Escaping to Cheung Chau
View from the pier
Many years ago, in the waters of Hong Kong, there lived a notorious pirate by the name of Cheung Po Tsai. At the height of his power it was said that he commanded a fleet of 600 ships and a following of 50,000 men. So great was the threat of piracy that Portuguese mariners named the islands “as Ilhas de Ladrões” – the islands of thieves.
Together with his fighting mate Cai Qian, Cheung fought pitched battles against the Qing imperial navy up and down the South China coast. The pirates were supplied with guns sold by British businessmen, invoking the anger of the emperor and causing rising hostilities between the two powers.
Today not much of Cheung’s legacy remains, but on an island just 35 minutes from the madness of central Hong Kong, a small cave still bears his name. This is the island of Cheung Chau, older than the city and home to a famous Bun Festival that takes place each spring.
Popular as a weekend getaway, Cheung Chau offers a glimpse into the life that once was before Hong Kong became one of the Four Asian Tigers. The narrow streets are devoid of motor traffic, save a miniature ambulance, fire engine and police van. Around a corner, nets lie balanced on a rack of bamboo, laden with shrimp drying in the sun.
The main town, a concentrated mass of three-storey houses, occupies a sandbar straddling the busy harbour and the beach. Cheung Chau has a resident population of about 23,000 people, among them Hong Kong’s sole Olympic champion. At the Atlanta games in 1996, Lee Lai Shan won the gold medal for women’s windsurfing, becoming both the first and last medallist for Hong Kong before its handover to China.
In the 15 years since Hong Kong’s return to the dragon, Cheung Chau has maintained its peaceful, easygoing charm. There are no high-rises and no designer boutiques; instead the island hosts a wealth of bicycles, walking trails and alfresco seafood restaurants. As for Cheung Po Tsai’s cave, it’s open for anyone curious enough to enter.
The island’s fishing fleet
Sampans in the harbour
The Bauhinia, Hong Kong’s floral emblem
Cheung Chau street food
Guardian Lion, Pak Tai Temple
Animals of the Chinese Zodiac
Shrimp drying in the sun
Boats on Tung Wan Beach
Porcelain roof tiles
Along a scenic trail called “The Mini Great Wall”
Flower Vase Rock, one of its curious rock formations
Bell Rock, scribbled with the words “ding dong”
Human Head Rock
Plus Ultra 
I do miss Hong Kong…Thank you for a very nice post.
You’re welcome! 🙂
Before reading your lively stories, I was so ignorant about Hong-Kong that I thought there was a high rise on every square meter…Your quieter little corners look delightful.
Thanks for enlightment!!!
No problem, Lou! Hong Kong is not really known for its natural beauty – the city’s green surroundings are often a big surprise to most visitors.
Sounds like a lovely relaxing place! We just never had the time to visit Cheung Chau on both of our trips to Hong Kong!
It is – especially on weekdays when the city dwellers are busy at work!
i hope sometimes i can go there…
Perhaps someday you will. 🙂
thank’s … 🙂
Love your photos! My family is from Cheung Chau and these are very nostalgic. 🙂
Thank you Vivian – it must have been such a gift to grow up on the island!
Yes, Cheung Chau is a beautiful place to live and I have many fond memories there.