and you’ll be sure to spend time outdoors even in winter. As the balcony or terrace morphs into the hear t of the home, a barbecue is a number one essential, and the good news is that charcoal and gas grills (fitted or por table) now come in a range of sizes to fit any outdoor space. You may want to throw in an outdoor fr yer, smoker or pizza oven, or plump for state-of-the-ar t grilling attachments and accessories. The number of items we consider essential for outdoor-use is also expanding. We are stocking up on all-weather storage units and outdoor minibars and larders. Whether in-built or freestanding, these pieces allow us to maximise usage of our outdoor spaces and effectively treat them as a second living area. What’s more, plates and utensils that we would normally keep for indoor use are now making it outdoors. GET THE LOOK In bringing the indoors out, you need to design the alfresco space as carefully as you would a room within the home. First, consider how you will spend your time outdoors and which furnishings are therefore essential. With this in place, you can focus on the overall ambience, on bringing everything together. Of course, the colour scheme is all important. If the balcony flows out from a living room, it’s a good idea to decorate both spaces in a similar way – this forges a connection between the “rooms”, while making each of them look bigger. When extending a neutral colour scheme outdoors, you might choose to add a splash of colour with the addition of boldly patterned, weather-resistant scatter cushions. Speaking of finishing touches, the accessories you place in your outdoor living room will help you achieve the look you want – be that ethnic (windchimes and muslin drapes), classic (flowerfilled vases and ornamental birdcages) or ultramodern (Bose in-ceiling speakers and iPod dock). Plants instantly add life to a balcony or terrace, and you can hang planters on any available wall space, as well as arranging them on the floor. Layering is important anywhere you want to relax, so go big on cushions, throws, even rugs. You might also find room for a sofa; this creates a genuine lived-in feeling when combined with poufs and beanbags. The more hectic everyday life is, the more we crave cosiness and recreation. This is why all the best modern balconies are big on relaxation. And where can you chill out best? That’s right: on a swing, swinging seat or hammock. Fitted with comfortable upholstery and cushions, they simply invite you to hang out and relax.

Enjoy these sensational summer salads as a main – they’re retro classics for good reason WALDORF SALAD Serves 2 50g walnuts, chopped 2 apples, chopped 1 lemon, juiced 100g mayonnaise 2tbsp Greek yogurt ½tbsp Dijon mustard 150g green grapes, halved 3 celery sticks, finely sliced 1 Gem lettuce Heat a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat and toast the walnuts for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly golden. Tip into a bowl and leave to cool. Toss the apples with a splash of the lemon juice to prevent them discolouring. Combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard and remaining lemon juice in a large bowl and season well. Mix the apples, grapes and celery with the dressing and toss well. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a serving platter and spoon over the apple mixture and any remaining dressing. Scatter over the toasted walnuts before serving. CAESAR SALAD Serves 4 225g day-old bread 10 anchovy fillets 60ml red wine vinegar 3tbsp Dijon mustard 2 garlic cloves 1 large egg 240ml olive oil 30g Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated 4 Gem lettuces Heat the oven to 200˚C. Remove the crusts from the bread and tear it into bite-sized pieces. Bake for about 12 minutes until crisp, then leave to cool. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the anchovy fillets with the vinegar, mustard and garlic, and purée until smooth. Add the raw egg and pulse to incorporate. With the machine on, gradually drizzle in the olive oil to create a creamy dressing. Scrape the dressing into a bowl and stir in the cheese. Season, cover and refrigerate until well chilled and thickened, at least 30 minutes. In a large bowl, toss the lettuce leaves with the dressing. Divide the dressed lettuce between chilled bowls and scatter the croutons on top. Garnish with additional anchovy fillets and serve right away with extra parmesan cheese.

Why parent as your parents did? That’s all you knew but it doesn’t have to be all your kids know. Xing Ni Liu shines a light It is Sunday night. My four-year-old asks for a cup of milk. I set it up on the table for him. He takes a sip and turns around to mess with his older brother. They are laughing, I am watching them and smiling. Then, it is almost like I see it coming before it happens, he turns and knocks that cup of milk all over the table and some spills onto the cushioned chair. “Why aren’t you more careful? Why would you mess around when you are drinking? Look at what you’ve done!” These words almost escape my mouth. Before they do, I see the guilt in his eyes and manage to take a deep breath, “It’s okay. Accidents happen. But you will need to help clean up.” He runs to the kitchen to grab tea towels. “What can we do next time to prevent this from happening again?” I ask. When he realises that he is not in trouble, he is quick to come up with genuine answers. “I can put my cup out of reach, I can also finish the cup before I play with my brother.” “Now, those are great ideas!” This may not sound like much, but I was very proud of myself for handling the situation without an emotional outburst. It has taken me a lot of practice to get here. I used to be the mum who reacted and let those words go, until one day I heard my own mother’s voice in those words, and remembered how I hated hearing the blaming emotions behind them. I realised that many of the times I was dissatisfied with myself as a parent, I was parenting like my mother. I did not enjoy being rushed to school in the morning, yet I rushed my children, even using the same phrases; I disliked being forced to play the piano, yet I pushed my children towards taking grade exams, even with the same logic; I hated being blamed for things I did not do on purpose, yet I could not stop accusatory words coming out of my mouth when my children made a mistake. I had always dreamt of being a wonderful mother – always speaking to my children in a soft voice, and creating a relationship where they would always feel safe. So why was I behaving like this? Was I a bad mother? I started talking to other parents, experts and decided to research this topic in my final year master’s degree in psychology. It turns out, family behaviour patterns can be inherited and replicated from previous generations. This made me breathe a sigh of relief: there was nothing wrong with me; I was just repeating how I was parented. However, I was determined to give my children a better experience. Where to start? I set out to find answers. Firstly, I wanted to understand the various styles of parenting available to us, broadly categorised as authoritative, permissive, authoritarian and neglectful. Let’s imagine your child skipped a day at school. How would you react? A) Engage the child and understand why they truanted – explain that such behaviour is not acceptable and agree on a consequence. B) Have a conversation with the child, without discussing consequences or taking action to prevent further absence from school. C) Inflict immediate punishment or D) Have no response. On paper, most of us would choose A. This option is how authoritative parenting works – parents strive to create positive relationships by setting and enforcing clear rules. In reality, we may consider it more effective or efficient, certainly easier, to choose B or C. Option B represents permissive parenting: the worry here is that children grow up without boundaries, and therefore without any real sense of security. Option C represents authoritarian parenting, there’s a focus on rules, obedience and punishment for disobedience – children can grow up fearful and lacking in confidence. Nobody would knowingly choose option D (neglectful parenting), but there are times when we may be so busy that important incidents slip past us. Children feel unseen and can grow up to have low self-esteem. We all tend to parent the way we were parented, not necessarily because we enjoyed it, rather we follow the pattern of child-raising unconsciously – that is all we know. Family behavioural patterns have been defined by the American Psychological Association as a characteristic quality in the relationships of a particular family, which is revealed by the way family members interact. Parenting is an important element in the determination of such patterns. We may have picked up the good that our parents did, as well as the bad. Research shows that violent, harsh and abusive behaviours are passed down across generations; they can have lasting effects into adulthood and they can be exacerbated through repetition. No doubt we should make a conscious effort to break dysfunctional patterns but how does that work in practice? After reviewing existing research, I came up with my own definition: When parents become aware of unhealthy family-interaction dynamics and apply skills to real-world interactions to change such patterns, so that their children have a more positive experience, they are breaking generational patterns. Many of us grow up with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). ACEs came into the spotlight in the 90s and identified categories of adversities experienced by children that would have long-lasting negative effects on their lives. ACEs are caused by household dysfunction: mental abuse, neglect and domestic violence. This may sound far from you, but the CDC has found that 60% of American adults report at least one ACE, almost 25% report three or more. Where do we start to make changes? I have identified five key skills that can be practised by anyone in everyday life: self-reflection, emotional regulation, stress management, emotional communication and self-compassion. Each topic deserves attention but here I will focus on self-compassion. Self-compassion may sound foreign in the parenting setting. Often, we are quite forgiving when our children make mistakes. However, we become far more critical when we make a mistake. Raising children is challenging and we should allow space for mistakes during this process. We often react, and then regret – we beat ourselves up about our reaction. However, what many people do not realise is that we react because we feel triggered, and we repeat how our parents treated us in similar situations. Instead of thinking “what is wrong with me?”, we could try to understand “what happened to me?”. Self-compassion brings us back to the beginning of our cycle, self-reflection. When we are self-compassionate, we heal our own wounds and come to feel less friction towards those who have hurt or wronged us. Perhaps this compassion can be extended to our parents. We may be able to see them through a different lens, and realise that though they were not the parents we wish to be, they may have made every effort to do what they thought was best. In extreme cases, where what was done is not forgivable, we cannot condone the parent’s actions but we can still extend compassion towards them. Letting go of anger and aiding your own healing is one thing, but I struggled to come to terms with my need to break patterns. I thought of it as a betrayal of my parents, until someone said to me, “You do not know what struggles they went through as a child. You may not be aware of this, but they’ve probably broken a pattern or two themselves. You can just carry the torch and continue to do better for the next generation.” Perhaps your father used to shout at you when he was frustrated, if you are able to speak to your child in a calm manner in a similar situation, you are breaking patterns. Perhaps your mother used to punish you physically when she was angry, if you are able to hold your hand back in a similar situation, even if you are still shouting at your child, you are breaking patterns. Each day, I am learning from parents around me. Sometimes through conversations but more often than not, through observing how they handle different situations with their children. We can all support and learn from each other, and together, do better. Every small step we take in breaking dysfunctional patterns is a big step towards building stronger and healthier relationships with our children. DB resident Xing Ni Liu has just completed her master’s in psychology at Harvard University: she spent the last year of her degree creating workshops for parents to educate them about generational trauma, and help them build stronger, healthier relationships with their children by breaking dysfunctional generational patterns. She is passionate about helping children to reach their maximum potential and believes that mindful parenting plays a key role in this. Find more from Xing, and workshops in the coming school year, on Instagram.

With the MSW (Municipal Solid Waste) Charging Scheme binned, we need to take matters into our own hands and get serious about waste reduction and recycling Hong Kong’s ban on single-use plastics began on April 22 this year (Earth Day). All expanded polystyrene tableware, as well as disposable plastic straws, stirrers, cutlery and plates are now banned, alongside numerous other items, including umbrella bags, cotton buds, glow sticks and all oxo-degradable plastic products. However, the government’s controversial, twice-delayed MSW (Municipal Solid Waste) Charging Scheme, scheduled for roll-out next month, has been shelved. Under the MSW Charging Scheme, household waste would have been subject to charging: in line with the polluter-pays principle, charges would have been based on the quantity of waste generated by each household. The idea was that as people became more aware that waste disposal comes with a cost, they would work harder to reduce and recycle. Each day, the equivalent of 1.53 kilogrammes of waste per person is released into Hong Kong landfills – the scale of the problem becomes evident when you multiply that by 365 (days in a year) and then by 7 million (Hongkongers). We all need to “dump less” whether or not we are incentivised to do so by the government, and the easiest way to reduce solid waste is to recycle. Now more than ever, we need to take steps to reduce the amount of waste we create and follow through by sorting and recycling the waste we do create correctly. The good news is that here in DB we are in a good position to do just that. FOOD WASTE PILOT SCHEME Discovery Bay Services Management Ltd (DBSML) introduced its first Food Waste Collection Programme over a decade ago, in 2012, to enable residents to “recycle” their domestic food waste. Under this programme, food waste collected by residents is transformed into fertiliser, which the DB landscaping team uses for composting. In 2022, DBSML stepped up its commitment to foodwaste handling, boosting the measures already in place by implementing the Environmental Protection Department’s (EPD) pilot scheme on food-waste collection. Under the EPD pilot scheme, food waste is collected on a daily basis from DB and transported to O•PARK1 in Siu Ho Wan (Hong Kong’s first organic resources recovery centre) for recycling. Capable of handling 200 tonnes of food waste per day, O·PARK1 uses anaerobic digestion technology to convert food waste into biogas (a source of renewable energy similar to natural gas) for electricity generation. Residues from the process are converted into compost. From the get-go, all residential units in DB were invited to participate in the EPD pilot scheme, and food-waste collection bins are now in place outside most villages. The Auberge, Discovery Bay Recreation Club, Fusion and some DB schools, including Discovery College, are now also participating. Reducing wasted food and using the food-waste collection scheme is an easy way to ease the pressure on Hong Kong’s landfills: the bins are purpose-built – leak-proof, impervious to moisture and fitted with secure lids – you simply drop your biodegradable food waste in, unbagged. GREEN@COMMUNITY COLLECTION Refuse! Reduce! Reuse! Recycle! We all need to use less, re-use what we can and, most importantly perhaps, treat our waste like the waste industry sees it – as a resource. Drink cartons are being converted into paper pulp, glass into eco-bricks, plastic bottles into (new) plastic bottles or clothing… the type of waste that can be recycled is rapidly expanding. So, now’s the time for all of us to recommit to recycling, ensuring more of our waste stays out of landfill and gets a new lease of life. Recycling in DB couldn’t be easier: there are communal separation bins at all villages, clearly labelled for glass, plastic (bottles), paper and metal, and we can also look to the governmentfunded Green@Community collection point, open on Tuesdays from 10am to 1pm and 2.30pm to 5.30pm, at the Green Icon@DB. It’s the place to dispose of hard-to-recycle items like plastic film and polyfoam, along with liquid cartons (Tetra Paks), disposable coffee cups and fibre food containers, rechargeable batteries, energy-saving light bulbs and waste electronics. The Green@Community team also takes metal, glass and paper recyclables (though there’s no harm in continuing to deposit these items at the communal separation bins). With plastics it’s a little more complicated: we need to take any nonbottle-shaped plastics, particularly soft plastics (film) and polyfoam, to the Green@Community collection point for it to have the highest chance of getting recycled. What’s key is that all recyclables are cleaned and properly sorted. In order to be recycled, all cartons need to be cut open and washed with the plastic spout and lid removed, and they should be dried, flattened and sorted by type (white-back and silver-back). Polyfoam items, including food containers, fruit nets and product packaging, also need to be clean and dry, with no food residue, tape, stickers or any other contaminants. Beverage bottles must be empty of liquid, though you can leave the cap and label on. SMART RECYCLING Disposing of recyclables at the Green@Community collection point is easy, effective and, of course, free of charge. But it’s not the only option. The EPD’s Smart Recycling Promotion Vehicle provides a similar service and is now a regular visitor to DB Plaza. The bus contains smart recycling bins for paper, plastic, metal and glass: and, as a plus, you can accumulate electronic bonus points, based on the weight of the rubbish you recycle, to redeem gifts. Mill Mill’s Meow recycling truck also makes regular appearances in DB Plaza. As Hong Kong’s first paper-packed drink box recycling pulp mill, Mill Mill can process up to 50 tons of paper-packed drink boxes every day, plus waste paper of all types (books, magazines, newspapers). Stop by the bus to dispose of waste paper, and you can also drop off plastic bottles and bags, aluminium/ tin cans and containers, laptops and tablets. In addition, smart recycling machines are cropping up all over DB, where you can drop off unwanted clothing, shoes, bags, toys and accessories. When using the machines, you can earn points to redeem gifts. GREEN DBER PROGRAMME DBSML-led initiatives like these are boosted by eco-related activities supported by the DB landscape team at Community Green Square. There’s also the opportunity to become a Green DBer: the programme encourages residents to join together to embrace a “green” lifestyle. Once enrolled as a Green DBer, you get access to a green lifestyle newsfeed and receive regular eco-related tips via EDM. You also get up-to-date information about upcoming events and activities, including the ongoing eco workshops, plant markets and family farm projects at Community Green Square. Green DBers have priority access to educational talks and workshops on everything from waste reduction and recycling to upcycling projects for kids. As part of its environmental programme, DBSML also organises regular recycling days, a dedicated DB Earth Day and visits to O•PARK1, so residents can see how the food waste collected in DB is put to new use. One thing’s for sure, there are numerous ways all of us, as individuals, can reduce the amount of municipal solid waste we send to landfill. Are you ready to get serious about waste reduction and recycling?

Strings Theory: The Maverick Musicians! Tim Chen and Juan Andrés Carmona are shaking up Hong Kong's classical performance scene, and training the next generation of musicians to keep shaking it. Elizabeth Kerr reports It’s sweltering outside. The stairwell and lift of DB North Community Centre are stuffy and warm, but the room where partners in musical crime Tim Chen and Juan Andrés Carmona are rehearsing with their fledgling DB Youth Orchestra (DBYO) is cool and comfortable. It’s a typical public space: unfussy and utilitarian, but it’s also relaxed and welcoming. On this day, Juan is running three of the DBYO’s musicians, Ella, Mat t and Serena, all in their early teens, through Strauss, Pachelbel and You Raise Me Up, made famous by Josh Groban and boy band Westlife. Tim picks up a violin to check its tuning, and he makes the few seconds of Canon (in D) sound ef for tless. These kids are in good hands. GETTING ESTABLISHED Tim and Juan make quite a pair. Tim is youthful and verbose; his enthusiasm for the violin and music in general is visible. He’s been playing since he was about five, learning he had per fect pitch, which he didn’t even fully understand, in high school. Juan is more low-key, with an air of serendipity about him, which in many ways is what brought him to Hong Kong. The pair met when they were studying at London’s Trinity Laban Conser vatoire of Music and Dance and shared a house. Juan was there from Almería, in southern Spain. Tim headed back to Hong Kong after finishing his degrees, but Juan, also a violinist had a year to go, and he was less sure of what he wanted to do. Hong Kong was Tim’s idea. “Oh, he came because of me!” he declares. “I wasn’t sure if I should stay in London or go back to Spain,” recalls Juan. “So I went home for a few months and we talked and Tim started getting quite busy here in Hong Kong and suggested I come over. I trusted him, so I came for a visit, and he helped me connect to an orchestra, and it’s been seven years already.” Juan’s since become a regular with the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong and an instructor at Discovery Bay International School. Alongside his parents, Tim was an early adopter of DB, and a workload that sees him roaming all around Hong Kong (to his own music studio, to Kellett School), and up to Shenzhen for music camps is among the reasons he resettled here when he got back from London. DB is ideal for decompressing. “I grew up in Tsuen Wan, but I’ve lived in Discovery Bay since 1995. The funny thing is when I first moved here, aged around seven or eight, it was the middle of nowhere – there was no Tung Chung, no Sunny Bay, only the ferry. It was so inconvenient,” Tim recalls with a chuckle. “But my parents liked the vibe, the atmosphere, the community; there was less pollution. Now they feel like this is it. They’re not planning to move again. And when I came back from the UK after 10 years, well,” he hedges a bit. “I don’t really like Tsim Sha Tsui, I don’t like Causeway Bay. Now when friends suggest going out for dinner, it’s ‘You mean the plaza right?’ Outside DB is too far now.” Ironically, Juan lives in Causeway Bay. MAKING SOME NOISE In making Hong Kong homebase, both Tim and Juan wanted to play in an orchestra according to their own rules, without a traditional structure, and to maybe instil that passion in a younger generation. Enter Asiartic, a music education organisation, the two-year-old Asiartic Camerata chamber orchestra, and of course the DBYO (for kids elementary to high school-aged; get details at tim@tim-chen.com, or Facebook @Discovery Bay Youth Orchestra). Putting together a professional orchestra with other freelance musicians around the city for Asiartic Camerata wasn’t difficult; Hong Kong is teeming with talent and the group has already found modest success with small, intimate performances in venues like Soho House (its next is at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in September). The Camerata is an odd duck, to be sure. “We do it without a conductor, which is very unusual,” says Tim. “We don’t want to be all, ‘I’m the boss’: everyone’s the same; any ideas and comments are equal. We just want to work together as a group; that’s the purpose. Same for the DB Youth Orchestra.” Indeed, it was the kids that caught Tim’s attention. As a typical Hong Kong student back in the day, he understood music class is often treated as a way to juice high school and university applications, but for the students with genuine interest – or who simply enjoy playing – outlets are few and far between. “I said to Juan, ‘I teach in DB, you teach in DB, why don’t we form a youth orchestra?’ There wasn’t much going on in DB outside of school; the term ends, the orchestra stops, and the kids don’t really get any one-to-one lessons beyond a certain level. In school, you don’t get a lot of chances to play your part and stand out. And that’s a shame. DBYO is a chamber group that meets to play music together. I’m trying to get the kids to understand exams are not the main purpose of music.” It’s paying off. The DBYO is just a few months old, with a handful of musicians so far, but Tim hopes it will grow, particularly after parents who see their kids blossom away from grading pressures talk to other parents. Luckily, Tim and Juan have allies in the community centre management, which generously lends its rehearsal and performance spaces, including the auditorium. At today’s rehearsal, everyone’s focused on the Summer Concert, the DBYO’s second, coming up in a few days . Tim admits some of the kids get a bit of stage fright and push back on stepping into the spotlight, but he’s pleased to note 100% get over it. “So many enjoy it, and they’re doing really well. Even if we only had two or three kids, we wouldn’t give it up.” In the coming months and years, Tim and Juan will expand their educational reach at Asiartic to welcome kids from around the region, and get involved with more charity work – as performers and teachers for kids with fewer music opportunities. But for now, they’re concentrating on the DBYO’s strings’ players (other instruments are coming) and the Camerata’s forthcoming gigs, one of which might be a DJ set featuring Vivaldi, at Soho House. “No one has ever done something like that in Hong Kong,” says Tim. “So again, we like trying new things, and not doing what you think classical music should.”

Take a stroll through a next-generation, fully interactive, digital-art garden: the leading immersive light show in Japan is yours to enjoy through October at 1881 Heritage, TST A fully interactive, digital-art garden has sprung to life in the heart of the urban jungle: Naked Flowers is showing through October 27, at 1881 Heritage, TST. Created by visionary Japanese digital art collective NAKED Inc and led by the legendary Ryotaro Muramatsu, the exhibition sets out to reinvent the familiar, give it new value, and wow audiences. NAKED Inc uses the very latest technology to create next-generation, highly theatrical, virtual experiences, and brings a 27-year understanding of immersive space construction. There are eight glorious digital-art spaces to explore within the Naked Flowers exhibition each revealing the beauty, fragrance and universal language of flowers. The experience begins at the ‘Big Book’: a massive, page-turning installation that marks your entrée into a world where the secrets of various flowers are revealed. From here on in, all exhibits are multisensory, and you will be invited to interact with them through sight, touch and movement. Get ready to watch in wonder as walls, floors and even pieces of furniture bloom before your very eyes. Petals spill forth from the ‘Big Book’, providing a glimpse of the digital wonders to come, and leading you into the venue via an immersive ‘Flower Path’. The whimsical path – a surreal tunnel of petals – lights up as you walk along it, and snowflakes fall. Moving into the ‘Big Flower Garden’, a bank of larger-than-life flowers awaits, making a dramatic introductory statement, and filling the space with their gorgeous fragrance. Petals fly across the walls, drawing you gently into the adjacent ‘Wildflower Garden’. Here in the fourth participatory space, you can interact with the digital artwork to make flowers grow, and watch while they bloom and glow. There’s also the opportunity to become one with your surroundings, dancing and weaving among the flowers as a butterfly. The next three spaces form the heart of the exhibition, where the inner workings of flowers are revealed as giant blooms appear on the walls, seemingly spurred into life by your presence. In the ‘Mozaic Flower Garden’, interactive displays provide detailed information about each flower featured in the exhibition. In ‘Microscopy of Flowers’, flower cells are put under the microscope. As you zoom in on the interactive walls, the inner structure of flowers opens up; mirrors rotate in all directions, creating a dazzling kaleidoscopic effect. In cherry blossom-filled ‘Ousai Garden’, the lifecycle of flowers is dissected: when you approach a wall, flower seeds appear, sprout and transform into plants. The Naked Flowers experience draws to a close with ‘Dandelion’, a statement digital art piece with a profound and timely meaning. Dandelions transmit their seeds to every corner of the globe and can be said to connect the world. For this reason, Muramatsu and his team are intent on planting/ installing ‘Dandelions’ in venues across the globe to represent a collective wish for world peace. As you blow on the dandelion clock and make your wish, the seeds float gently to the ground to bloom into a new flower. Naked Flowers has been shown across Japan since 2016, and the Hong Kong exhibit marks its international debut. From its roots in video production, NAKED Inc now stands at the forefront of art-related technology and is expanding into the immersive entertainment market not only in Asia but also in Europe and the US. FURTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERACTION In order to maximise viewing pleasure, only 200 people are admitted to Naked Flowers per hour, so you are well advised to book in advance. There is also the option to rent the entire exhibition space for private events (of at least two hours, maximum 200 guests) and private dinners (7pm to 10pm, maximum 30 guests). Here the opportunities for interaction really open up as the venue lends itself to events of all kinds – children’s parties, work trips, hen nights, proposal dinners. The venue is also pet-friendly at certain times, so you are limited only by your imagination. While there is the option to bring in outside catering (and furnishings) for private events, the Naked Café Bar is a permanent fixture set just outside the main exhibition space. Various snacks and beverages are on offer, many of them floral-themed, and an interactive table takes centre stage – place your drink on it and watch flowers bloom across the surface. Naked Flowers is brought to Hong Kong by Nothing Much and Peeps Studios: two burgeoning marketing and entertainment companies, headed up by local entrepreneur Paul Kohli and visual artist MJ Lee, a Discovery Bay resident since 2001. True to his DB roots. MJ has secured an exclusive discount for Around DB readers eager to purchase tickets to see Naked Flowers. Adults (12 years and above) HK$50 (discounted from HK$180); children (3 to 11 years and full-time students) HK$130 (discounted from HK$150); children under three years, disabled guests and the elderly (65 years and above) free of charge. Meet you at the Naked Café Bar!

In recent years, the traditional concept of office life has experienced a notable transformation, shaped by increasing demands for flexibility , the rise of remote and hybrid work models , and the need for spaces that adapt quickly to business requirements. The shift towards serviced offices reflects these changing dynamics, offering environments that are fully equipped and ready to use from day one. Serviced offices stand out by providing all-inclusive setups where businesses can immediately focus on their core activities without the distractions of managing utilities like electricity, water, internet, and other operational needs. These spaces not only eliminate the hassles of traditional office management but also significantly reduce the time and investment typically required to set up a new office, including tasks such as renovations and purchasing furniture. With their ready-to-use nature and all-inclusive amenities, serviced offices offer a compelling alternative to traditional office leases, particularly for companies that value flexibility and efficiency. How can your business benefit from switching to a serviced office environment that adapts swiftly to your evolving needs and allows you to focus purely on growth and productivity? Scalable Solutions in Serviced Offices Serviced offices offer a strategic edge by smoothing over the usual disruptions associated with traditional office setups. A key feature of these spaces is their turnkey solution. For example, when a business experiences sudden growth, the usual challenges of arranging office spaces can significantly delay operations. Serviced offices remove these obstacles , allowing companies to upscale or downscale their office space based on immediate business needs and start operations right away. The financial structure of serviced offices supports greater adaptability as well . Traditional office leases often involve long-term commitments, which can become a heavy load if a company’s space requirements shrink, expand unexpectedly, or change location. Serviced offices, however, allow businesses to adjust their space with far less complication . Head of Relationship Management, Mimi Lee of Bela Offices notes, “Serviced offices are not just about flexibility; they're located in some of the city’s most prestigious districts. This provides all businesses, regardless of size, with a coveted address and better access to networking opportunities and potential clients, all without the exorbitant costs typically involved.” This strategic positioning not only streamlines the logistical aspects of running a business but also enhances its agility and ability to seize opportunities as they arise. Why Businesses Are Making the Switch In the wake of COVID-19, the demand for flexibility has significantly increased , impacting not only office leases but also employee work arrangements. Both employees and companies are now prioritising environments that support hybrid work models , allowing seamless integration of home and office work. Serviced offices are perfectly equipped to meet these demands by offering spaces that can quickly adapt to changing team sizes and work styles , without the long-term commitments traditionally associated with office spaces. Furthermore, Lee comments, "Businesses facing variable economic conditions find the reduced financial risk associated with serviced offices a prudent option. The ability to scale operations up or down without severe financial penalties allows companies to stay agile and responsive to rapidly changing market conditions." As adaptability and operational efficiency become more crucial, the trend towards serviced offices is becoming an integral part of strategic planning for many businesses worldwide. The 2025 Workplace: Evolutions and Impacts The future of work is reshaping how and where jobs are performed. This transformation is driven not just by technological advancements and economic shifts, but also by a fundamental shift in workplace culture . -Hybrid Work: Employees are increasingly working in a mix of remote and on-site settings. This shift requires offices that facilitate both digital connectivity and physical interaction. -Tech Integration: As roles evolve with automation and AI, there's a growing need for workspaces that support these advanced technologies. -Adaptability: Businesses face the need to quickly adjust to changing demands, necessitating spaces that can expand or contract without long-term commitments. Serviced offices are uniquely positioned to meet these demands. They offer infrastructure that supports hybrid models, enables rapid technological adaptation, and provides the flexibility required for economic volatility.

Refresh yourself with these hydrating, low-cal, high-fibre treats – cucumbers are a nutrient-rich food that can help control blood sugar and strengthen bones CUCUMBER LEMONADE Serves 6 170g golden granulated sugar 6 large unwaxed lemons 2 medium cucumbers, chopped into cubes Soda water, for topping up Mix the sugar with 180ml hot water in a heatproof bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Leave to cool completely. Stir in the juice of the lemons. Cube the cucumbers and tip them into a blender with a splash of water and blitz until liquified. Tip some ice, the sugar-and-lemon mix and the puréed cucumbers into a large pitcher and stir well. Top up the pitcher with soda water and stir well again, then drop in a few sprigs of rosemary and slices of lemon and cucumber just before serving. CUCUMBER, PEA & RADISH SALAD Serves 8 500g frozen peas 1 large cucumber 300g radish 1 bunch chives 2tbsp mint sauce, from a jar 2tbsp white wine vinegar 2tbsp olive oil Tip the peas into a bowl, pour over a kettleful of hot water and set aside for 10 minutes. Check the peas are tender, then drain really well and set aside to cool. Halve the cucumber and radish lengthways, then slice. Just before you are ready to eat, mix in the chopped chives, mint sauce, vinegar and olive oil. Season well and garnish with arugula to serve.

Year-round, the world over DRAGON BOATING HAS BEEN PRACTISED FOR OVER 2000 years in southern China, and the Hangzhou Xixi International Dragon Boat Race on June 14 at Xixi National Wetland Park features traditional demonstrations by competitors from across China. As well as races for modern double-skinned fibreglass boats, there are races for “old-style” teak boats that need 30 to 60 people to paddle them. THERE IS DRAGON BOAT RACING ACROSS THE TERRITORY in June (though the Discovery Bay Dragon Boat Gala is held in October). Dragon boating emerged as an international sport in Hong Kong in 1976, and this year, thousands of the world’s top paddlers are battling it out at the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races off Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade from June 15 to 16. NORTH AMERICA’S LARGEST AND MOST COMPETITIVE dragon boat festival, the Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival, takes place at False Creek, Vancouver from June 21 to 23. From small beginnings in 1989, it is now in its 35th year, providing free music and cultural entertainment, as well as world-class racing. Crews are competing from around the world, with paddlers aged from 16 to 80. THE ITALIAN DRAGON BOAT FEDERATION is holding the International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) 14th Club Crew World Championships in Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna from September 3 to 8. The IDBF was founded in Hong Kong in 1991, and is credited with developing dragon boating into a global modern-day sport that maintains its ancient Chinese traditions. THE GRUELLING 2,000M PURSUIT RACE is an annual highlight of the International Canoe Federation (ICF) Dragon Boat World Championships being held this year at Puerto Princesa in the western Philippines from October 28 to November 4. There are races for men, women, mixed, seniors and juniors over 200m, 250m, 500m and 2,000m. In the 2,000m, two laps of the 500m course are completed incorporating three turns. THE BIGGEST EVENT OF ITS KIND in the southern hemisphere, the Sydney Lunar New Year Dragon Boat Festival will be held in late January 2025 to coincide with Chinese New Year. Dragon boaters race across Darling Harbour, as spectators look on from Cockle Bay Wharf. In addition to the championship races, there’s a fancy dress race for the six crews that submit the wackiest costume ideas. HOSTING RACES ACROSS VICTORIA’S Inner Harbour, the Canada Dry Victoria Dragon Boat Festival runs from August 9 to 11, with up to 80,000 visitors watching from the stands. The event is a Dragon Boat Canada qualifying regatta, and top teams attend from Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver, Seattle and Portland. Festivalgoers are invited to light a paper lantern come nightfall, with all proceeds from lantern sales going to the BC Cancer Foundation.

Serene, foreboding, dappled with sunlight, or scoured by rain, Lantau’s beaches are where it’s at. Discover our top five We are fortunate indeed to have wonderful beaches here on Lantau, from big open bays complete with lifeguard towers and Coca-Cola stalls, to small, hidden gems tucked beneath rugged cliffs. Here are five of the best to visit, or revisit this summer. PUI O BEACH Pui O’s environs are hard to beat. The route from the bus stop on South Lantau Road takes you past sleepy Pui O village, and through fields where water buffalo are often found grazing, or simply hanging out. Once you reach the water, you are presented with an untouched beach flanked by a rocky outcrop on the Chi Ma Wan Peninsula to the southeast, and Yi Tung Shan and Sunset Peak to the northwest. At the beach itself, you can spend your day in several ways. Parents can set up shop at Treasure Island’s terraced restaurant and watch the kids gallivant on the beach below. The group also offers beach chair, kayak and board rentals, as well as coolers and beach bags in case you prefer to pick up supplies and lug them across the “black” sand. Of course, there’s nothing stopping you from going it alone (by bringing your own board); Pui O is diligently supervised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD). The lifeguard hours in summer, as with all beaches that are maintained by the LCSD, are from 9am to 6pm on weekdays, and from 8am to 7pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. One of the most appealing aspects of Pui O is how easy it is to overnight there. The tents and cabanas offered by Treasure Island may be the prudent, albeit more expensive option, if your priority is a good night’s sleep. However, the LCSD campsite on the other side of the beach is at most 50 metres from the sea (tide dependant) and there you’ll be rocked to sleep by the sound of the waves smashing the shore. Either way, it’s truly hard to reconcile the fact that you’re in Hong Kong with what you witness as the sun sets on Pui O. SILVERMINE BAY BEACH A perfect crescent of sand nestled below Lin Fa Shan peak and the spectacular Mui Wo basin, Silvermine Bay Beach is busier than most on Lantau, largely because it’s somewhere you can enjoy the sand and sea without too much hassle. Like Pui O, it’s supervised by the LCSD. This easily accessible beach has excellent facilities, including barbecue pits. Although, when it comes to getting something to eat you are spoilt for choice, as all of Mui Wo’s restaurants are within a 10-minute walk from the beach. If you and your friends are the active sort, have a turn using the beach volleyball court nestled under a pair of trees just metres from the river Silver. Alternately, spend a night at Silvermine Beach Hotel and enjoy some of the myriad outdoor activities on offer – you can rent stand-up paddle boards, peddle boats and kayaks. It is worth mentioning, however, that the water quality at Silvermine Bay Beach is on-average rated as “Fair” by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), the grade below “Good,” and the beach can get quite crowded on weekends. UPPER CHEUNG SHA BEACH One of two sister beaches divided by an unassuming headland that barely reaches the coast, Upper Cheung Sha is the longest beach on Lantau (3 kilometres), and one of the longest in Hong Kong. To get there simply hop off the bus at Cheung Sha Ha Tsuen, and walk down the slope. This beach is also maintained by the LCSD, and the lifeguard post at the western end has the usual showers, toilets and changing rooms. While the sand is soft, there are some rocks dotted around both in the water and on the beach itself, so be a bit careful where you set up, and where you swim. Be sure to smile at the passing water buffalo. Bring lots of water and snacks if you plan to stay the day, as Upper Cheung Sha has less amenities and restaurants than its lower, busier counterpart, and there is very little shade. This beach is best enjoyed under a portable umbrella, with a cooler full of drinks, sandwiches, chips and dips. TAI LONG WAN By far the smallest and most remote beach on this list, Tai Long Wan, which translates as Big Wave Bay, actually boasts three beaches. And it’s unique in all ways but in name. There’s a Tai Long Wan in Sai Kung, one on the easternmost coast of Hong Kong Island, and not one but two on Lantau – the other one shoulders Sea Ranch and is only accessible by hike or sampan from Cheung Chau. It’s a spectacular beach, but a bit too out of the way for most. To visit this particular Tai Long Wan is still quite a trek. After getting off a bus at Sha Tsui at the corner of Shek Pik Reservoir, follow Wang Pui Road (and the sound of crashing waves) through Tai Long Wan village to the beach. If you’re taking it easy, or have small children in tow, it may take up to 30 minutes to reach the beach from the road. As a reward for your efforts, you’ll likely find yourself on a completely deserted beach. Palms, ferns and Banyan trees dot the waterline and the sand is silky and white. There are no chairs, umbrellas or lifeguards on duty, and definitely no restaurants. Everything you will need for the day, you will have to bring yourself. This may seem like a drawback, but with the hectic lifestyles so many of us lead, simple seclusion (perhaps enjoyed with a few friends or family) is a real luxury. TAI PAK WAN Call us biased but this guide would not be complete without a shout-out to DB’s own Tai Pak Wan. Some 400 metres long, it’s our go-to for leisurely swims and long walks, sun worshipping and beach volleyball. Though busy at weekends during summer, it’s first and foremost a neighbourhood hangout, a place for residents – and their dogs – to meet and mingle. Backed by rolling hills and well-appointed homes, and directly adjacent to both the ferry pier and main plaza, Tai Pak Wan sets the resort vibe for which DB is celebrated. And it’s only as old as the community it serves: created in the 1980s, it’s Hong Kong’s first man-made beach. The sand (300,000 cubic metres, imported from the mainland) is surprisingly soft and white, and the water is generally calm and clear. Built, owned and managed by Hong Kong Resort Company Ltd, Tai Pak Wan is lined with family-friendly amenities, including a beach playground (Hong Kong’s largest) with climbing frames, slides and swings, even a mini zipline. It’s a hub for community events and increasingly popular with watersports enthusiasts. You’ll find Lantau Boat Club at the far end. Before heading home, there’s the option to dine al fresco at D’Deck: take your pick from Turkish to Thai – these days there’s even an upmarket fish ‘n’ chip shop right on the seafront.