Lamma Island

It seems like most websites and guidebooks about Hong Kong will not let you pass through the city on a weeklong tour without hitting up Lamma Island for a day. I don't know if it's a must-see destination, but it's definitely a cheap and easy getaway from the city that will provide some quality fresh air and more relaxed pace.

The photo on the right is the herbal tea menu at the organic herb garden. That was my favorite part of the trip...a hot cup of catnip tea and some shade in a super-relaxed garden with butterflies, rabbits, and every kind of herb under the sun. I know this all sounds a bit crunchy, but one week of Hong Kong hustle will make anyone appreciate this setting.

I took a walk on Lamma's 'Family Trail,' a through the woods, up and down rollercoaster of a walking path that takes 1.5 hours at a shirt-drenching clip to complete. The trail connects the two port villages of Lamma and there are definitely some scenic rest stops between the two. Note: the 1.5 hours was, I think, the time posted as an estimate. I appreciate that 1.5 hours is actually a difficult target to make in contrast to my experience in the US and Europe where estimated walking times are usually designed for the slovenliest to stop to pant at the middle and top of every hill and pick up a McFlurry on the way.

I have been thinking about going back and I would do a few things differently if I do. First, I would check the ferry schedules and time it so as to wait as little as possible. It's not a long ride, but it's a long wait, especially if you roll into town only to hear the horn sound when you're a few steps too far from the boat to sprint your way on deck. Second, I'd dress in clothes that would let me jog then swim. The trail would be a great run, the air quality is great, and a very clean beach make for ideal conditions to combine activities.

Sok Kwu Wan from the family trail

From the above photo, you can probably guess that the trail takes you around the edge of the water and then cuts back to the village pictured. As you continue down the hill from the vantage point of this photo but before you cut back towards the village, there are several caves with one very interesting sign about World War II history. The sign said that those caves were used by the Japanese to store boats packed with explosives that were destined to perform the same mission as a Kamikaze plane but towards Allied ships. Although I'm not sure about the strategic position of Hong Kong during the war, this was an interesting historical fact to learn, which thankfully did not come to fruition.