Hiking on Lamma Island

Photo by Alen Ovuka

Stepping out in Hong Kong for the very first time can be very daunting. The smells, the sounds, the heat. That’s why I was so chuffed when my friends took me hiking on Lamma Island when I was on a trip to Hong Kong.

We took a ferry from Central that dropped us at the bohemian village of Yung Shue Wan. It doesn't exactly have a very Asian vibe, with its arty shops and trendy western style restaurants, but it’s a laid-back village that deserves a wander about. It’s a popular place for ex-pats to live who then commute into HKG. After we treated ourselves to a coffee and a veggie lunch at the Bookworm Café, we set off for our cross island walk.

Photo by dannydv off Flickr

It’s a 4 km trail, also known as the Family Trail as it’s super easy to walk. It crosses the island and takes in some iconic Lamma sites. There’s the kamikaze cave that was used by the Japanese to launch speed boat suicide missions during WW2.  There’s the halfway pavilion, which is a pagoda that sits on top of a hill treating you to distant views of the sea. You pass Hung Shing Yeh Beach, which we had all to ourselves when we were there, but I hear it can be crowded during hot summer days.

We walked across hills and valleys, until we ended up at the harbour of Sok Kwu Wan

Which is dotted with sea food restaurants. We had a couple of hours to kill before our ferry left so sat down for a delicious meal looking out over the water. The ferry took us back to Central where the hustle and bustle of this metropolis was all the more noticeable after our tranquil hike on Lamma island.

Photo by Alen Ovuka