Welcome and Wellcome
The boat glides through the relatively calm waters of Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour at a constant speed heading to the west. Screens onboard are playing videos to keep passengers entertained, or at least that’s what I think I see. I’m not paying attention to any of them, nor am I talking to James who’s sitting next to me, fixated on his phone trying to confirm the locations of the places he wants to take me at our destination. Instead, I am just trying to look out to the horizon while listening to my body, anticipating even the slightest signs of seasickness. As a person who was born and raised in the world’s largest archipelagic nation, I’m ironically prone to disgorging whatever is in my stomach whenever I’m on a sea voyage. So much for someone whose ancestors supposedly roamed the vastness of the Pacific Ocean, discovering new islands along the way.
Fortunately, this boat ride to Peng Chau only takes about half an hour, and as soon as we set foot on the island, a gentle and calm atmosphere welcomes us. Some people might see this small part of the 263 islands that make up Hong Kong as an antidote to the urban area itself, which happens to be one of the most developed in the world. But the way I see it is they complement each other: city dwellers can take a quick escape to Peng Chau to wind down and reconnect with nature, while the island’s residents can access the downtown area with relative ease should they need to. And speaking of the people who live on Peng Chau, there are only around 6,000 of them, a number that in other parts of the world is probably too low to justify frequent boat services.
We take an easy stroll from the pier to the main square on the island. Easy because there are no motor vehicles to watch out for, just a few locals and visitors ambling around or riding their bicycles at a leisurely pace. James, who has been to Peng Chau before, leads the way. He walks down one of the many alleys and takes a staircase up on a small hill to get us to a stretch of road that immediately makes me think of a typical village in Java. There are banana, papaya, jackfruit, and sugar apple trees planted on both sides of the street, with the occasional appearance of spotted doves. The chilly temperatures, however, remind me that we are still in Hong Kong.
As we keep walking, we see small boats casually stored in front of houses or next to a public space, a sign that the sea is an inseparable part of life here. Peng Chau’s total area, which is only around 1 km2 (0.38 sq mi), means there’s really no other way of living than to embrace the open water, and that’s why we’re heading out to the beach. Not to swim though, since it’s too cold to do that in December. Instead, we walk along the beachside promenade with the views of gentle waves lapping onto the shore and idle boats moored in the bay. In the distance is Stonecutters Bridge, one of the world’s longest cable-stayed bridges that serves as an alternative route between Kowloon and Lantau Island. This modern engineering marvel provides a stark contrast to the low-rise houses directly behind us.
Peng Chau’s main public square
The staircase we took sits next to Kam Fa Temple
I would have definitely gotten lost if I didn’t have James to lead the way
A street filled with trees bearing tropical fruits
Going bananas
A reminder that the sea is just a short walk away
A cute-looking little shrine spotted on the way to the beach
Bauhinias, the official flower of Hong Kong
The beach at Tung Wan on the eastern side of Peng Chau
Low-rise houses along the shoreline
The towering peaks of Lantau Island in the background
It is not hard to see why some people find Peng Chau’s calm ambiance appealing. It’s even more laid back and tranquil than Cheung Chau, a slightly bigger island to the south that I went to on my last trip to Hong Kong right before the pandemic. If you wander around the town, you will see that this seemingly sleepy place has a surprisingly wide variety of dining options with an international flair (including a local bakery run by a Thai woman), also an independent bookshop with a well-curated selection of reading materials (my favorite is a section focusing on small islands around the world), an interesting-looking pottery shop, and even a feline-themed retailer where two of its resident cats doze by the window when we pass it. James actually knows two people who live on this small island: one is an Aussie-Hong Konger who commutes to Hong Kong Island to get to his office at a multinational insurance company, while the other is a seasoned travel writer from New York who has been calling Peng Chau home for many years.
For lunch, we opt for rice with unagi (Japanese-style grilled eel) and a cup of hojicha latte from a small restaurant right behind the island’s municipal services building. While waiting for our food, I observe how patrons who come to this establishment are not only tourists like us, but also locals who exchange jovial banter with the owner and staff members. To me, it is warm interactions like this that add to the charm of a place.
While it may sound odd at first, living on such a small, quiet island like Peng Chau does have its perks. And I only understand it after exploring parts of it on foot. With our stomachs full, we decide to hike to the tallest point on the entire island, the meagre 95-meter Finger Hill. The reasonably easy walk through a forested area to the southeast of the main residential district takes us to a pavilion which affords a sweeping view of the western coast of Hong Kong Island, a reminder that those dizzyingly tall skyscrapers and glitzy malls, among other things, are within reach of this tranquil outpost. But maybe that’s one of the reasons why Hong Kong is such a livable city. The great outdoors is just around the corner from one of the greatest metropolises on the planet. As valid proof, in little more than an hour after departing Peng Chau, we already find ourselves walking underneath the behemoth that is M+ within the West Kowloon Cultural District. But more on that later.
Exploring the many alleys of Peng Chau turned out to be fun
Making the space for greenery
Wandering around the town to find a place to eat
Some people chose this alfresco setting
Rice and unagi for lunch
A very satisfying cup of hojicha latte
A local bakery run by a Thai woman
Fly bird, fly!
This particularly sleepy alley is where an interesting bookshop is located
Go inside to find some really cool books
Hiking on Finger Hill
The main town of Peng Chau as viewed from the island’s highest point
Peng Chau Municipal Services Building
The island’s main market
The ferry pier, Peng Chau’s gateway to the world around it
What an Amazing World! 
One of the things I love about Hong Kong is all of the different neighborhoods and its easy access to reach them as well as the many parks. Peng Chau seems to be just about as opposite from the city as it gets, making it a great day trip. I’ve seen sugar apples or sweetsop in markets but have never tried it. I assume the foodie that you are has. Are they good? Maggie
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What you said about Hong Kong is exactly the reason why I find the city (and the surrounding islands) endlessly fascinating to explore. Like its name, sugar apple is very sweet when it’s completely ripe. It also has a pleasant aroma (which is another sign when the fruit is ready to eat). You have to watch for the seeds though as there are many. There are other fruits that look similar to sugar apples, including atemoya which I tried a few months ago. It was also sweet, although with a slight hint of sourness. I had a really good sugar apple ice cream in Chennai, India back in 2015.
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I’ll try it next time I see it 😊
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I forgot to mention one more thing. You’ll know the fruit is ready to eat when it’s not firm. It should be soft to the touch. Hope you’ll like it!
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Thanks!
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This little island definitely has it’s charms – i love how quiet it seems to be! Definitely a nice day trip from the main hustle and bustle of Hong Kong. If I ever get to HK I’d love to have at least a day trip to a place like this.
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And the good thing is Peng Chau, and some other islands, are very easy to reach from the downtown area. Ferry services are frequent and reliable, which is very convenient.
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I too lived my early days on an island and later did many boat trips with my father when he went fishing but from a boat trip to Hong-do Island, I learned the hard way, never step on a boat without a full stomach. Glad you survived the journey.
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It’s a bit reassuring to know that even for you, with all those boat trips you had, the sea can still give your stomach a hard time. I don’t know how our ancestors survived long sea voyages back then.
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Thanks for taking me to a very interesting area of Hong Kong I didn’t know about. I only visited Hong Kong once and it was on business with only a few free days to explore the city so I went to the main attractions and didn’t have time to explore further. (Suzanne)
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If you’re traveling to this part of the world and happen to do a stopover in Hong Kong, I suggest to spend a few days in the city to explore some of its more interesting parts. After all, its highly efficient public transport means you can go to different parts of the territory with ease.
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I’ve not been to Hong Kong, but it’s a place I hope to visit some day. Never heard of Peng Chau, but it sounds like a fun place to explore. The streets and architecture look so quaint and charming, and it must be nice to be by the water. Looks like you had a good time!
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Everyone has a different opinion about Hong Kong, but for me it is such a fun city to explore. It has surprisingly good hiking trails, interesting islands, white sand beaches, and great museums, to name some. Oh and the food! Hope you’ll get to see it in person one day, Rebecca!
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I had a lot of motion sickness when I was a kid. Long car rides was troubling and while I was very fortunate to travel by air as well, I also got airsick for awhile. One time I used the airsick bag during meal service.
These places are so precious. It’s such a pleasant contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city. Thanks for sharing this!
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I was like you. No matter what I took — a car, a bus, or a train — I almost always got motion sickness. Because of this, I learned to try to fall asleep as quickly as I could every time I traveled. Luckily these days things seem to have improved, and I’m happy to tell you that my island excursions in Hong Kong turned out fine, with no seasickness problem at all. But even if it did happen, as you can see Peng Chau offers a breath of fresh air from the downtown area, which would’ve definitely helped with the nausea.
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I saw very little of Peng Chau the first time I went – plus that visit happened at nighttime so I couldn’t really appreciate the natural scenery because of the darkness. It was so nice to go back with you and spend half a day wandering the island’s waterfront promenades, quiet streets, and hiking trails. After that second outing, I completely understand why two of my friends have chosen to live there. And the commute aboard a ferry to the downtown area is so much more pleasant than being crammed inside a crowded bus or train carriage!
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I never realized that this was only your second time to the island! I assumed you knew your way because you had been there a few times in the past. As much as I love the downtown part of Hong Kong, going to places like Peng Chau is always a nice change of pace. Can you imagine if the ferry services between Jakarta and its small islands to the north were as frequent and reliable as those in Hong Kong? And if the MRT network was as extensive? I think some Jakartans would choose to live there and do the commute to the city.
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What a charming place Peng Chau is! I’ve never heard of it before. When I last visited Hong Kong in 2008 with my spouse, we stayed in Kowloon and did a daytrip to Macau. I loved all the spots and scenery but Peng Chau looks very appealing and calming!
I have great sympathy for you and your seasickness. Good thing it was a short ride! 😆
And your eel and rice lunch looks yum!
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Since I went hiking in Hong Kong for the first time, ‘discovering’ white sand beaches that wouldn’t look out of place in Indonesia, and visiting some of the small islands there, I always make sure to see its more natural side whenever I go back to this fascinating city. It’s really cool that a place as busy as Hong Kong has all of these in addition to the concrete jungle it’s more well-known for.
I did a day trip to Macau on my first trip to Hong Kong, and I remember I had to run to the toilet aboard the boat because my stomach just couldn’t hold it anymore. And this happened just a few minutes before we docked in our destination. 😆
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It’s very cool to see the less concrete and crowded side of Hong Kong. I have high school friends that live there now and I always enjoy photos they post of their hikes in nature. Such an interesting contrast!
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Every time I go to Hong Kong, I always think of how lucky its residents are to have those hills right in their backyard. I guess it’s one of the reasons why life expectancy in Hong Kong is the highest in the world — naturally, it’s easy for people to live an active lifestyle.
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Ah, there is a feeling of happiness and a release of stress seeing your post, Bama. For me, the vibe of Hong Kong is more for the islands and the way of life outside of the hustle & bustle of which the city is famous. You bring this out with your post, and your writing of Hong Kong more than anyone I’ve read. You bring up a point in your writing about how the island life/countryside life complements the city life of Hong Kong, and this is the truth. One truth I think most people who live in either one of those places is that if you can have access to the other, you can connect (or reconnect) with different pieces of life/culture. Beautiful piece, Bama. And for me, the best part… in one of your last photos, the view oversees Discovery Bay (on Lantau Island), and I can see the building where my flat is located 🙂 I miss it!
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And the good thing is the people in Hong Kong seem to truly cherish the fact that they have all those islands and great hiking trails right at their doorstep. I truly envy them actually, because the city where I live in is mostly flat and the nearby islands and mountains are not as easily accessible as those in Hong Kong. How nice that you’re based out of Discovery Bay when you’re in town. It’s a boat ride away from the city, but a world away.
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This brought back some lovely memories. I didn’t get to Peng Chau, but I did get to Lantau and Cheung Chau, and I can see the similarities. Hong Kong has so much to offer. Sounds like you had a great day there.
Alison
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I would say Peng Chau is Cheung Chau’s smaller and quieter sister. There were not that many people on the former when we went, but the atmosphere was surprisingly cosmopolitan, for a place its size. I wouldn’t mind going back there.
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Trust you to find an unknown (to me at least) face of Hong Kong! Enjoying my vicarious visit.
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I’m lucky to have my best friend, who’s from Hong Kong, on this trip. Thanks to him I was able to see the other sides of this fascinating city.
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Ah, how I love this post, Bama. It always brings joy to my heart to know that there are these quiet, rural enclaves so close to busy metropolitan areas. And I absolutely adore the cat mural.
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And Peng Chau is only one of such quiet corners of Hong Kong. Tranquil islands, white sand beaches, ancient carvings, and beautiful hiking trails are not what most people think of this city, and that’s why I love it. I guess the white and black cats remind you of Lily and Midnight? 😀
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They always go into hunting mode when they see birds. Luckily they aren’t very successful bird hunters, because I love the birds too.
My only visit to Hong Kong was in 1999, and the only quiet island we visited was Lamma island, which I loved, which really makes me appreciate all the other quiet islands you are introducing me to. I guess I always tend to search out places that are quiet, even when I travel.
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Reminds me of the cat I had in 2003. One day he came home with a dead sparrow in his mouth! Speaking of Lamma, I remember enjoying the seafood there which was considerably cheaper than in the city. We’re similar in the sense that we find quiet places appealing.
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It’s funny how some people are more prone to being seasick than others. My husband feels your pain. Sound like it was worth the boat ride though as Peng Chau looks lovely and relaxing. The Bauhinias are beautiful by the way! No wonder they are the official flower of Hong Kong.
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I guess that’s true. I know some people who have never had any problems with motion sickness. However, there was one particular boat ride I took in a remote corner of eastern Indonesia where the sea was rough. I was so focused on maintaining a good grip on my seat I didn’t have time to think of getting seasick! Luckily, the destination was a very beautiful small island. It was worth the journey. Bauhinias also have this sweet scent if you put your nose close to them.
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Did not realize there are so many islands around Hong Kong. Great post.
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And each of them has its own character. If you happen to visit Hong Kong one day, you shoud check out some of those islands!
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