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Tai O Pages by bpacker
| Page Views: 897 Last Visit to Tai O: July, 2006 | Tai O oozes with Rustic Charm by bpacker - last update: Oct 19, 2006 |
In between helping my friend plan for a glitzy wedding in Hong Kong, my friends and I had little pockets of time for a breather. Well, one day, we decided to make our breather a little greener than usual and set out to the rural outpost of Tai O. While it's been dubbed the Venice of Hong Kong by hopeful tourist literature, it's certainly no more than a motley of slum-like houses built on top of wooden stilts. In place of gondolas are rickety wooden fishing boats, tanned descendants from China in place of singing boatsmen and glorious seafood restaurants instead of gelato stands. There's nothing remotely Venetian about this place except for the briny waterways and the raised houses. Still, Tai O has its charms. |
|  | Set against an impressive green backdrop of mountains, Tai O floats above the brown briny waters on stilts and is connected to the world via by a short bridge. Cross the bridge and you'll meander through narrow walkways where children play on tricycles, elders walk slowly on canes and locals hang out the day's catch to dry. |
| | Ever frequently, you'll see boats chugging out to the sea, fishermen hoping to catch a boatload of fish and birds descending down on Tai O, doing the same. Little egrets are common visitors here, they stand by the mudbanks, greeting the local tourist on boat rides and catching small meals of fish at the same time. |
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| Pros: | "Oozing with Rustic Charm" | | Cons: | "Not as Venetian as Literature Makes it up to Be" |
bpacker's Tai O Travel Tips
 Comments for bpacker about Tai O | | | | |
THLIN Fri Jul 4, 2008 14:52 UTC
Maybe I should have spent more time discovering the tranquille side of HKG, instead of touristic sopts!!! | Jim_Eliason Fri Jun 27, 2008 04:10 UTC
Great tips Glen! I hope your enjoying your new home as much as I am mine! How's life old friend? Any travel plans? | nomorewars Fri Mar 23, 2007 05:36 UTC
I love the way you captured the common worker doing his thing. The day to day activities of the people is something I rather enjoy experiencing when traveling abroad. | Nemorino Sun Dec 31, 2006 09:17 UTC
Happy birthday, Glen, and all best wishes for 2007. |
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