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Island hopping The humidity is down and energy levels are up. Get out there and explore Hong Kong’s islands.
Lamma Known for its seafood, laidback lifestyle and friendly community, Lamma is like an island version of Sai Kung – minus the traffic. No wonder we feel right at home there. Visitors arriving by ferry have a couple of options. Yung Shue Wan, in the northwest, is the main “town”, with alleyways bursting with trinket shops, restaurants, bars and organic shops. Try the famous Bookworm Cafe for all things healthy; flop on a couch, pull a book from the shelves, and while away the afternoon with a soy cappuccino and tofu burger. It’s a short walk to two beaches: Power Station Beach – home to the island’s infamous Full Moon Parties – and the busier Hung Shing Yeh Beach, with lifeguards. Option two is Sok Kwu Wan, on the east coast, with its famous strip of seafood restaurants thronging with junk-trippers. Turn a blind eye to the old quarry on the other side of the bay and focus on the food. The large Rainbow Seafood Restaurant is a safe bet – it even runs a Fishermen’s Village tourist experience on fishing rafts out in the bay for
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a fun diversion. Or try old stalwart the Lamma Hilton for superb black-pepper prawns. After lunch, try the easy 10-minute trail across a narrow neck of land to pretty Lo Shing Beach on the west coast, or the 45-minute walk over the hill to Yung Shue Wan. More serious hikers might consider tackling Mount Stenhouse, Lamma’s highest peak at 353 metres. Need to know: Catch a ferry from Central Pier 4 to either Yung Shue Wan or Sok Kwu Wan, (timetable at www.td.gov.hk) or a wooden kaido from Aberdeen (the last pier before the fish market) to Sok Kwu Wan. For timetables visit www.ferry.com.hk. For details of the Full Moon Parties and other goings on, visit www.lamma. com.hk. Bookworm Cafe, 79 Yung Shue Wan Main Street, 2982 4838. Rainbow Seafood Restaurant, 2982 8100. Lamma Hilton Shum Kee Restaurant, 2982 8290.
Po Toi Island Po Toi is the southernmost island in Hong Kong waters, where foaming waves crash against
rugged cliffs and hikers enjoy invigorating coastal trails with glorious views across the South China Sea. This is a popular junk-trip destination, not least for its seafood restaurants; Ming Kee serves world-class black-pepper squid. The restaurant is built beachside on a huge wooden deck open on three sides. Enjoy the steamed scallops, calamari or just an ice cream while the kids frolic on the sand. Old ruined buildings across the island are testament to the attractions of a booming city just across the water. Don’t miss Old Mo’s House, also known as the Ghost House, where Japanese soldiers allegedly stayed during the second world war, as well as Tin Hau Temple, Turtle Rock, Monk Rock and Palm Rock on the southern headland. It takes a leap of imagination to see the shapes. Need to know: Catch a ferry from Stanley or Aberdeen piers. Visit www.traway.com.hk for timetables. Ming Kee Seafood Restaurant, 2849 7038.
