The Best Seaside Towns To Visit In Hong Kong

If you need a break from the bustle of the inner city, consider a day trip to one of these charming seaside towns. Offering the best of Hong Kong’s sandy beaches, junk trips, and seafood restaurants, as well as opportunities for hiking, surfing and snorkeling, you’ll be planning your escape to the coast right away.

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

Shek O

Located on the southeastern tip of Hong Kong Island, the town of Shek O is serenely charming thanks to its brightly colored houses, friendly community and gorgeous coastal scenery. Shek O Beach, regarded as one of Hong Kong’s cleanest beaches, is the perfect spot for a seaside walk or dip in the Pacific Ocean. A little to the north, surfers flock to Big Wave Bay Beach. Shek O is also close to the famous Dragon’s Back hiking trail, which connects Wan Cham Shan to Shek O Peak.

The picturesque town of Sai Kung is known as a expat enclave, a weekend destination and a foodie’s paradise. There are numerous trendy restaurants and bars, including two Michelin-starred Cantonese seafood restaurants. The waterfront promenade, which is lined with fishing boats and sailboats, is stunningly pretty any time of year. For the adventurous, major attractions include scuba diving, kayaking and boat tours of the surrounding offshore islands. Weekend partygoers are known to rent out private junks and luxury yachts for the day.

Stanley

Stanley is one of Hong Kong’s oldest villages and a popular tourist destination. There are numerous waterfront cafés, bars and restaurants where visitors can dine in the sunshine and fresh air. Murray House, which was built in 1846 as officers’ quarters in the early years of British rule, is a major colonial landmark. Behind Murray House, you can find Ma Hang Park, a 50,000 square meter park with a butterfly garden, bird-watching platforms and an educational trail. Lastly, Stanley Market is a great place to pick up souvenirs and knick-knacks.

Aberdeen

Historically a fishing port and home to the Tanka people, a boat-dwelling minority recognisable by their broad-brimmed hats, Aberdeen also happens to be one of the first places in Hong Kong where British troops set foot in 1841 after the territory was ceded to the British Crown. Today, around 5,000 people still live in boats in the harbour, mingling incongruously with fishing boats and luxury yachts. Sampan rides (a flat bottomed boat) operated by elderly Tanka offer visitors the chance to sight-see from the harbour. However, Aberdeen’s most famous attraction is its palatial ‘floating’ restaurants, which can be reached via ferry.

Tai O

Perched on the Western coast of Lantau, Tai O is known for its traditional stilt houses, forming an enchanting village erected on wooden stilts above the water. Once common across fishing villages in Hong Kong, Tai O is one of the few places where they still remain. A cheap boat ride will take you to the stilt houses and then out into the ocean, where there’s a chance to catch sight of one of Hong Kong’s pink dolphins, which have been sadly dwindling in number due to pollution and habitat loss. Tai O is also well known for its seafood market and street food, offering delicacies such as salted fish, shrimp paste, deep fried seafood snacks, buns and egg waffles.

Mui Wo

A sleepy town on the eastern side of Lantau Island, Mui Wo’s claim to fame is the picture-perfect Silver Mine Bay Beach, one of the most pristine beaches in Hong Kong. For hiking enthusiasts, the pier serves as the starting point for Section 1 of the Lantau Trail. Rent a bike to explore some of the old villages nearby and walk past the beach and clamber up Butterfly Hill to visit the Silver Mine Waterfalls, which are especially beautiful just after a heavy rain.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.