A fishing village on Lantau Island Tai O is connected to a smaller island by a steel pedestrian bridge. Also known as the Venice of Hong Kong it was settled hundreds of years ago by the Tanka (boat) people from mainland China.
Its inhabitants live in stilt houses built over a waterway, a big attraction for the waves of foreign and local tourists who visit it on weekends. They come to wander its alleys and sample the seafood restaurants. In 2000 a fire burned sections of the wooden stilt homes. Many have been rebuilt with aluminium. Tai O village also has a seafood market and three temples.
How To Get ThereTai O is located on the western tip of Lantau Island. It’s a nice way to take a break from the crowds and the journey is enjoyable. To get there you can catch a ferry from the outlying ferry pier in Central to Mui Wo on Lantau. The fast ferry takes about 30 minutes and the slow ferry about 50. Try and take the slow ferry at least one way so you can sit outside on the open deck which provides spectacular views of the busy South China sea and Hong Kong harbor. From Mui Wo catch a bus, a scenic ride that takes about 40 minutes. Buses are outside the ferry terminal and clearly marked.
6 comments:
Wow, this does remind me of Venice. What an intriguing place. I hope it retains it's fishing village character.
cool photos and story. when did you go?
I have always wondered about fishing villages and floating houses. Do they get mosquito diseases too? :(
this looks like a really great place to go exploring! Lots to discover among the alleyways, i am sure.
Fly Girl, I hope so as well. A lot of the younger generation is moving away though.
Matt, I was last there about 2 years ago. Hope to make it to Hong Kong some time this year en route to somewhere else in SE Asia.
Jenny, I saw a few signs warning of Dengue fever.
Kristine, It is a great place to explore. Lots of nooks and crannies.
i love small fishing hamlets..just went to Kerala in India, where you find them
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