If you’re traveling from the States all the way to Hong Kong, you’re probably going to spend more than a couple of days in the area. There’s a lot to see and learn in the city, but while you’re over there, you might as well check out what the outlying islands have to offer. After all, they’re just a short (and cheap) ferry ride away from Hong Kong island.
There’s a lot to explore on Hong Kong, along with other islands around it.
One spot you can’t miss on Lantau Island is the All 34 meters (just over 111 feet) of this Big Buddha were completed in 1993. It faces Mainland China, atop a climb of 268 steps. The monastery is opposite the statue and provides colorful iconography to see.
The Tian Tan Buddha is informally known as the Big Buddha.
Po Lin Monastery can be seen among the peaceful landscape from the top of the Big Buddha.
Lantau also offers a history of fishermen, where you can find houses built on stilts. These homes go back generations, with families living in their tight-knit community just above the tidal flats of the island. It’s very possible that you’ll feel like you’re intruding here. The locals continue in their work as tourists walk their streets, taking pictures of everything. (And some locals really don’t like that — ask before you take photos of them.)
The stilt houses are in a fishing village by the name of Tai O on Lantau Island.
You’ll feel less noticed on the island of Cheung Chau, which is a destination for plenty of tourists, including locals from Hong Kong. The small, crowded island feels like a beach town: lots of color, street vendors and people lugging towels to the beach. It’s a fun spot to get some street food, then spend an afternoon in the sun. This is also where the yearly Cheung Chau Bun Festival happens.
Bicycles are a popular mode of transportation on the small and dense Cheung Chau island.
Cheung Chau has been a fishing community since the 14th century.
Next up, you’ll find a post about another fun place that’s just a one-hour ferry ride from Hong Kong.
This Side of the World 