Did you know 263 outlying islands make up the Island District of Hong Kong? Yup, there are many islands worth visiting where you can get out of the city and enjoy nature.
And Lamma Island is one of them. Located to the southwest of Hong Kong Island, Lamma Island is the third-largest outlying island, and it is known for its laidback hippie vibe, good hiking trails, gorgeous beaches and delicious seafood.
When you visit Lamma Island, hike the Lamma Island Family Walk, which connects the two biggest villages on the island. The journey starts from Sok Kwu Wan, a small fishing village and ends at Yung Shue Wan, the largest village on the island. And in between, see beautiful scenic spots and panoramic views on both sides of Lamma Island.
Keep reading, and I’ll show you the best way to hike Lamma Island Family Trail.
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What you need to know before you visit Lamma Island Hong Kong
Before you start your Lamma Island hike, take a look at my solo travel guide to Hong Kong and get an overview of the city. And here are some additional travel tips:
- Get an Octopus Card, a rechargeable smartcard for taking public transportation (MTR, bus, minibus, ferry and tram). Purchase one at any MTR station or convenience store. It costs $100HKD but you can use $50 stored value and get your $50HKD refundable deposit when you leave. Get an Octopus Card to pay for the Lamma ferry.
- Hong Kong is a safe city for solo female travellers
- The local language is Cantonese but most people have a knowledge of English.
- The best time to hike the Lamma Island Family Trail is late autumn, winter and early spring. The trail is exposed the entire way, so I would not recommend hiking during summer.
How to get to Lamma Island
There are several ways to get to Lamma Island.
First, there are 2 ferry piers: Sok Kwu Wan Ferry Pier and Yung Shue Wan Ferry Pier.
Sok Kwu Wan Pier is in the inlet on the eastern side of Lamma Island, while Yung Shue Wan Ferry Pier is on the northwestern side.
The most common way to get to Lamma Island is by taking the Lamma Island ferry, operated by Islands Ferry Company Limited, from the ferry terminal at Central Ferry Pier No. 4 on Hong Kong Island. Take either ferry to the two piers on Lamma Island by paying your fare with the Octopus card at the turnstile gate.
Lamma Island ferry schedules are for both Lamma ferries in front of pier entrances. Or check the HKKF website for more information on Lamma ferry times.
Lamma Island ferry schedule: Central to/from Sok Kwu Wan
Many daily ferries to Lamma Island dock at Sok Kwu Wan. Click on the photo to see an enlarged photo to see the ferry schedule, or check the HKKF website for more info.
- HKKF Ferry: from CentralFerry Pier No.4 to Sok Kwu Wan
- Time: 45 minutes (almost 1 ferry each hour from 7:20 am to 11:30 pm)
- Cost: $22HKD (Monday to Saturday) $31HKD (Sundays and Public Holidays)
Lamma Island ferry schedule: Central to/from Yung Shue Wan
There are a few more scheduled ferries from Central to and from Yung Shue Wan Ferry Pier. Yung Shue Wan is a bigger village than Sok Kwu Wan, and if you want to spend a day on the beach, it is better to take the ferry directly to Yung Shue Wan. Click on the photo for an enlarged photo see the ferry schedule, or check the HKKF website for more info.
- HKKF Ferry: from CentralFerry Pier No.4 to Yung Shue Wan
- Time: 45 minutes (2 ferries each hour from 6:30 am to 12:30 am)
- Cost: $17.8HKD (Monday to Saturday) $24.7HKD (Sundays and Public Holidays)
Things to do on Lamma Island: Hiking Lamma Island Family Trail
The Lamma Island hike between Sok Kwu Wan and Yung Shue Wan is called the Lamma Island Family Trail. The hiking trail crosses the central park of Lamma Island, where you can see the best views on both sides of the island and see many attractions and beaches along the way.
The best way to start the Lamma hike is to take the ferry to Sok Kwu Wan Pier and start in Sok Kwu Wan. The trail will take you all the way to Yung Shue Wan, where you can take a ferry back to Hong Kong Island.
Here are more details about the Lamma Island Family Trail.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Duration: 62 minutes (one way from Sok Kwu Wan Pier to Yung Shue Wan Ferry Pier)
- Distance: 4.8km
- What to bring: comfortable walking shoes (sandals are okay too), sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, umbrella), camera, water, snacks
Arriving at Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island
After a leisurely ferry ride, you will arrive at the pier at Sok Kwu Wan.
Sok Kwu Wan is a small fishing town (smaller than Yung Shue Wan) on the east coast of Lamma Island. There are several seaside restaurants, and local shops selling dried seafood.
At the pier, follow the signs to Sok Kwu Wan (towards the north). It will take you to the fishing village.
If you are really up for an adventure, you can walk south and hike the Ling Kok Shan Circular Hiking Trail around the southeastern peninsula of Lamma Island. The hike includes visiting Balcony Rock and crossing through Yung Shue Ha and Ma Tat Old Village.
Lamma Island is known for its seafood. Many waterfront restaurants look like the photo below: simple dining tables and chairs on a casual terrace overlooking the water.
And there is plenty of seafood you can try. But as much as it is a nice experience eating fresh seafood at one of these seaside restaurants, I feel it might not be very practical for solo travellers because you can only order a limited number of dishes and won’t get the variety.
So for this itinerary, I would suggest eating at one of the restaurants or cafes at the end of the trail at Yung Shue Wan.
Pro tip: Free ferry from Tsim Sha Tsui or Central to Sok Kwu Wan
Hong Kong locals love eating fresh seafood! And many will take the ferry to Sok Kwu Wan to have the catch of the day.
Lamma Rainbow Seafood Restaurant has exclusive ferry transportation for people who want seafood by the water. The free ferry can take you from Tsim Sha Tsui or Central and directly into Sok Kwu Wan.
So if you plan on returning and having seafood at the largest seafood restaurant on the island, this is an excellent option. Click on the photo to see an enlarged photo for ferry schedules, or see more details on my post on Lamma Island ferries.
Tin Hau Temple at Sok Kwu Wan
After you walk by all the waterfront seafood restaurants, you will see Tin Hau Temple in front of the mudflats. The 150-year-old temple is one of the hundreds of Tin Hau Temples in Hong Kong. These temples are all dedicated to Tin Hau, a Chinese sea goddess. She is worshipped all over Hong Kong and China’s coastal towns and cities.
Kamikaze Grottos
While walking towards the Lamma Island family trail, look to your left and see the Kamikaze Grottos. During WWII, thousands of Japanese soldiers were stationed at Lo So Shing as a naval port. The plan was to hide speedboats in the grottos. But the war ended before they could launch this plan.
You can peek in and see what’s left of these grottos. I didn’t go in nearly enough to see anything interesting. But perhaps you will? Leave a comment below if you do!
Start of Lamma Island Family Walk
The Lamma Island hike is called the Lamma Island Family Walk and is really easy. The well-maintained trail connects the two largest villages on the island and crosses through several scenic spots.
All you have to do is follow the few signs at the beginning of the trail, follow the paved path, and enjoy the Sok Kwu Wan hike to Yung Shue Wan.
Sok Kwu Wan Lookout Pavilion
At the beginning of the family trail, you can see the mudflats covering part of the inlet. And as you hike up the marked path, the path will get steeper but not difficult.
Then you will approach Sok Kwu Wan Lookout Pavilion. It has a traditional pagoda and a gorgeous Sok Kwu Wan inlet view. It is an excellent spot to rest (if you need to) and get a bit of shade from the scorching sun.
Views of the west side of Lamma Island
Continue on the Lamma hike, and you will start to see the west side of the island.
A note about the trail during this part of the Lamma Island hiking trail: any beginner would be able to tackle this hiking trail as it is suitable for any age. I saw many older aunties and uncles on the trail (in Chinese culture, you can call any older men and women uncles and aunties), and they don’t seem to have any problems with the incline and overall path.
However, I highly recommend bringing some sun protection as the sun is sooo hot, especially during warmer months. And the path isn’t covered at all so that you will be exposed to the sun. Many people wear hats and hike with an umbrella. Yup, an umbrella is hiking gear for many hikers in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Electric’s Lamma Power Station
At the highest point of Lamma Island Family Trail, you can see a panoramic view of Lamma Island’s west side. The view includes blue seawater and greenery. Oh, and the view includes Hong Kong Electric’s Lamma Power Station. The tall chimneys in the background are not the prettiest, though.
Hung Shing Yeh Beach
The second half of the trail is much easier – the entire path is either downhill or flat. And after maybe 10 minutes or so, you will approach Hung Shing Yeh Beach.
Hung Shing Yeh Beach is the perfect beach for spending a few hours sunbathing and swimming.
At the south end of the beach, there are public barbecue pits. It is completely free of charge and on a first-come-first-served basis.
But if you are like, you probably didn’t bring any food or equipment for a barbecue day. That’s okay, too, because there are a few cafes and restaurants at the north end of the beach.
If you want to come back to Lamma Island and stay overnight, the majority of accommodations are located at Hung Shing Yeh Beach. Check Agoda for current rates and reviews.
Try a local food specialty: Tofu Dessert
When you have enough fun in the sun at Hung Shing Yeh Beach, continue on Lamma Island Family Trail.
Along the way, two local places serve a traditional Chinese dessert: Tofu Fa. Tofu Fa is a silky tofu pudding with light gingery syrup.
The first Tofu Fa shop (I don’t know the name) is a small little local shop. They also serve beef brisket noodles too.
I tried the tofu dessert from the second place called Tofu Garden (Ah For Tofu Fa), which is further up the road, across from Tai Wan Tsuen Playground. It was really good! It brought back many of my childhood memories when I grew up near Kowloon City.
There is another beach that you might want to explore. At Tofu Garden, you will see a road facing south. The road will lead you to a small beach called Lamma Power Station Beach. You’ll get a closer view of the chimneys.
Many villages of Lamma Island
As you continue on the Lamma Island Family Trail, you will come across many small villages. Each has little rustic houses, with local shops selling soft drinks and snacks, and some even have shops selling handmade gifts, etc.
Bike rental near Yung Shue Wan
There are no cars or public transportation on Lamma Island. You can either walk or rent a bicycle.
There is a bike rental in one of the small villages before approaching Yung Shue Wan. The sign was hidden behind all the retro and vintage knick-knacks.
But the bike option is better suited for another day trip where you start in Yung Shue Wan and can bike around the different villages on the north end of Lamma Island. And I guess it is possible to bike along Lamma Island Family Trail, but the trail may be a bit steep closer to Sok Kwu Wan.
Arriving at Yung Shue Wan, Lamma Island
And finally, the Lamma Island family trail will lead you directly to Yung Shue Wan, the largest village on Lamma Island.
Most retail stores and F&B are concentrated in Yung Shue Wan. And the village is super popular with expatriates because of the laidback hippie vibe of Lamma Island. This is precisely why you can find many excellent western cafes and restaurants. And the village has many vegetarian restaurants too. If you are starving after your hike, finding a good restaurant in Yung Shue Wan is easy peasy!
There is another Tin Hau Temple on Lamma Island which is located in Yung Shue Wan. This one is smaller than the one in Sok Kwu Wan. But the entrance facade is beautifully decorated.
View from Yung Shue Wan Ferry Pier
Take one last look at Yung Shue Wan before taking the ferry back to Hong Kong Island. Similar to Sok Kwu Wan, many restaurants line the harbour in Yung Shue Wan, where you have a lovely meal and enjoy the sea view at the same time.
Take the ferry from Yung Shue Wan Ferry Pier to Central Pier No. 4
After a full day of hiking, roaming around villages, and spending time at the beach, it is time to return to Hong Kong Island.
The best part about this itinerary is that you can start from one part of the island and finish in another part. You don’t have to double back where you started to catch the ferry.
At Yung Shue Wan Ferry Pier, catch the next ferry back to Central Pier No. 4. Like the ferry to Sok Kwu Wan, use your Octopus Card to pay at the turnstile gate. The seats on the ferry are not assigned, so grab a window seat if you can.
Interested in other events and tours in Hong Kong?
Are you including the Lamma Island Family Trail on your Hong Kong itinerary?
I really hope so! Lamma Island is full of nature, good vibes and excellent food. It is the perfect getaway from the noise in the city. And if you love hiking, the Lamma Island hike is scenic and one of the best easy hikes in Hong Kong.
My route starts from Sok Kwu Wan to Yung Shue Wan on Lamma Island. But you can also start your day from Yung Shue Wan to Sok Kwu Wan. I prefer to end in Yung Shue Wan because more ferries are on the ferry schedule going back to Hong Kong.
Let me know in the comments how you are spending the day on Lamma Island.
And if you really enjoy hiking and amazing views, definitely check out Victoria Peak Trail. And while you are at it, hike High West too and watch the gorgeous Victoria Peak sunset!
And here are a few more Hong Kong hikes you might be interested:
- Dragon’s Back Hike: the most popular day hike in HK
- Violet Hill and the Twins: hike over two mountains with over 1,000+ steps
- Rhino Rock Hike: see a rocky rhinoceros head in Stanley
- Pineapple Mountain: the Great Canyon of Hong Kong
- Red Incense Burner Summit on Braemar Hill: best spot for sunset and night views
- High Junk Peak: one of three sharpest peaks in HK
- Ma On Shan Hike: hike across the horse-saddle mountain to Sai Kung
- Pat Sin Leng Hike: hike over 8 peaks named after Chinese Mythological immortals
- Mount Nicholson Hike: see hidden rock statues in the middle of HK Island
- Plover Cove Reservoir Country Trail: hike around HK’s largest reservoir
- Kowloon Peak and Suicide Cliff: See HK’s most dramatic cliff
- Po Pin Chau: hike around hexagonal rock columns in Sai Kung
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