An Island Day in Hong Kong

During our time in Hong Kong earlier this month, Simon and I hit a point where we got a little tired of traveling. Our long-awaited vacation had us scrambling between three countries in the span of two weeks, exhausted by group travel, 24/7 family time, and a bout food poisoning right before visiting the best food place in the world (Taiwan.)

I was craving a sense of normalcy again. So one morning I started doing homework for an online class I recently enrolled in. Simon pulled me away. “You can do that when we get home,” he complained, “we’re still on vacation.” He was right.

Not knowing what to expect, I hopped on a ferry and landed on Cheung Chau (“Long Island”), a quaint little island off the coast of Hong Kong.

A view of the Hong Kong skyline as we pulled away from the harbor. City life can be draining.

Our ferry boat approaches one of Hong Kong’s many islands.

Here we are — a fishing village! How refreshing!

The local village life. Away from the city noise, air pollution, and rumbling vehicles.

Our first stop: the bakery, where we picked up one of their famous good-luck buns. This island is famous for the Bun Festival, a traditional Chinese festival that features parades and bun snatching from a literal tower of buns.

The promenade by the ferry dock is full of snack shops and small restaurants.

As you wander deeper into the island, you get to see how the locals live.

The island is full of small temples. We came across this one, the Tai Shek Hau Tin Hau Temple.

Although it was humble, the detail on the roof was exquisite.

The well-loved incense burner.

A cute village boy.

We noticed these colorful signs all over the island. This one displays New Year greetings, but others had public messages written up. I can’t find any information about them online, but I love the DIY handwritten nature of them.

We started one of the many hikes at a leisurely pace. No trains or flights to catch today!

Noticed this tree in the distance with plenty of mysterious fruit. What could they be?!

The hike continued into this quiet peaceful coastal trail.

We didn’t know at the time, but this sign mentions Cheung Po Tsai, a famous pirate. According to legend, this was where he kept his treasures.

I found a sense of peace and zen I had been craving.

We found ourselves at Po Yue Bay during low tide.

Not a soul in sight.

This is Reclining Rock, a boulder formation attraction.

See rock, must climb. Is it still considered mountaineering when you’re at a beach?

Walkity walk walk.

And back to civilization! I love boats.

Big boat.

Small boats.

Dried fishies.

Freshly dried.

We got famous fish balls for lunch in a noodle soup. Not pictured: a mango mochi, a classic local snack.

The after-lunch lull, where the fatigue from the hike really set in. On a separate note, don’t you love my fisherman hat? Make it faSHUN.

Two elderly women casually hopping across unstable boats to sell their daily catch to a man ashore.

And back to the city in time to see the night sky from Tsim Sha Tsui.

This spontaneous day trip was one the highlights of my time in Asia. I loved the pace of life here at this outlying island, full of beaches, boats, hikes, and buns. The vibe of the locals and the ambiance on the seaside was a perfect retreat. It’s these unplanned adventures that allow me to finally enjoy where I was and live in the moment.

As someone who loves to tell stories, my New Year’s resolution to make more Reels-style vlogs. Editing full-on vlogs on Premiere Pro take a huge time commitment, and I don’t end up doing them until months later. Making Reels is way easier on mobile and best of all, they feel more in-the-moment and fresh in your mind. You get to live out the experience and compose a story right away. Here’s our Cheung Chau day trip, in short video form. :)

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