Lamma Island Hike

The ferry from Central to Lamma Island's main village, Yung Shue Wan, is about 20 minutes, just enough time to to take in the ocean breeze.

Pier 4 is located across across an elevated walk from Central's IFC Mall. At the pier, you can purchase an Octopus card from a cashier directly to the right of the gate. That card allows you to load money onto a card for ferry, subway and bus rides.

Once aboard, walk up the stairs to the back of the boat and sit outside for the best views.

As the boat departs, you will see stunning views of Kowloon across Victoria Harbour.

Ferries leave for Yung Shue Wan from 6:30am to 12:30am daily. They run once an hour or every 20 minutes during mornings and evening rush hour (no overnight service).

Lamma Island might be only 20 minutes from Hong Kong Island but it is a world away. This popular hiking and beach destination fills up with locals on the weekends, so go early in the day or during the week.

Compared to Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, Lamma is relatively peaceful and tranquil. There are no cars, and the island's only transportation is by foot or bicycle.

Lamma provides an alternative to hectic city life and has a significant expatriate community that mixes with local residents.

Yung Shue Wan, a small fishing village, is the largest town on the island and has a small, congested Main Street with a number of restaurants, local shops and fruit and vegetables stands, known as "wet markets."

When you arrive, follow the crowds down the pier to the right, past the shops on Main Street, until you take a left at the sign for Hung Shing Ye Beach.

A 10-minute walk on a path will take you past the Lamma Police Post to the beach, where you will find vendors selling water, outdoor eateries and a stall of bathrooms.

Hung Shing Ye Beach is a popular destination for Hong Kong residents, who flock to the beach during the hot, humid summer months.

Once at Hung Shing Ye Beach, walk past the bank of bathrooms to the end of the beach, and continue right, up the hill, to the trail. Follow the signs to Sok Kwu Wan.

The hike takes you up and over the island's steep mountainous terrain along the coast overlooking the South China Sea. Clean air, beautiful greenery and fantastic views are your reward.

The hike takes 45-60 minutes to Sok Kwu Wan and is only moderately difficult; you will pass many families on the foot path.

Among the things to see: lush valleys, butterflies, high views overlooking the ocean, banana trees and about halfway into the trail a pagoda with great views overlooking the stunning Lamma hills.

This is a popular trail, well traveled by many visitors to the island.

Note: There is no ferry service on Lamma Island between Yung Shue Wan to Sok Kwu Wan. So, the only way to get to Sok Kwu Wan once you have reached the beach is to hike there. Alternatively, to avoid the hike altogether, you can take a direct ferry from Hong Kong to Sok Kwu Wan.

This is your final destination, where you will catch the ferry back to Hong Kong. But before you leave, treat yourself to a meal at Sok Kwu Wan's most famous restaurant.

People come from all over the world to sample Sok Kwu Wan's seafood and Rainbow Seafood Restaurant is, by far, the most popular.

The small village is lined up and down with places to eat, so take a stroll down the pier before you sit.

Some specialties include fresh chili crab, steamed fish with ginger and spring onions. The dishes are served family style and you can pick your fish or seafood live from the tank before it's cooked.

Like everything on Lamma Island, Rainbow and the surrounding restaurants are very informal. Many people come after a hike or beach time, so you will feel right at home in casual clothes.

There is a bathroom at the end of the of the pier if you need to clean up before eating.

Rainbow Restaurant provides free ferry service to all customers. The boat leaves frequently and will shuttle you back to Hong Kong Island's Central Pier or Aberdeen (near the Jumbo Floating Restaurant). That ferry takes about 30 minutes.

Alternatively, to avoid the hike altogether, you can take a direct ferry from Hong Kong to Sok Kwu Wan. Oddly enough, you can go back and forth from Hong Kong to both of Lamma's main villages (Central-Yung Shue Wan or Central-Sok Kwu Wan).
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23-25 First St.
Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island
+852-2982-8100
http://www.rainbowrest.com.hk
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Hours
Monday-Friday 10:30am-10:30pm
Saturday-Sunday 10am-10:30pm

Sok Kwu Wan is a small village on the central east coast south of Yung Shue Wan. Ferries to and from Hong Kong Island serve both towns, so you can easily catch one directly back.

Walk to the end of the pier, past the seafood restaurants. There you will find a bathroom and a ferry pier with a timetable for departures back to Hong Kong's Central Pier or Aberdeen.