Cheung Chau Island

Cheung Chau is the island Hong Kong people escape to at weekends, and it is the easiest way for visitors to see a completely different side of the territory. It is a small, dumbbell-shaped island south-west of Hong Kong Island, with no cars (only small service vehicles and bicycles), a busy harbour full of fishing boats and a village of narrow lanes where life moves at a gentler pace. The ferry from Central Pier 5 takes about 35 to 60 minutes depending on whether you take the fast or the ordinary boat, and the arrival is wonderful: the harbour crowded with sampans and trawlers, the waterfront lined with seafood restaurants and snack shops. The island is famous for its food. Stroll the lanes behind the waterfront for giant fish balls on skewers, mango mochi, egg waffles, sea urchin and fried squid, and sit down for lunch at one of the harbourfront restaurants, where you choose your fish and shellfish from tanks and have it cooked to order. Then walk: Pak Tai Temple, built in the eighteenth century and dedicated to the sea god who protected the islanders during a plague, is the focus of the island's famous Bun Festival every spring, when giant towers covered in buns are raised in the forecourt and children parade in costume on stilts. Tung Wan Beach, on the east side, is a fine sandy beach with lifeguards in season, and the Mini Great Wall path along the coast leads past strangely shaped rocks to the island's highlights. On the southwest tip is Cheung Po Tsai Cave, said to have been the hideout of a notorious pirate who once commanded a vast fleet; it is tiny but fun to squeeze through with a flashlight. You can rent bicycles to explore, or simply follow the signs on foot. The only cost is the ferry fare and lunch.

Weekdays are the best time to visit, because on weekends and public holidays Cheung Chau fills with day-trippers from the city and the ferries are packed; arrive early or late in the day for a quieter experience. The fast ferry is more expensive and noisier but quicker; the ordinary ferry has an open deck at the back where you can sit outside and watch the harbour and islands pass. Ferries from Central run frequently from early morning until late at night, and you can use an Octopus card. Check the weather before you go: services can be suspended during typhoon signals, and the sea can be rough. Swimming is best from late spring to autumn; beaches have lifeguards and shark nets in the swimming season.

A good route: walk from the ferry pier north to Pak Tai Temple, then cut across to Tung Wan Beach and follow the coast south past the Mini Great Wall and the rock formations to Cheung Po Tsai Cave; return by sampan water taxi from the southern pier to the main harbour, or walk back through the village. Lunch on the waterfront and snacks in the lanes, then take an afternoon ferry back to Central in time for sunset over the harbour. The Bun Festival, usually around late April or May, coinciding with the Buddha's birthday holiday, is spectacular but very crowded; book a ferry plan and be patient. The island also has a strong local identity, with tiny shrines, old shophouses and fishing families who have lived here for generations.

If you have more time, Hong Kong's other outlying islands make good alternatives. Lamma Island, half an hour from Central, is known for its relaxed, alternative vibe, the Family Trail walk between its two villages and its seafood restaurants at Sok Kwu Wan. Peng Chau is smaller and quieter still, and Lantau's Tai O, the stilt-house fishing village, pairs best with the Big Buddha. Of all of them, Cheung Chau offers the best mix of food, culture, beaches and walks, and it is the one we recommend for a first island day.