Lamma Island in Hong Kong
Lamma Island Facts
Lamma Island is the third largest of Hong Kong’s 260-plus outlying islands. It’s popular with day trippers wishing to escape the hustle and bustle of the city in favour of a relaxed day out. Explore Lamma’s rustic villages and coastal scenery, walking and hiking trails, or peaceful beaches, local temples and popular seafood restaurants.
Chinese Name: 南丫岛
Type: Nature & Islands
Address: Hong Kong
Best Seasons: All year round
Recommended Visiting Hours: about 2-4 hours
Opening Hours: All day
Ticket: Free
Why is Lamma Island so Special?
- It is one of the very few places in Hong Kong that still hangs on to its old fishery ancestry customs and traditions and a real treat to visit any time of the year.
- Lamma Island, Hong Kong is a quiet and pleasant place with a laid-back feel. People come to the island to enjoy walking on trails. If you go on a Sunday or holiday, you are likely to see many locals.
- It’s a great place to take a breather from the frantic pace of life over in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.
Where is Lamma Island?
Lamma Island (南丫島), also known as Y Island or Pok Liu Chau (博寮洲) or simply Pok Liu (博寮), is the third largest island in Hong Kong. Administratively, it is part of the Islands District.
Features of Mong Kok
If the steely skyscrapers and acres of tarmac on Hong Kong Island have you wanting to hug the nearest tree, the perfect escape is just 20 minutes away by ferry, Lamma Island.
Hong Kong is often cited as one of the world’s great metropolis’, and it is, however, with over 80% of the Hong Kong region carpeted in greenery, it’s a shame not to explore the city’s mellower side. One of the best places to get a taste of laid-back Hong Kong is Lamma Island.
What to See in Lamma Island
Tin Hau: Lamma is home to the 19th-century Tin Hau Temple. There is an abundance of temples in Chinese coastal areas dedicated to Tin Hau (Goddess of the Sea) but this one is particularly distinctive. The reason being that a pair of stone lions crouching at the gate of the temple were damaged in 1960 and later replaced by Western-style stone lions, which serious temple buffs will find amusing.
Beaches: Lamma’s two main beaches, Hung Shing Yeh Beach and Lo So Shing Beach both offer crystal clear water and golden sand, making them ideal for sunbathing and swimming. There are designated BBQ spots as well for those wishing to cook their own lunch. Interestingly, Lamma is also home to Sham Wan – a beautiful bay in the south of the island that is Hong Kong’s only regular nesting site for endangered green turtles. However, the beach is closed to the public from June to October in order to protect the green turtles and their eggs.
Kamikaze Caves: these caves are remnants from WW2 and were dug out by Japanese troops as hiding places for their boats and ammunition. The three caves occupy a series of tunnels along a trail from Lo So Shing to So Kwu Wan and although dark and a little spooky, they remain some of the more interesting historical sites on Lamma.
Fisherfolk Village: This floating fisherman’s village located in the bay area of So Kwu Wan gives visitors a chance to experience what life was like when fishing used to be Hong Kong’s main industry. Here you’ll find traditional dragon boats, an exhibition hall, themed folklore booths, fishing rafts and tiny fisherman’s homes. Visitors can also try catching fish here themselves.
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How to Get to Lamma Island
Travel with ChinaDragonTours (top recommended)
If you want to get out of the traffic and hassle of navigation, you can book a private tour package that includes visiting, dining and transfer from us. Our local guide and driver will escort you to Mong Kok in Hong Kong in the fastest and most convenient way and take care of all the details. You just have to focus on the visiting.
Independent Traveler
Lamma Island is situated 3km southwest of Hong Kong Island. It’s easily reachable by ferry from Central Pier 4 on Hong Kong Island and from Aberdeen on the south side of Hong Kong Island. There are separate services to both of the main villages on Lamma – Yung Shue Wan and Sok Kwu Wan. The journey time is 30 minutes to Yung Shue Wan and 30/40 minutes to Sok Kwu Wan. Ferries operate every 20-30 minutes from Central Pier 4 and ticket prices are $17.80 for adults, $8.90 for children.
Useful Travel Tips
Where to Eat
Since Lamma is traditionally a Chinese fishing village, it’s all about the fresh seafood here. There’s a multitude of fantastic seafood restaurants located close to the ferry pier at So Kwu Wan.
Waterfront Restaurant offers several specials including its famous rainbow fish (star garoupa), lobster and abalone. Portions here are large and perfect for sharing. They even operate their own ferries to shuttle guests back and forth from Central Hong Kong to Lamma Island.
Lamma Rainbow is the largest seafood restaurant with 800 seats. Tai Yuen Restaurant is an unfussy family owned seafood restaurant which has a hidden-gem feel to it. Bookworm Cafe is a popular haunt for Hong Kong’s health conscious eaters as it offers a variety of organic vegetarian fare. The Waterfront Restaurant & Bar is, as the name suggests, located mere metres away from the lapping waves in a lovely spot overlooking the harbour.
