Hiking In Cheung Chau // BloomMe HK
Are you on the hunt for your next hiking adventure? Then look no further than Central Ferry Pier number 5 and your next hiking hot spot: Cheung Chau. Located around 10km south west of Hong Kong island, and the name can be translated to “Long Island”. The island is a buzz with fishing, seafood, beaches, and groovy cafes and bars to spend the evenings in.
Getting there:
From Central, take either the fast ferry (35 minutes) or the slow ferry (55 minutes). The ferry can get incredibly crowded during peak hours so try to travel outside of that.
There are no cars on Cheung Chau (excluding the cutest little fire-trucks that you’ve ever seen), but bike rental is super cheap and available all through the village.
Hikes:
Cheung Chau has some amazing little spots to explore, and the hiking and walking trails make it a breeze to visit all the neat locations during a day trip. There are plenty of bathrooms and bins scattered throughout the trails and the locals are always more than happy to help point you in the right direction should you get lost. The shape of the island itself consists of 2 wooded areas with a low lying village in the middle, which is perfect if you’re tired at the end of the day and just want gravity to pull you towards the ferry.
When it comes to planned hiking trails, there is a “Family Trail Walk” that snakes around the island and is relatively easy for those with small children or dogs in prams. There are plenty of signed posts guiding you northwards and it will take about 3-4 hours total. Although this north-side walk is fun and easy, it’s the south side of the island that has all the fun parts.
South Side Walk
Once you get off the ferry, walk along Tung Wan Road to Tung Wan Beach (keep an eye out for a ParknShop and a sacred Banyan Tree with a shrine below). If you follow the path along the beach below the Warwick Hotel, you’ll reach a the first stop of your exciting tour of Cheung Chau’s history: a 3000 year old rock carving which is protected behind a glass case.
Continuing along the path, you’ll pass Kwun Yam Beach where the famous Windsurfing Centre is located (for more water sports, check out our list here [LINK]) Leaving the beach, follow the signs to the Mini Great Wall. Not actually a Great Wall and actually just a path, you’ll walk past the hilariously named Loaf Rock and Human Head Rock and witness a great view across the ocean of Lamma island.
Climb the steps to Fa Peng and then left along Don Bosco Road. This road will take you to Nam Tan Wan and a small secluded rocky beach with Tin Hau Temple waiting to greet you. The steps behind the temple will take you back to Don Bosco road where you will turn left and join up with Peak Road West and onwards to the famous Cheung Po Tsai Cave.
Take the path leading to Cheung Tsai Po Cave down the hill. It might look like a dead end but keep climbing downwards until you encounter some stone steps. There is sometimes a man selling flashlights and other useful items such as water sitting at the corner of the trail so if you encounter him you know you are going the right way. You can actually climb down into the cave (not for the claustrophobic) and explore around the small tunnels. It’s a one way tunnel so you can’t get lost/stuck but watch your step as it does get a little bit slippery. The cave will spit you out a little further down the beach from where you entered. Remember to use the light on your phone!
After you’ve finished playing pirate in the cave, head back up to Peak Road West and follow it all the way back to the ferry pier.
If you have enough time and haven’t worked up an appetite yet (think of all the seafood restaurants near the ferry pier just waiting for you!) Then try continuing from along the harbour side past the shipyards and along Cheung Kwai Road, past Scenic Garden, and uphill to a helicopter landing that gives you a ridiculously good view of Tung Wan Tsai (aka. Coral Beach). You can follow marked paths down to Coral Beach and then back up the steps to Cheung Pak Road.
Bonus Activities:
Check out the famous Taoist Bun Festival, usually in early May, where you can see the Bun Snatching ceremony where people climb up a giant bamboo tower to grab fortune buns
Pak Tai Temple built in 1783 is said to be the oldest temple in Hong Kong
Bike riding around like a mad person (for those who can’t ride, you can also rent out bikes with seats where one person cycles and then people are like passengers [Aly I cannot for the life of me remember what these bikes are called. I think they’re called tricycles?]
Exploring the backstreets and lanes close to the ferry terminal. Keep an eye out for cute boutiques and lots of pet shops
Street food. So. Much. Dim Sum.