Cheung Chau

Cheung Chau has an area of only 2.5 square meters and a population of 40,000, making it the most densely populated island among the outlying islands. This makes Cheung Chau full of life, and it is recommended to go deep into the village to experience local life, and staying overnight is a better decision, and you will not be able to meet the "other Hong Kong" without Cheung Chau.

The dense population has given rise to convenient transportation, and the boats from Cheung Chau Pier to and from Central are very dense, and there are even fast boats and slow boats, which take 30min and 60min respectively. The island is north-south and shaped like a dumbbell, and the local residents mainly live in the central and southern parts of the island, with the central part of the island being more densely populated, and the dock is also here, which is convenient and pleasant.

When you land on the shore, you can feel the rich atmosphere of life. There are tea restaurants, ice rooms, seafood stalls, and mobile stalls selling fish balls and beef offal along the pier. It is worth mentioning that McDonald's restaurants are also nearby, and it is extremely rare for a chain of fast food restaurants to appear in the islands of the outlying islands, which is also good news for tourists who are not used to Cantonese eating.

There are scenic spots such as Zhang Baozai Cave, Five Elements Stone, and North View Pavilion on the island, most of which are located on the south side of the island. In contrast, it is more interesting to go deep into Aboriginal settlements. The road network in the area is dense, the houses are compact and tidy, and the scenery is easy to move, all of which are suitable for taking pictures. Many residents choose to grow greenery, and the pace of life is much slower than that of Central, 10 kilometers away, as if isolated from the world. Unlike other islands, Cheung Chau residents are not all elderly people who stay on the island, but cover all age groups, showing a complex social nature. There are schools organized by private organizations, pension companies, hospitals, clinics, police stations, post offices, fire stations and other community facilities on the island, and the occupations of residents are far more complicated than you think. It's a life of "no quarrel with the world", but it's thriving.

Staying overnight is the best option, with some village bands playing in the evening, and East Bay Beach making it easy to watch the sunrise. Warwick Hotel is fully equipped and has a window overlooking the sea. There are also many homestays in residential areas, and the price is about 2/3 to 1/2 of Warwick, but the facilities are average and the area is generally small.

Cheung Chau Island is also a haven, with fishing boats on the west side of the middle section of the island and Tung Wan Beach on the east side. The beach is very long, with a total length of more than 700 meters, and if you add the adjacent Guanyin Bay, it is more than 1 kilometer, and the width of the beach is not too large. East Bay is popular in the outlying islands area, with an average of 2,100 visitors a day on holidays and 4,000 on peak days, but the beach is long and narrow enough to be uncrowded. The sandy conditions of Dongwan and Guanyinyuan are relatively coarse, but they are beaches with the lowest E. coli levels and the lowest turbidity in the outlying islands, so swimming is recommended. It is also important to note that the water temperature in East Bay is low, with an average temperature 2°C lower than that of Pui O, so it is best to warm up well. There are showers and a first-aid room next to the beach.

Heading south from the pier to Cheung Chau West Causeway, the embankment is designed to protect fishing boats from wind and waves, and the scenery here is inferior to that of Peng Chau Island. The northwest corner of the trail leads to the low mountain, there is a viewing pavilion at the top, the pavilion is two stories high, the view is good, the public barbecue next to it is made of bricks and cement, you need to bring your own charcoal fire, ingredients.

There are many attractions related to Cheung Po Tsai in Hong Kong, among which Cheung Po Tsai Cave in Cheung Chau is the most famous. It is generally believed that Zhang Baozai was a pirate of the Qing Dynasty, and the local community he led was very large, but the value of Zhang Baozai Cave is actually a topographical feature. The interior of Cheung Po Tsai Cave on Cheung Chau Island is very tortuous, with a total distance of 88 meters, and you need to crawl up and down. It is advisable to wear non-slip shoes and bring lighting equipment such as mobile phones and flashlights when visiting. Steel ladders have been installed in the cave, but some of the cave sections are very narrow, and larger visitors may feel cramped. The exit of the cave is a different story, where the terrain looks a little thrilling and is suitable for photographing waves. The "Five Elements Stone" spot is just opposite, which can be called the best photo spot. There is no turning back from Zhangbaozai Cave, but the exit trail leads to the west of the summit road, and tourists who cannot visit Zhangbaozai Cave due to their size can also walk along the mountain road in the opposite direction to visit the mountain rock.

Similar rocky terrain can also be found at the southeast end of the island, as well as in the area of the "Little Great Wall" on the east side of Guanyin Ridge, where there are attractions such as Mantou Stone and Vase Stone, and the ocean scenery is also good, and you can see Lamma Island 10 kilometers away. Cheung Chau Island is rich in trees, and the hiking routes are mostly mountain and forest roads, so there are not many opportunities to see the sea, so you can visit the rocky terrain of the South Island, and the more important thing is to experience the local life in depth. In addition, there are bicycle and tricycle rental points on the island, which are inexpensive, and you can ride along the Xitigan Road, and the roads deep in the residential area are narrower, making it more suitable for walking.

 

Tips：

1. Carry rain gear;

2. Wear hiking clothing;

3. Zhang Baozai's hole is very narrow and slippery;

4. If you intend to stay overnight, it is best to book a hotel in advance;

5. Ferries are frequent, with boats running between Cheung Chau Ferry and Central Pier throughout the day.

 

Address: Cheung Chau Island, Islands District, Hong Kong

Tel: 00852 2981 8389 (East Bay Beach)

00852 2981 8472 (Kwun Kwun Wan Beach)