City: Cheung Chau
Top Things to do in Cheung Chau
Top Restaurants in Hong Kong
Countries
The 10 Best Things to do in Cheung Chau, China
Delectable dim sum, floating islands, and a one-of-a-kind skyline are just some of Hong Kong’s unique features. Get an eyeful of traditional Chinese architecture in Ngong Ping village, then take the tram to the tippity-top of Victoria Peak for unparalleled views. The rocks and gentle hills of Nan Lian Garden will bring you inner peace, as will a calming cup of tea in a Stanley café. Become one with everything at the Chi Lin Nunnery, a serene Buddhist complex.
Restaurants in Hong Kong
1. Pak Tai Temple at Cheung Chau
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6 reviews
Reviewed By Mairwen1
This is a very easy temple to visit because its only about a 5-10 min walk from the ferry terminal. Entry is free. It has special resonance today because it was built by local survivors of a terrible plague that swept the island in the 1770s. Hoping for a miracle, they desperately paraded images of the god Pak Tai through their narrow streets. It seemed to work and in gratitude, they banded together to honour and thank Pak Tai by building this temple. As you enter, 4 stone lions guard the entrance. If you look up there is also pair of colourful, ceramic dragons along the roofline, warding off evil and ensuring wealth and peace. Between the lions and the dragons, the temple is very well protected. Inside, it’s quite large. The central main hall is dedicated to Pak Tai, god of the sea. He also goes by the pleasingly dramatic name, ‘Supreme Emperor of the Dark Heaven’. He is surrounded by hanging coils of smoky incense, offerings of fruit and flowers and red cloths and is flanked by numerous other gods. I was more intrigued by the two large statues of menacing looking generals. They look as if they are just dying to strike you down at any minute. The one with his hand upraised is known as "Thousand Miles Eye" because he as the power to see everything. The other one is "Favourable Wind Ear" and he can hear from any distance. An unbeatable combination of superpowers. There are also 2 separate side halls, one on either side of the temple. Don't miss the hall on the left. It has an excellent information panel in English and a brilliant White Tiger mural which seems to be made of mosaic shards. Today the temple is most famous for its annual bun ceremony, which features 13m high towers of with up to 20,000 buns. People scramble up, trying to grab as many as they can from the top. GETTING THERE: From the ferry, turn left and walk for about 7 minutes along the main road, Pak She St that follows the harbour. OPEN: 7am – 5pm COST: free
2. Kwun Yam Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3 reviews
Reviewed By Mairwen1
Most tourists to Cheung Chau only get as far as the main beach but if you explore just a little further, you will come to Kwun Yam beach. Unlike the main beach, this is a small secluded cove, with shady trees and rocky outcrops just off the shoreline. It's very picturesque. It also has a delightful little beach shack bar, which has been run by the same family for three generations. Kwun Yam beach is sort of tucked away but once you know it’s there, it is very easy to get to. From the main beach, follow the promenade towards the imposing Warwick Hotel. Keep going past the windsurfing sheds and the beach is just up ahead. Swimmers are protected by a large netted swimming area and lifeguards. There is a changing room and showers and you can hire chairs and umbrellas from the beach bar. A point of interest is the commemorative 1996 Olympics sign just before you get to the beach. It is a little bleached out and faded now but it honours Lee Lai-Shan, the women’s windsurfing champion. She grew up, training on Kwun Yam beach and went on to win Hong Kong’s first gold medal nearly 25 years ago in Atlanta. Sadly, the sign is looking rather lustreless nowadays and needs a bit of spit and polish. NOTE: If you want to explore even further, you can walk around Cheung Chau’s dramatic, rocky coastline on the Mini Great Wall trail. From the beach, you can easily join the trail which starts just beside the beach bar. Look for the signs near the lifeguards’ huts and the path leading uphill. It is well sign-posted (see separate review). COVID-19 NOTE: Hong Kong beaches have been temporarily closed since July during the pandemic so check before you go. Windsurfers and kayakers were still going out in the water.
3. Pak She Praya Road
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 4 reviews
Reviewed By Mairwen1
Cheung Chau has a wonderful old-world fishing village atmosphere, making it one of my favourite day trips. Once you get off the ferry, the first thing to do is to stroll along Pak She Praya, the main road running along the harbour. This is the best starting point for exploring the island. No cars are allowed on Cheung Chau so the road is more like a promenade with pedestrians and bikes only. On one side you have the water and leafy trees and on the other side, a string of shops and local seafood restaurants. The small harbour is filled with fishing boats, many of which are tethered together to make a sort of floating fishing community. It’s a colourful scene. We wandered along, intrigued by the rows of fish, shrimp and cuttlefish spread out on large woven trays, drying in sun. We stopped to look at the tanks of fresh fish, crabs, razor clams and other more curious looking creatures from the deep (I’m still wondering what that slug-like looking thing was) and we bought giant frozen slices of watermelon on a stick, bigger than my head, and tried to eat them before they dripped down our arms. The 2 best things to do along Pak She Praya Rd are visiting the Pak Tai temple and lunch at one of the local seafood restaurants. If you turn left from the ferry, you’ll be spoilt for choice for restaurants. My favourite one is probably The New Baccarat but I also recently tried Hong Lok Seafood which was good too (see separate reviews). The temple is right next to The New Baccarat. Entry is free. It is the biggest Pak Tai temple in Hong Kong, with 4 lions guarding the entrance, coils of smoky incense and statues of gods with pleasingly dramatic names like ‘Supreme Emperor of the Dark Heaven’, "Thousand Miles Eye" and "Favourable Wind Ear". Once you have strolled the length of Pak She Praya Rd, you can start to explore some of the narrow backstreets or head over to the beach which is about 10 minutes away, on the opposite side of the island.
4. Cheung Chau North Lookout Pavilion
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 3 reviews
Reviewed By Mairwen1
Cheung Chau has a wonderful old-world fishing village atmosphere and some great hiking. The hike to North Lookout Pavilion is a steep walk to the highest point on the island, with magical views at the top. From here, you have a panoramic view down upon the island’s tombolo formation and in the other direction, you look across the sea to Lantau Island, with Kowloon and the western end of Hong Kong Island in the distance. It is an uphill walk all the way but the climb is pretty steady. It’s not as steep or as long as walking up the Peak so if you have done that, you’d have no trouble at all with this walk. The paths and stairs are even and there are no rough patches. If it has been raining, the path might possibly be a little mossy and slippery but otherwise it's a reliably safe and good path. A large part of the trail is closed in with greenery which keeps it shady and a little cooler. GETTING THERE 1. Coming off the #5 Cheung Chau ferry, turn left and walk about 5 -10 min until you come to the last seafood restaurant, The New Baccarat (can recommend this for lunch later – see separate review). 2. Right beside the restaurant, but set a little further back, you will see the Pak Tai temple, with a large, open square in front of it. Cross the square and turn right up the hill. 3. You will pretty quickly come to a house with 2 red columns and the path will diverge. Stick to your left and head up the stairs. 4. At the top of the staircase, is a rest area. In a spot of good luck, we arrived here just as the tail end of a typhoon hit the island and we sheltered here until it passed. 5. From here, follow the concrete path to your right and keep heading uphill. You’ll start to see signs to North Lookout Pavilion now. This is the steepest part but it doesn't last for long. 6. Look out for another rest area on your left (they seem to be inordinately fond of rest areas on Cheung Chau). There are pavilion-like shelters here but this is not your final stop and it’s very overgrown so has barely any view. 7. As you enter the rest area, on your left, you will see a set of stairs with wooden railings, leading through the greenery. This will take you directly up to the pavilion where the most panoramic view will open up before you. 8. After you’ve stopped at the pavilion, press on and walk down the extra set of stairs to the point right at the edge of the island. You would think the views couldn't get better but they do, so don't baulk at these final stairs. 9. I believe that you can also take stairs down to the small, secluded Tung Wan Tsai Beach but we didn't do this. All in all, you should allow about 1.5 - 2 hours there and back. NOTE: There is more than one path to the lookout. We took the route that kept us mostly on walking trails rather than the road. If you are cycling, then you would keep to the road instead. In that case, keep going past the seafood restaurants, leaving the main village and following the road as it loops around the island. Don’t turn off, keep riding past a couple of little bays until you get to a steep road on your right which leads up to the pavilion. If have padlocks, you can chain your bike up and walk from here.
5. Pah She Street and Xinxing Street
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 9 reviews
Reviewed By TheOExpress - Hong Kong, China
...on Cheung Chau, with shops aplenty but very little room, especially when you factor in the ever ringing bikes. I love narrow streets like this but I realise it may not be for everyone. The ‘Island Origins’ t-shirt shop is especially cool and there are lots of smaller alleys off to the side which are worth investigating, on one of which you will find the lovely cafe ‘Corner Garden’.
6. Cheung Chau Mini Great Wall
7. Tin Hau Temple Nam Tam Wan - Cheung Chau
8. Tin Hau Temple - Tai Shek Hau (Chung Hing Street)
9. Pak She Tin Hau Temple
10. Cheung Po Tsai Cave
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