For some of the best seafood in Hong Kong or a pleasant hike, take a ferry to this nearby island without a single skyscraper.
Lamma Island offers a convenient spot for a scenic getaway and pleasant exercise. Catch a ferry to Yung Shue Wan, a town of about 6,000. You’ll find craft shopping within the multi-cultural community. Because Lamma Island is a much more affordable living area than Central, some expats make their temporary homes here.
Enjoy the Lamma Island Family Hiking Trail, connecting the two main cities on the island. Follow the path, much of it cut stone, along the coast and ridge of the island. View Aberdeen to the northeast and Cheung Chau, Lantau and the South China Sea to the west. Plan for an hour to complete the relatively easy 2.5-mile (4-kilometer) hike; bring water and sunscreen. Build in extra time for swimming or wading at Hung Shing Ye Beach.
Lamma was a launching point for small Japanese boats during World War II in suicide attacks against Allied shipping. As you approach the end of the trail in Sok Kwu Wan, investigate Kamikaze Caves for evidence of the historical hiding spots for boats and munitions.
Alternatively, catch a ferry directly to Sok Kwu Wan. Stand at the railing as the ferry approaches to observe dozens of fishing boats and large areas of fish farming. Then look to the shoreline at multi-colored awnings of restaurant after restaurant along one continuous raised pier. If it’s hard to select a restaurant, simply find one that already has customers.
Most restaurants have menus with English or pictures to help foreigners order. Some favorite dishes are drunken prawns, chili crab and steamed garoupa. Pick your live fish from the large tanks as you walk past the cooking area. Settle in at an open-air location with an icy beer to watch the sunset. Perfect your chopstick skills by picking up multiple peanuts lined up parallel on the tablecloth while you wait for a delicious meal of the freshest possible seafood.
To reach Lamma Island, go to the Outlying Island pier in Central or the Lamma Island location in Aberdeen Harbour. Either trip will take just over a half-hour. The boat ride home is a relaxing finish to the day.