Peng Chau
Peng Chau (坪洲 Pìhng Jāu) is the smallest of the populated islands within the Outlying Islands of Hong Kong. The population of the island is only a few thousand, and so the lifestyle is considered sedate by Hong Kong standards. Peng Chau serves as a weekend getaway for many local Hongkongers who wish to take a pleasant stroll around quiet streets, or enjoy some easy hiking.
8 km to the west of Hong Kong Island, Peng Chau has an area less than 1 km2 (0.39 sq mi). As the Cantonese name suggests, it's mostly flat land.
Understand
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Peng Chau has a reputation for being dull and lacking in tourist attractions. Yet, if you go there expecting to see very little, you may be pleasantly surprised. Restaurants here are cheaper than on the other islands and you get the feeling you are off the 'beaten-track' of mass tourism. Perhaps it is the place to go at the end of your holiday when you are weary of the fast-pace of the big city and just want to slow down, have a drink and chat with friends. From Peng Chau you can easily take the "kaito" ferry over to the Trappist monastery on Lantau island and hike for a couple of hours, along the hilly footpath to Mui Wo in one direction, or Discovery Bay in the other. From Mui Wo you can take another ferry back to Hong Kong island.
Get in
[edit]Most people take the ferry service from Hong Kong Central Pier 6 - next to the Central Star Ferry.
| Day | Sailing Type | Ticket Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday - Saturday | Ordinary | Adult | $15.90 |
| Child / Elderly | $8.00 | ||
| Fast | Adult | $29.60 | |
| Child / Elderly | $14.80 | ||
| Sunday & Public Holidays | Ordinary | Adult | $22.80 |
| Child / Elderly | $11.40 | ||
| Fast | Adult | $43.50 | |
| Child / Elderly | $21.90 | ||
Alternatively you can arrive by boat from Discovery Bay on Lantau island (which is very close). The Inter Islands ferry provides 10 sailings a day starting from Cheung Chau and stopping at Mui Wo on the way to Peng Chau.
| Origin | Sailing Type | Ticket Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheung Chau / Mui Wo | Ordinary | Adult | $13.40 |
| Child / Elderly / Disabled | $6.70 | ||
| Discovery Bay | Ordinary | Adult | $6.50 |
| Child | $3.00 | ||
Get around
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There are no cars, buses or taxis on the island - that is the attraction. This is not a major issue as the entire island is only approximately 1 km2. You may see village vehicles driving around, but there are only for transporting goods and are not permitted to take passengers. The only full-sized vehicles permitted on the island are the ambulances and fire service vehicles. Visitors can hire bicycles at reasonable prices.
- 1 Yin Hop Company, G/F, 16 Wing On Street, ☏ +852 2983 0186. A small bicycle rental shop and bicycle mechanic along the main market street.
- 2 宜佳公司, 15D Wing Hing Street, ☏ +852 9263 7861. Daily 10AM-6PM. A larger bike shop that is slightly further away from the ferry pier. This shop also has tricycles and quadracycles for rent.
See
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- 1 Peng Chau Leather Factory (牛皮廠). 24 hours. An outdoor consisting of a garden and a painted underpass that hosts a constantly-changing art exhibition by local artists. The site is built around the remains of a ruined old leather factory (hence the name).
Temples
[edit]The island has eight temples, including:
- 2 Tin Hau Temple (天后宮), 69B Peng Chau Wing On St, ☏ +852 2983 8747. The Tin Hau temple dates back to 1792 which houses a whale rib. Outside the Tin Hau Temple there is a stone monument warning about pirates.
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Do
[edit]Most tourists come to Peng Chau to walk around this car-free island. The island has many footpaths that you can safely explore.
- 1 Finger Hill (手指山). Head for Finger Hill which is popular for the panoramic views of the island, Disneyland and the Tsing Ma Bridge.
- 2 Ngan Chau Pavillion. A covered pavillion among an NGO-run ecological project. The area is very open and affords good photo opportunities of the islands to the East of the island, looking back towards Hong Kong Island. The area is easily reachable by walking down the other side of Finger Hill.
- 3 Tung Wan Beach (東灣). Don't miss the beach at Tung Wan, from there you can head north through the small farms until you reach the north shore of the island, that still retains 60% of its natural seashore. Around the coast there is a diversity of marine life, including Chinese white dolphins, and some of Hong Kong's few remaining coral reefs.
The walk along Peng Hu Path which traverses the northern stretch of coastline is less well-known and takes you past a couple of small beaches that are popular with swimmers and sunbathers.
- 4 Old Fisherman's Rock (釣魚翁石). An interesting rock formation sitting atop a small sandy island slightly off the north-east coast of the island. It is reachable across a slightly submerged sandbar.
- 5 Tai Lei Island (大利島). A smaller island off the coast of Peng Chau which houses some support facilities such as a waste handling facility. The bridge to the island is a popular fishing spot for locals.
Buy
[edit]Peng Chau is a good place to buy souvenir Chinese ceramics. There is a workshop and studio that makes various items. Another shop (not far from HSBC) sells hand painted ceramics such as plates and Chinese teapots. You can also try your hand at painting your own.
- 3 Chiu Kee Porcelain Factory (超記瓷器), 7 Wing Hing Street, ☏ +852 9193 8044. Daily 9AM-6PM.
- 4 Sunroom Pottery Studio, 38A Wing Hing Street.
Most of the shops on the island do not accept credit cards or octopus card, so bring enough cash with you. If you need to withdraw more, the only ATM on the island is operated by HSBC and can be found beside the police station basketball court.
Eat
[edit]The list below is not exhaustive of the options available on Peng Chau. The island is not large, and the built-up area is very small. It might be worthwhile taking a stroll around the main shopping streets and seeing what is on offer. The list below comprises the more visible eating establishments which have at least part of the menu available in English.
Chinese
[edit]Choices of places to eat on the island are fairly limited if you don't speak Cantonese. Most eateries are small and sell traditional food aimed at local people.
- 1 Come Be Rich Restaurant (行來發餐廳), 56-58 Wing On Street, ☏ +852 9679 6102. Closes around 10PM. A popular local banquet restaurant close to the ferry pier. This establishment has outdoor seating and is popular with families and large groups. The conversations here can get quite loud towards closing time.
- 2 Fooderful (囍筷), G/F, 50 Wing On Street, ☏ +852 9079 9562. Daily 11AM-10PM. A larger restaurant with entrances at both ends and outdoor seating out the back facing towards the ferry pier. Most of the dishes are larger and inteded to be shared, so this is more suitable for those coming in groups.
- 3 Hoi King Seafood Restaurant (海景海鮮酒家), 15 Wing On Side Street (Opposite the Peng Chau Police Station), ☏ +852 2983 9588. Daily 5:30AM - 2:30PM. A local seafood restaurant that also does traditional Hong Kong-style Yumcha dishes.
- 4 Kee Sum Cafe (祺森冰室), Shop B, G/F, 3 Peng Chau Wing On Street, ☏ +852 2983 0554. Tu-Su 8AM-4PM. A very popular restaurant at the end of Wing On Street which is a very popular breakfast spot with locals.
- 5 Peng Chau Si Do (坪州士多), Peng Chau Ferry Pier, ☏ +852 2661 6941. A shop selling cold drinks and local Hong Kong snacks situated within the main ferry pier.
- 6 Wah Kee Snacks (華記小食店), 2B Chi Yan Lane. A local-style snack shop up one of the smaller alleys off the main shopping street.
South-East Asian
[edit]There are two Thai restaurants that are popular with tourists because they speak English and provide English menus.
- 7 Chok Dee Thai Food, 2 Po Peng Street.
- 8 Tino Club Thai Food, 38 Wing Hing Street. Tu-Th Sa Su noon-8PM, F 4-8PM. A Thai restaurant on the Nam Wan Road with outdoor and indoor seating.
- 9 Viet Restaurant (越棧茶餐廳), 29 Peng Chau Wing On Street, ☏ +852 2983 8218. W-M 11AM-8:30PM. A Vietnamese restaurant on the main shopping street less than 5 minutes walk from the ferry pier.
Others
[edit]- 10 Paris Cafe (巴黎餐廳), 36B Wing On Street, ☏ +852 6681 9833. M-W F-Su 7AM-2:30PM, 6-9:15PM. A newer establishment that sells local takes on more Westernised food.
Outdoor options
[edit]The north end of Tung Wan beach has BBQ pits.
- 11 Tung Wan Barbecue Area. 24 hours.
Drink
[edit]Alcohol
[edit]Beer is sold in some of the larger restaurants and cafes, most that sell beer will have a sign outside with the brand of beer they supply printed on it.
- 1 The Old China Hand, 75 Peng Chau Wing On St, ☏ +852 2338 1968. M-F 4PM-midnight, Sa Su noon-midnight. This is the one and only pub on Peng Chau. It serves draft beers and caters for the needs of most drinkers. Staff speak English, Cantonese, Japanese and Mandarin.
Non-alcoholic
[edit]- 2 SunSatStore (陸日小店), 27 Peng Chau Wing Hing Street. Sa Su 12:30-6:30PM. A small cafe / store selling a variety of antiques, crafts, and other objects that the owners have collected through their travels around the world.
Sleep
[edit]Peng Chau does not have any official hotels or guest houses. There are no government campsites.
Connect
[edit]4G mobile internet is available over the whole island, although some black spots might occur along the hiking trails.
Stay safe
[edit]It is very unlikely that you will encounter any issues on Peng Chau. As with the rest of Hong Kong, the area is very safe at all times of day. The major issues are likely to arise from safety issues related to the sea, or hiking. If you need assistance, you should dial 999, or you may contact the local emergency services directly on:
- Peng Chau Police Station: (+852) 3661 1716
2C, Wing On Side Street. - Peng Chau Fire Station: (+852) 2983 2179
16 Po Peng Street - Peng Chau Clinic: (+852) 2983 1110
1A Shing Ka Road
Go next
[edit]A ferry from Peng Chau can be taken to any of the following:
- Discovery Bay, Lantau - Reachable via ferry from the Peng Chau public pier. The ferry occasionally stops at the Trappist Monastery pier first, so make sure you don't get off the boat prematurely.
- Central - The most regular ferry service from the main Peng Chau Ferry Pier.
- Cheung Chau & Mui Wo - Reachable via the Inter-Island Ferry service which leaves from the same pier as the Central ferry, although from a different gate. The ferry operates several times a day and stops at Mui Wo, then Chi Ma Wan (there is little at this spot and it is mostly only to pick up or drop off hikers), and finally at Cheung Chau before turning around and coming back.
- Trappist Monastery - An old monastery on Lantau Island which used to run one of Hong Kong's largest dairies. The ferry from Peng Chau to Discovery Bay occasionally stops at the monastery's pier (ask the ferry staff) which is about 15 minutes walk uphill from the first parts of the complex itself. From there you can hike to either Mui Wo or Discovery Bay, depending on which direction you head.