Cheung Chau Trip (Part 1)

Cheung Chau Fishing Boats

We went for a 2 days trip at Cheung Chau island during our trip back to Hong Kong last November. Alison and I have been talking about this while and finally made the effort to visit the island. Cheung Chau is one of the more popular outlying islands in Hong Kong and is often the first choice retreat for the Hong Kongers. The island is famous for the Bun Festival which usually occurs on early May and attracts thousands of people to the island during the celebration.

Ferry to Cheung Chau

Pier No. 5

It took us only half an hour by First Ferry from Central Pier (Pier no. 5) at Hong Kong Island to reach Cheung Chau. Before reaching Cheung Chau, we were greeted by many fishermen boats docking near the harbour. It reminded me that Cheung Chua was a fishing village where many locals still relied on the fishing trade for survival.

Signage at Cheung Chau

Street Shot 1

Street Shot 2

I was a bit taken aback when a Macdonald outlet was the first sight I set upon when we landed on the island. Certainly not a good introduction when nostalgic atmosphere was supposed to be the main theme of the place. The narrow main street (Praya) at the waterfront was bustling with activities as tourists patronized the souvenirs stalls and eateries lined along the side of the street.

B & B Hotel

Artfully Decorated House

Alison booked the B & B hotel which was situated near the famous Tuan Wan Bench and many great eateries. During the peak season, you have to book months ahead to ensure to get a room here. After settling down, we set out to explore the old streets of Cheung Chau. Right below our hotel, we could see this beautifully decorated house. The owner must have stretched his/her artistic genes for the decors. I could only imagine how the house looked in the interior.

Old Postboxes

Old Street

Old Building

The walk through the old streets was interesting. Alison identified many things where she had seen in her young days. Old postboxes, coloured marble floor tiles, toys, potteries etc-many already could not be found in the main land. They should have brought her back some fond memories.

Famous Fishball Noodle Shop

Lunch

After lunch at a popular fishball restaurant (Cheung Kee 張記魚蛋粉麵), we continued our walk at the waterfront. We headed towards Pai Tai Temple where the annual Bun Festival was held. A glance through all the souvenirs shops had one thing in common. The "Ping An" (Safe) Buns were sold in all forms (cushion, magnets, decors etc) in all of the shops.

Buns, Buns and Buns

Rickshaws

Cheung Chau was well-known for being "car-free". The main mode of transport in the island was mainly bicycles. There were also these three wheel bicycles (or Rickshaw) for rental. I saw a few "daddies" struggling with the contraptions with their families at the back seat which made me forgot about the idea of carrying mine :-).

Seafood Restaurants

Abundance of Seafood

Before reaching Pai Tai Temple, we walked past one row of seafood restaurants. Already filled with street foods and the earlier noodles, I told Alison and Charlotte that we would come back here for our dinner.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of our Cheung Chau trip :-)

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