Lamma is an ideal way to spend a relaxed afternoon on a clear day.
PHOTO ANTON WALKER
As a resident of Berkeley in the San Francisco Bay Area, I know a thing or two about hippie communities. So, when multiple locals and guidebooks told me that Lamma Island was the “hippie island” of Hong Kong, I was skeptical. While the tiny island is no Berkeley, it makes for a pleasant day trip from Hong Kong and an ideal way to spend a relaxed afternoon on a clear day.
Ferries to the island can be caught from Central on Hong Kong Island to Yung Shue Wan, or from Aberdeen on Hong Kong Island to Sok Kwu Wan. On a clear day, you can enjoy great views from the ferry as you approach the island. The bays of both Yung Shue Wan and Sok Kwu Wan have working fishing boats moored and small fishing platforms as well. Both villages are pleasant to stroll through—intimate main streets lined with restaurants, bars, and stores selling interesting goods.
The island doesn’t have any cars or forms of public transportation, so make the trek from Yung Shue Wan to Sok Kwu Wan or vice versa on bike or by foot. Hung Shing Ye Beach is on the route between the two villages and is an excellent beach to spend a few hours. The intricately decorated Tin Hau temple is also along the way. Any visit to Lamma Island should be finished off with a fresh seafood dinner. Luckily, if there is any language barrier, dinner can be chosen by pointing out a fresh fish or some crustaceans and watching as they are picked straight from the tank – the true sign of good island life.
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