I am going to Hong Kong this summer to study at the University of Hong Kong. I am looking for any suggestions regarding little known sites and places that would not be mentioned in a mainstream travel guide.
<nick>
Posted
Hi Rob,
I lived in Hong Kong fro a year on a small island called Peng Chau. It had about 5,000 inhabitants and I would take a wooden junk to work everyday in Discovery Bay, Lantau. Most people never get to the outer lying islands but it is the other side of HK. Lantau is a huge island which is largely unpopulated, it has monasteries, small fishing villages, some modern development. The new airport Chek Lap Kok is located on the back side of Lantau. The Lantau trail takes a couple of days to hike and affords you great views of the area. The Po Lin monestary is known to tourists but is cool to visit, giant Buddha and all. Tai O village on the NW shore of Lantau offers a view of a small tradtional fishing village from days gone by. The government wants to tear down the bamboo houses and replace them with brick ones ,but the locals don't want it. Oneof the nicest islands to visit is Cheung Chau. This has a beach and plenty of small alleys to check out. If you go to the pub, Betty Archer ( Chinese ) will be there. On the eastern end of the beach there is an open air bar run by alday called Irene. She and her husband rent wind surfing boards and canoes. Lee Lai Shan ( San San ) the woman's World champion learned here. Irene is cool and I've spent many an afternoon going for a paddle and drinking a cold one. Lamma island has some good hiking and an assortment of seafood restaurants and is good for a day trip. All the islands are accessed from the outer lying island ferry terminal in Central on Hong Kong island. Get away from Kowloon and Hong Kong island. Take a boat to an island and explore. -Nick
