A paradise for fish lovers: relax on the beach and escape the crowds of Hong Kong on a day trip to the island Cheung Chau. Just one ferry ride away.
Cheung Chau is an island southwest of Hong Kong Island. Here you can enjoy sandy beaches, a variety of fish and even visit temples. If you are looking for a relaxing day, then this is the ideal day trip for visitors to Hong Kong.
Cheung Chau is a fishing community pur sang, with a rich seafood market. Nowadays it is more of a tourist destination, but not to worry: that only goes for the area around the pier. When you venture further, to the beaches and the areas behind the shops, you will soon find the streets to be less crowded. The historical monuments on the island are a blend of Eastern and Western cultures.
How to get to Cheung Chau
You can easily reach Cheung Chau by ferry from Central Pier No. 5 on Hong Kong Island. The pier is within walking distance of the Central Subway Station. The fare can be as low as 13.6 HKD (which converts to 1.56 EUR or 1.75 USD) for the ordinary ferry (55-60 min) or 26.8 HKD for the fast ferry (35-40 min). You can pay for the ferry with your Octopus Transport Card.
There are two to three ferry departures an hour during the day (and even some at night), so you can just get there whenever and take the first one that leaves. The return ferry runs as often, so you can stay on the island for as long as you want.
Location Central Pier No. 5: 75Q5+3P Hong Kong
How to spend one day in Cheung Chau
Walk on the boulevard
Let’s call this the tourist street that lies in front of the ferry terminal. It is crowded but you still want to be here because of the beautiful harbor view. Ideally, you go to dinner just before it gets dark so you can see the sunset from one of the restaurants on this street.
Snacks
The must-try foods on Cheung Chau are:
- Steamed buns with red bean (or other) filling stamped with the icon you see on the picture. One shop that sellls them is Kwok Kam Kee Cake Shop.
- Rice cake filled with mango. You can buy this on the boulevard.
- Watermelon ice cream: simply a frozen part of a watermelon.
Eating out
The fish dishes are delicious! Try some mantis shrimps, snails, mussels, and more. They have it all and the best part of it is that it’s all fresh. From your table, you have a great view of the harbor and other people walking by. There are also many meat or vegetarian dishes available.
Tung Wan Beach
Walk away from the boulevard and cross the island to reach Tung Wan Beach in the east. It’s only a five to ten minutes walk, but you will notice the streets getting quieter every minute. Here you can take a stroll on the beach. If you visit in March (or any other low season month) then you are not allowed to swim here as there is no supervision, but many people still do.
Location: 626H+FQ Cheung Chau, Hong Kong
Rock Carvings
Follow the beach to the south to see the geometrical patterns on the rocks.
Location: 625M+53 Cheung Chau, Hong Kong
Kwun Yam Wan Beach
South of the rock carvings lies Kwun Yam Wan Beach. When I visited they were working on the road forcing visitors to walk on the sandy beach. A treat to some (me) but not as fun if you are less mobile.
Location: 624M+QR Cheung Chau, Hong Kong
Cheung Chau Mini Great Wall
Head up the stairs for a mini great wall with a view of the sea and the beach. The vegetation will capture your attention without a doubt. There’s lots to see on your way up to the viewpoint.
Location: 624P+XR Cheung Chau, Hong Kong
Chi Ma Hang Viewpoint
After a short walk, you reach the viewpoint. The road is easy (just a few inclines) and fully paved. Sit down on the benches below the pavilion to gaze over the ocean. Hopefully, you brought a bottle of water, because you’ll probably need it by now.
Location: 625Q+54 Cheung Chau, Hong Kong
Human Head Rock
A tall standing stone that can resemble a human head with some fantasy.
Location: 624Q+FV Cheung Chau, Hongkong
Residency area
Cross the island in the general direction of the Cheung Chau Market and the Ferry Pier. On your walk, you will see how the residents live. What’s especially interesting about this is the difference between the mansions and the smaller houses. In the middle of the island, you’ll also find a school and a full-size football field and track on the lowest point of the valley. Almost hidden.
Some streets are broad, accessible to cars, while others only have pavements for (motor)bikes and pedestrians. You will see groups (like ten women or ten men) working together on fixing one house. It’s an impressive community effort.
Afternoon reading
In the area behind the boulevard, you can find these quiet parts with benches in the leisure area in between the houses. Ideal for relaxing with a book until it is time to have dinner and watch the sunset.
Location: 626G+PX Cheung Chau, Hongkong
More things to see on Cheung Chau
Now you have seen the most interesting things on Cheung Chau. You could also head to the southwestern part of the island or see more of the coast in the southeast. As the main reason for my visit to Cheung Chau was to relax on the last day of my trip, I only saw the highlights and spent most of my time in the restaurants, cafes, and in the residential leisure areas.
