Lamma Island

Lamma is the closest outlying island to Hong Kong Island and the most popular with expat residents. Peaceful and laid-back about sum up Lamma Island, a cosy community of small villas and a diverse expat community.

Lamma beaches are pleasant and the restaurants and bars simplicity personified while the southern harbour village of Sok Kwun Wan boasts seafood served on open-air stilt terraces. The main settlement, Yuen Shue Wan has a relaxed holiday atmosphere with a good range of dining options.

Get off ferry pier at Yung Shue Wan and get on the well-paved walking trail that links to Sok Kwu Wan. This refreshing 1.5 hour walk ends at a seafood restaurant. Dine on prawns before taking the ferry back to Central. The walk back to the village of Yung Shue Wan provides a wonderful hilltop vista of Hong Kong's distant skyline.

Lamma Island is renowned for its seafood and there are many restaurants and cafes along the sea front.

However, the last decade or so have seen some some changes. Lamma island has become increasingly popular with longterm Western visitors, who have created their own community in Yung Shue Wan with bars, restaurants and cafes, making it a popular destination for Hong Kong residents on a day trip.

Lamma Island Attractions

Lamma Island is worth seeing for a glimpse of an alternative Hong Kong. Be sure to check out the Western settlement of Yung Shue Wan, the row of seafood restaurants in So Kwu Wan, the small agricultural village of Mo Tat, and the very small Tung O whose residents appear to always play mahjong.

It is a nice day trip to take the ferry to Yung Shue Wan followed by an easy walk to So Kwu Wan to tuck into some delicous seafood before hopping onto the ferry back.

Lamma Island Beaches

Hung Shing Yeh Beach

Hung Shing Yeh Beach the most popular beach on Lamma Island. The sand on the beach is very fine like powder. The water of the Beach is clean and it is classified as a Grade 1 beach.

Near the beach, there is a barbecue area, refreshment kiosk, and shower + changing facilities.

There is no public transport on Lamma Island. To reach the beach you will need to travel to Yung Shue Wan from Central by ferry, and then walk for about 20 minutes. The route is sign-posted.

Lo So Shing Beach

Lo So Shing Beach is located on Lamma Island about halfway between the main villages of Yung Shue Wan and Sok Kwu Wan. The water of the beach is clean and it is classified as a Grade 1 beach. Some years ago the government of Hong Kong built shower and refreshment facilities here, which remain almost unused because of the beach's remote location.

To reach the beach you will need to travel to Yung Shue Wan or Sok Kwu Wan from Central by ferry, and then walk for about 40 minutes.

However, it is inconvenient for people to go there because no public transport reaches the place. People need to travel to Yung Shue Wan or Sok Kwu Wan on Lamma Island from Central by ferry. Then they need to walk for a period of time to reach the Beach.

Lamma Island Food and Dining Options

Lamma Island Cheung Chau, and Lei Yue Mun are some outlying districts with seafood restaurants on their waterfronts.

Lamma beaches are pleasant and the restaurants and bars simplicity personified while the southern harbour village of Sok Kwun Wan boasts seafood served on open-air stilt terraces.

The main settlement, Yuen Shue Wan has a relaxed holiday atmosphere with a good range of dining options.

There is a strip of seafood restaurants in Sok Kwu Wan. Expect to pay around $100 - 150 per head for the set meals, which will include fried clams, lobster, crab, prawns as well as fried vegetables, rice and drinks. A steamed fish will cost around $100 depending on weight.

• Bay, Mo Tat Wan (20 min walk from Sok Kwu Wan). Restaurant and bar, which specialises in Western style seafood.
  
• Peach Garden. Smaller family owned seafood restaurant.
  
• Rainbow. Large restaurants, which has its own ferry service to Central.

Other restaurants of note include:

• Han Lok Yuen, near Hung Shing Yeh beach. Recommended for their speciality, pigeon.
  
• The Bookworm Cafe, Yung Shue Wan. Great ambiance and tasty vegetarian food, it also provides free internet access.
  
• Pizza Milano, Yung Shue Wan. Munch on a slice at this Italian eatery.

Aside from a few pubs on Lamma, the nightlife in the islands is pretty quiet.

Accommodations

Holiday apartments are available for rent on Lamma Island and Cheung Chau, so you visit need not end with the last ferry. Housing is all village style, i.e. modern three-storey villas. Lamma island Cheung Chau and Peng Chau have become popular residential areas for expats who appreciate cleaner air, a quieter environment and more laid-back way of life.

Shopping opportunities generally come in the form of handicrafts. The main streets of Yung Shue Wan on Lamma Island is particularly good for these.

Getting to Lamma Island

The obvious way of getting to an island is to take a ferry. Ferries for all major islands of interest depart from the Outlying Islands pier in Central, to the west of the Star Ferry terminal.

The largest operator is New World First FerryNew World First Ferry and the Hong Kong and Kowloon FerryHong Kong and Kowloon Ferry Company.

Some ferries come in "slow" (or "ordinary") and "fast" versions. The slow ferry is generally available every other departure, so if the fast ferry comes every thirty minutes, the slow ferry will come every hour.

• Lamma (Sok Kwu Wan): Pier 4, $13 (fast only), every 90 minutes.
• Lamma (Yung Shue Wan): Pier 4, $11.80 (slow) / $16.80 (fast), every 30-60 minutes. There is also a local ferry from Aberdeen to Lamma Island (Mo Tat and Sok Kwu Wan).

 

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