Even Hectic Hong Kong Has Some Quiet Spots

Although you can feel caught in a concrete forest in the center of Hong Kong, there are economical and interesting ways to escape. Lantau Island, Cheung Chau Island and the Sai Kung region of the New Territories are accessible by inexpensive public transportation and less than an hour away from the city center.

Lantau Island, which is also the home of the new Hong Kong International Airport, is twice the size of Hong Kong Island, with much of its land designated as parkland. For budget travelers, Lantau offers a youth hostel, just a 10-minute walk from the exotic Po Lin Monastery, and one of the world’s largest outdoor bronze Buddhas.

You can now reach the island by MTR (Mass Transit Railway), but it’s also economical to travel there by ferry from the city docks at Central and Tsim Sha Tsui. Ferries arrive at Mui Wo (also known as Silvermine Bay). The one-way fare ranges from $1.50 to $3 depending on the speed of the service and day of travel (ferry rides cost 50% more on Sundays and holidays). From Mui Wo it’s a 45-minute trip on bus No. 2 to Ngong Ping, about a one-minute walk from the S.G. Davis Youth Hostel.

The Davis hostel, telephone 011-852-2985-5610, Internet https://www.yha.org.hk, was originally a field studies center for the University of Hong Kong. It can accommodate up to 52 travelers, and camping is permitted on the grounds. There’s a kitchen, and vegetarian meals are available during the day at the Po Lin Monastery. Beds in dormitory rooms are $5 per night for Hostelling International members. Nonmembers are charged $9.

Using the hostel as a base, you can visit the statue of Buddha, climb Lantau Peak (elevation 3,082 feet) to see the sunrise, hike a section of the Lantau Trail, take a bus to visit Tai O (one of Hong Kong’s most picturesque villages with its stilt houses) or try a 90-minute downhill walk to Tung Chung village, known for its historic 19th century fort, which was erected to defend the coast from pirates.

There was concern that when the new Chek Lap Kok Airport was built on Lantau, the construction would disturb the habitat of the rare, pinkish-colored humpback dolphin. About 1,000 inhabit the murky estuary of the Pearl River, and 150 are estimated to swim in the busy Hong Kong waters not far from Lantau.

According to Dolphinwatch, which has been operating educational tours to see them since 1995, the prognosis isn’t good for the delightful creatures. The traffic from freighters, ferries and fishing vessels, plus the high concentrations of toxins that have been found in their tissue samples (including DDT, a pesticide still used in China), threaten their survival.

You can join Dolphinwatch for a morning excursion for $40. This includes transportation from Hong Kong hotels. For more information, contact Dolphinwatch, tel. 011-852-2984-1414, Internet https://www.zianet.com/dolphins. If no dolphins are spotted, passengers are entitled to another cruise at no charge.

Another option from Central or Tsim Sha Tsui is a visit to Cheung Chau Island. The ferry trip takes less than 50 minutes and costs $1.50 to $3.50. This island is known for temples, beaches, caves, fishing junks and shops selling paper offerings.

Sai Kung, with its ancient harbor, can be reached by bus No. 92 or the green minibus No. 1 from Shoi Hung MTR station. Its waterfront promenade is lined with tanks filled with the daily catch of the local fishermen. You can pick out the fish you want and have it cooked at the adjacent restaurants.

In the region are two of Hong Kong’s 22 country parks, the Sheung Yiu Folk Museum with displays of the geology, flora and fauna of the region, a 60-mile hiking trail and two Hostelling International youth hostels. Both hostels are a 30- to 40-minute walk from the nearest public transportation points. At Bradbury Hall YH at Chek Keng, tel. 011-852-2328-2458, beds start at $5, and camping is permitted. The Pak Sha O Hostel, fax 011-852-2328-2327, also costs $5 per bed and allows camping. For more information, call 011-852-2788-1638 or visit the Internet site https://www.yha.org.hk.

The best way to explore all three regions is with a copy of the free publication “Five Walks,” which is available from the Hong Kong Tourist Assn. (Internet https://www.hkta.org.). Pick one up at the airport office or, on Hong Kong Island, at the HKTA office at Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place in Central (downstairs level). Another HKTA office is located in Kowloon at the Star Ferry, Tsim Sha Tsui.

If you are using Hong Kong as a gateway to China or other regions in Asia, Serenity Travel, formerly the Hong Kong Student Travel Service, can advise on discounts for students and youth. There are six offices in Hong Kong, including 608 Hang Lung Centre, 2-20 Paterson St., Causeway Bay.

Lucy Izon is a Toronto-based freelance writer. Internet https://www.izon.com.