Hong Kong Off The Beaten Path Tips by sirgaw

Charming Cheung Chau Cheung Chau Island Review

We took the fast ferry from Central Pier for the half hour trip to Cheung Chau (from Cantonese translates to Long Island) - the island free of cars, or so we were told and arrived at the small but functional terminal. What struck us was the garish McDonalds restaurant in the prime position directly opposite the terminal.

We did see motorised vehicles - very small trucks and a few people movers for the elderly.

The town is situated on a narrow strip of land that joins the 2 small peaks that make up the island of about 3 square kilometres. We walked to the Pak Tai temple - and well-worth the trip. We explored the tiny streets and admired a traditional Chinese herbalist's shop and pottered around in the town before heading off for a walk along the deserted beach. We had planned to walk to the end of the island and catch one of the small ferries that operate in and out of the main terminal on the island, instead we got lost. We walked through the "outer" areas of the town and saw some of the packing container housing where Vietnamese boat people have been allowed to set up home. Returned to the main town for dinner in one of the many small restaurants that line the water front.

The trip ended with a slow ferry to Hong Kong Island that took almost an hour and in itself was a pleasant view.

All up a unique look at another side of Hong Kong and far away from the fast pace that is Kowloon and Hong Kong Island.

Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheung_Chau