Lamma Island, Hong Kong

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The main village of Lamma Island and closest ferry to Central. It's a busy little spot sited in a small bay. It's not the most attractive of spots but there's a certain energy that I found appealing. Most of the main street, running parallel to the shoreline, is firmly targeted at tourists - shops, cafes, bars. many with a seaview terrace tempting the day-trippers from Central. You could do worse than eat a seafood lunch or dinner here, although Sok Kwu Wan is regarded as the best option for this.

There's a wonderful little enclave of 'how it used to be' homes and boats (although most of the boats have motorised outboard engines!) immediately to the left of the ferry pier. Getting off the ferry, head toward town and dip round the library on your left hand side. Carry on walking and this will also bring you, having passed through the one street village, to a bay with a small beach and a pavillion overlooking HK Island.

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Having done the Sok Kwu Wan circualr walk, the amble to Yueng Shue Wan is something of a doddle in comparison (although if you combine the two... :)) and it takes just over an hour. From SKW itself, the first 15 minutes or so are along the shoreline of the little bay, with glimpses back towards the town (looking back gives you the best views because the cement works are now behind you ahead of the walk). It's also a fairly shady walk and whilst undulating, hardly taxing (concrete walkway all the way). There a couple of pleasant if not overinspiring beaches (Lo So Shing and and Hung Shing Yeh, both with services and shark nets. HSY, closer to Yueng Shue Wan is the busier of the two. The problem with walking in this direction is that for most of the time you are walking with the huge power station in view - either partial or in full. But having said that, there are still some glorious views to take in - just remember to look back behind you :)

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The walk takes in the guts of the island, a couple of wonderful beaches and amazing views. The circular path is a cement walkway - other even more strenuous walks lead off from this (but are not cemented), including the path to the peak of Mount Stenhouse (353 metres). Without a beach stop, it will take 2 hours or so.

Three tips. 1. Buy lots of water at Sok Kwu Wan before setting off. 2. As there is virtually no shade (other than at the eastern coastal part just outside SKW), take head covering. 3. Go anti clockwise! The start of the walk this way is the hardest bit - walk for 20 minutes uphill and then its virtually downhill from there on in (or at worst virtually on the flat). Doing it clockwise gives you 30 minutes of fairly easy flat walking and then, except for the very end, a lot of uphill... Having gone clockwise, I had the negative of all three :) I didn't take enough water (and virtually mugged a little old lady for a bottle - poetic license but... :)), I nearly had sunstroke after 2 hours + in a beating sun and I virtually crawled my way back to town - even downhill after so much uphill was painful!

The walk will include Mo Tat Wan (20 minutes from SKW - if you go the 'wrong' way), a small beach and (infrequent) ferry stop to
Aberdeen (clean beach but not so sure about the water), a cute banana plantation village, the beautiful Yueng Shue Ha beach (also known as Shek Pai Wan in some guides), a hard walk uphill where you are convinced you have ended up walking up to Mount Stenhouse, a breathing space at the top (and shade finally!) which isn't Stenhouse but feels like it is (and then some bugger built a viewing pavillion 48 steps further up. Of course you check it out - you'll only regret it when asked what you thought of the view. But then, feeling like a pilgrim at Santiago delle Campostella having reached it virtually on all fours, the view is totally crap!).

But boy - those fish restaurants back at SKW.... And all those bottles of water. And shade.... :)

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One of the two ferry destinations from Central (approximately 40 minutes), the fishing village of Sok Kwu Wan is to be found on the eastern seaboard of the island in its own little bay. On the opposite side of the bay is the rather ugly quarry and cement works, which does somewhat spoil any views from the restaurants and has impacted on the fishing industry in the bay - the slurry and run-off polluting the water. The village is little more than a single pedestrianised 'street' - one side the outdoor dining area of the restaurants lining the other side. They are reputed to be much better than those to be found in Yung Shue Wan. Other than lunch, the main reason for coming here is that its the start (or end) of the fairly easy walk to Yung Shue Wan - thus many start at one ferry stop and walk to the other (about 1.5 hours in total, allowing for stops). But it is also the start and end of a wonderful if strenuous circular walk into the guts of the island. (see seperate tip)

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Lamma island is the closest island to Hong Kong, with Aberdeen only approximately 3kms away and a 30 minute ferry ride from Central. It's a popular destination for day-trippers - both local and international - as a result, with two destinations from the Outlying Islands Ferry terminal - the more popular Yung Shue Wan, a bustling little place full of cafes, bars, seafood restaurants in the north west of the island, or Sok Kwu Wan (referred to as the 'fishing village') which is approximately half way down the eastern side of the island. Sok Kwu Wan is little more than a single covered pedestrian walkway full of seafood restaurants of varying size and expense. In addition to the two ferry destinations, there are a number of walking pathways into the interior which give fabulous views across the bays and islands. There ae two eyesores on the island - the enormous power station behind Yung Shue Wan and the cement/quarry works across the bay from Sok Kwu Wan. But its a great place for the day - especially if you want to undertake some quite serious hiking (paths lead up to the Mount Stenhouse Peak (353 metres). There are also a number of beaches on the island - a hike and then the beach with lunch at one of the seafood restaurants a perfect way to spend the day.

Our Hong Kong connect wanted to take us for a hike on one of the Hong Kong outer islands. Took a taxi down to the port and hired a Junk Boat that putted along for 100HK. Took way longer than it should have to cross the harbor. Waves and wakes rocked the balace into wack and the motorman kept making us move around to shift the weight. Shipping tankers were pulling through and we made the pass between. For the ride back we are going to hire a speed boat, it would've been quicker to swim across, even wthout legs or arms.

Our Hong Kong connect wanted to take us for a hike on one of the Hong Kong outer islands. Took a taxi down to the port and hired a Junk Boat that putted along for 100HK. Took way longer than it should have to cross the harbor. Waves and wakes rocked the balace into wack and the motorman kept making us move around to shift the weight. Shipping tankers were pulling through and we made the pass between. For the ride back we are going to hire a speed boat, it would've been quicker to swim across, even wthout legs or arms.

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Our Hong Kong connect wanted to take us for a hike on one of the Hong Kong outer islands. Took a taxi down to the port and hired a Junk Boat that putted along for 100HK. Took way longer than it should have to cross the harbor. Waves and wakes rocked the balace into wack and the motorman kept making us move around to shift the weight. Shipping tankers were pulling through and we made the pass between. For the ride back we are going to hire a speed boat, it would've been quicker to swim across, even wthout legs or arms.