Cheung Chau | Did you know that Hong Kong consists of 261 islands? So little time, so many islands to explore, right? Though many of these islands are uninhabited, if you haven’t visited at least the inhabited ones, you’re missing out. We highly recommend that you start ticking islands off your list by planning your next staycation on the territory’s 8th biggest island, Cheung Chau. At 2.45 square kilometres, this island, aptly named “Long Island” or Cheung Chau in Cantonese, is packed with interesting things to see, eat and do. It would definitely take you more than one day to enjoy its main offerings, so pack your weekend bags, jump on the ferry and head to this dumbbell-shaped island.
Cheung Chau Highlights
Go on a foodventure
You better have an empty stomach when you arrive because Cheung Chau is a foodie’s paradise. Start with the obvious – a seafood lunch in one of the waterfront restaurants – and eat your way around the island by sampling golf ball-sized curry fish balls (see below, lol), salmon cheese balls, crispy ‘potato tornado’ (potato chips coiled on a stick), frozen fruit (perfect on a hot summer day!) mango mochi and flavored shaved ice.
Bike around the island
You’ll probably notice the absence of automobiles in Cheung Chau, which is part of its island charm. So to get around faster and burn the calories from all that irresistible food, rent a bike! There are bike rentals not too far from the pier, but walk a little further down the main road to Pak Tai Temple and you might just get a good deal from the shops in the area. Once you’re on your bike, just cruise around freely or follow the street signs and enjoy the ride!
Chill on the beach or try a water sport
From the pier, head to the opposite side of the island to get to Tung Wan Beach. Spend a few hours basking in the sun here or check out Olympic windsurfing champion Lee Lai-shan’s sculpture in the memorial garden. You can also hop to nearby Kwun Yam Beach to try your hand at water sports like windsurfing, surfing and canoeing in the same waters where Shan Shan trained.
See the mini-Great Wall
If sea and sand is not your thing, take to the trails. Not far from Tung Wan Beach is the entrance to the Mini Great Wall. It is a coastal path lined with granite railings that boasts breathtaking views of the South China Sea. See if you can spot the natural rock formations the locals call the Flower Vase Rock and Human Head Rock.
Explore a cave
One of Long Island’s most popular attractions, the Cheung Po Tsai cave is a small cave named after a notorious pirate from the late 18th century. Cheung Po Tsai once had 50,000 men and a fleet of 600 ships, before surrendering to the government and becoming an officer in the Qing Imperial Navy. Let your kids’ imagination run wild as they explore this cave, which was once Cheung’s hiding place and stash house.
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