Lamma Island
Lamma 南Y島 is the third largest island after Lantau and Hong Kong Island. It is peaceful and tranquil, a big contrast to the hectic city life. A walk through a hiking trail beween the two ports of Yung Shue Wan 榕樹灣 and Sok Kwu Wan 索古灣 will definitely refresh one's mind. Tourists will find the other face of Hong Kong beyond shopping and dining.
I started my trip at Sok Kwu Wan as it is easier to control the time of catching a ferry. The journey takes 40 minutes. On the left hand side of the boat, one can have a glance of buildings along the coast of the Hong Kong Island. The other side is open to the sea, with a view of plenty of big ships. When approaching to the island, the right side provides a good view of the island. You won't miss the Lamma Winds.
Head to the right are seafood restaurants lining up to welcome you. Follow signs of going to Yung Shue Wan. Soon you will arrive at a refurbished Tin Hau Temple. Guarding in front are two Chinese lions. Walking further are gorgeous views over the ferry, bay with loads of fishing boats and the temple.
Heading further up are fabulous views over Sok Kwu Wan, a dam and boats. It's stunningly beautiful on a sunny day. A bit sweating? Don't mind. Then a view over the electricity generation plant will appear soon. I could not stop taking shoots of it next to the sea. Very nice! Along the way is a bit of ascending and descending (not demanding). On a day of over 30C is a little challenge. But the beauty makes it worthwhile.
After the last descending comes Hung Sing Yeh Beach. It was filled with people and students of the Armstrong School. Noise and actions interplayed. Next to the beach is a tranquil haven of Herboland. The owners love the nature and have been running this herbal garden since 2003. Common and rare herbs are planted here and the number of species is countless. You can buy herbs in small pots and I took a Rosemary. Head up to the tea house, sip a freshly brewed blended herbal tea to relax, wind down with soothing music. Gavin is happy to answer any questions over herb planting and health benefits. Sitting there is a real pleaure. Sure, you will forget the heat outside.
On the way to Yung Shue Wan is a sign to the Lamma Winds, the first commercial-scale wind power station since 2006. It's beautiful on its own. If you wanna learn more on the wind power, you can be satisfied with the information at the Exhibition Centre. It's a detour from the trail, a 10-minute ascend along a shady path, a bit exhausted but certainly worthwhile.
Well, it almost comes to the end. Prior to reaching Yung Shue Wan are restaurants, shops and villas. Then you come to the main street heading to the pier. If you are not rushing, randomly pop into shops for unique souvenir or relax in any restaurant to wind down and prepare to go. Last but not least, enjoy the scenic views and take the last shots on the island.
The journey back takes 30 minutes. If possible, get a seat outside. On the right hand side are the buildings of the Hong Kong Island. The evening light is good for photo shoot. When it's close to the pier, you will have a gorgeous view of the International Finance Centre.
Yung Shue Wan is on the north of the island and where the most population resides. Villas cluster in this area with lots of different restaurants in the surrounding, Chinese, Western, Turkish, Thai, Japanese, etc. Sok Kwu Wan is relatively barren to Yung Shue Wan. Upon arrival are numerous seafood restaurants and a few villages dotted around. Ferry service is rare. If you miss one, be prepared to wait for at least 1.5 hours.
Head to the right are seafood restaurants lining up to welcome you. Follow signs of going to Yung Shue Wan. Soon you will arrive at a refurbished Tin Hau Temple. Guarding in front are two Chinese lions. Walking further are gorgeous views over the ferry, bay with loads of fishing boats and the temple.
When you see a sign of Lo So Shing Beach, go for it. It is quiet and beautiful. I will take my swim wear with me next time. It will be an enjoyable hour for the eyes, body and ears. Shower facility is comprehensive. No worry. I came to the Lo So Shing Village. An old woman was sitting outside having her lunch with her papaya for sale. I took two, adding over one kilogram to my load. Old people are running stalls of cold drinks, herbal tea.
Heading further up are fabulous views over Sok Kwu Wan, a dam and boats. It's stunningly beautiful on a sunny day. A bit sweating? Don't mind. Then a view over the electricity generation plant will appear soon. I could not stop taking shoots of it next to the sea. Very nice! Along the way is a bit of ascending and descending (not demanding). On a day of over 30C is a little challenge. But the beauty makes it worthwhile.
After the last descending comes Hung Sing Yeh Beach. It was filled with people and students of the Armstrong School. Noise and actions interplayed. Next to the beach is a tranquil haven of Herboland. The owners love the nature and have been running this herbal garden since 2003. Common and rare herbs are planted here and the number of species is countless. You can buy herbs in small pots and I took a Rosemary. Head up to the tea house, sip a freshly brewed blended herbal tea to relax, wind down with soothing music. Gavin is happy to answer any questions over herb planting and health benefits. Sitting there is a real pleaure. Sure, you will forget the heat outside.
Well, it almost comes to the end. Prior to reaching Yung Shue Wan are restaurants, shops and villas. Then you come to the main street heading to the pier. If you are not rushing, randomly pop into shops for unique souvenir or relax in any restaurant to wind down and prepare to go. Last but not least, enjoy the scenic views and take the last shots on the island. 
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