Most people may not know about Peng Chau, a small island off the coast of Lantau Island in Hong Kong. But I think Peng Chau Island is the perfect day trip destination for anyone who wants to get off the beaten path in Hong Kong.
When you spend one day in Peng Chau, you can hike around the island by following the walking trail, admire temples and see panoramic views from different parts of the island. Plus, you can see several secluded beaches where you can have the beach all to yourself.
If you want to explore one of the most underrated outlying islands in the Islands District in HK, then you must follow my 1-day itinerary and discover all the best things to do in Peng Chau Island.
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Day Trip to Peng Chau Island: what you need to know
Before you hop on the ferry to Peng Chau, take a look at my Hong Kong solo travel guide. I included a lot of useful travel information and other Hong Kong attractions.
Here are few additional tips for going to spending a day in Peng Chau:
- Get an Octopus Card, a rechargeable smart card for taking public transportation and use it to take the Peng Chau ferry and all the transportation to and from the harbour.
- You can see everything on Peng Chau Island in 1 day. The small island has an area of 0.99 square kilometres and a perimeter of 5km.
- Best time to visit Peng Chau:
- Weekend is better when many places are open for business. But the ferry to Peng Chau cost a bit more and it might feel busy.
- Weekday is best for avoiding the weekend crowd. But some food places are closed.
- Plan your trip to Peng Chau around these festivals and events:
- Tin Hau Festival (23rd of third month in the lunar calendar)
- Lady Golden Flower Festival (17th day of the fourth month in the lunar calendar)
- Dragon Mother’s birthday (8th day of the 5th month in the lunar calendar)
How to get to Peng Chau Island
There are two ways to get to Peng Chau. Most visitors will take ferry from Central to Peng Chau. But the off-the-beaten island can also be accessed from Cheung Chau via Mui Wo and Chi Ma Wan.
1. Central to Peng Chau Ferry
The easiest way to get to Peng Chau is by taking the Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry (HKKF) from Central Pier #6 on Hong Kong Island.
The ferry takes 30-40 minutes (from 7am-11:30pm). It costs $19.8HKD for ordinary ferry and $36.9HKD for fast ferry Monday to Saturday. On Sundays and public holidays, it costs $28.4HKD for ordinary ferry & $54.3HKD for fast ferry. Use Octopus Card.
The complete Peng Chau ferry timetable in front of Central Pier #6, and it looks like the photos below. Take a photo of the schedule so you have an idea of when you will take the ferry going back to Central.
Or check HKKF website for the latest ferry timetable and cost.
2. Cheung Chau to Peng Chau Ferry
There are inter-island ferries that can take you to Peng Chau as well. The inter-island ferries take passengers from Cheung Chau via Chi Ma Wan and Mui Wo and finally, to Peng Chau. The ferries are not as frequent so make sure to check the schedule before you plan your day.
Sun Ferry takes about 50 minutes and costs $14.5HKD. Use Octopus Card.
The complete schedule for the inter island ferries looks like the photo below. Or check the Sun Ferry website for the latest ferry timetable and cost.
Peng Chau Island Itinerary: Summary & Map
Since there are many things to see in Peng Chau, the best way to see the island in one day is to walk around the island clockwise.
Starting from Peng Chau Ferry Pier, walk north on Peng Chau Family Trail, around the perimeter of the northern end of the island.
Then after a lunch break, explore the south part of the island by following the Peng Chau Family Walk to the summit of Finger Hill. Continue hiking the path on the south part of Peng Chau until you return to the pier.
Here is a quick summary of all the places you will see during your day trip:
- Tin Hau Temple
- Golden Flower Shrine (Kam Fa Temple)
- Seven Sister Temple
- Tai Lei Island Pier
- Peng Yu Path & Three Beaches
- Snoopy Rock
- Old Fisherman’s Rock
- Tung Wan Beach
- Lung Mo Temple (Yuet Lung Sing Yuen)
- Leather Factory
- Art installations in the junkyard
- Wing On Street and Lunch
- Finger Hill
- Ngan Chau Tsai Pavilion
- Viewing platform and Ngan Chau Island
- Southern Pier and secluded beach
- Yuen Tung Monastery
- Nam Wan
- Seaside promenade
- Peng Chau Ferry Pier
Below is an interactive map highlighting all the attractions on my Peng Chau itinerary. Follow the numbered red pins to see the highlights, and the burgundy pins to find places to eat.
Best Things to Do in Peng Chau in 1 Day
1. Tin Hau Temple
Once you get off the ferry, head straight for Tin Hau Temple. Many people come to this small red temple and pray for safety and good fortune at sea.
And you may notice that there are many “Tin Hau Temples” in Hong Kong. They are dedicated to Tin Hau, a Chinese sea goddess, which is why there are many Tin Hau temples around the outlying islands of HK, including Peng Chau and Lamma Island.
And the temple is very festival around the Tin Hau Festival, which falls on the 23rd of the third month in the lunar calendar. There are performances and parades which are organized by the Peng Chau Rural Committee.
2. Golden Flower Shrine (Kam Fa Temple)
Kam Fa Temple or Golden Flower Shrine is not very far from Tin Hau Temple. You’ll want to see this colourful temple with decorative dragon columns and a golden statue.
Built in 1762 under a big Banyan tree, the temple was built in honour of the Lady Golden Flower, or Goddess Kam Fa, who grants wishes to those who worship her, especially for couples who wish to choose the gender of their unborn babies.
If you can, visit the shrine on the 17th day of the fourth month in the lunar calendar. It is the Lady Golden Flower Festival where there are performances with dragons and lion dances.
3. Seven Sister Temple
Walk along the pedestrian walkway on the west side of the island and pass a small park. The Seven Sisters Temple is just east of the park.
Built in 1954, this small temple is actually a cluster of temples and arches. It is said that the temple is dedicated to the seven Hakka girls who became sworn sisters and agree never to marry. Couples who want children visit the Seven Sisters Temple and pray for fertility.
4. Tai Lei Island Pier
Tai Lei Island is a very small island connected to Peng Chau by Peng Lei Road. There isn’t much to see on the island – there is a sewage treatment plant and that’s about it.
But I think it’s worthwhile to walk across Peng Lei Road to take in a different view of Peng Chau and the surrounding area. Plus, you will see a lot of locals fishing here.
5. Peng Yu Path
The day hike starts at the sign where it is pointing to Peng Yu Path. When you follow this trail, it will take you across the north part of Peng Chau Island where you will see several quiet beaches and rock formations.
Peng Yu Path or Peng Yu Footpath is an easy trail lining the perimeter of the north part of the island. The path later becomes Peng Chau Family Walk which crisscrosses through Peng Chau and eventually takes you up to the highest point, Finger Hill. More on that later.
Visit three secluded Peng Chau beaches
Along Peng Yu Path, there are several secluded beaches. There aren’t any official names for these beaches (as far as I know). But I really like how these beaches are so clean and empty.
The second secluded beach has these stone arrangements in the shape of a heart. Initially, I thought it was a one-off thing, but when I went back to Peng Chau Island a few months later, they were still there. In fact, there were more! I guess people really appreciate little gestures like this and want to keep these hearts around.
And from these beaches, you can see Discovery Bay and Hong Kong Disneyland in the distance. And to the far right, you can even see Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.
6 & 7. Snoopy Rock and Old Fisherman’s Rock
Keep walking along Peng Yu Path until you reach a resting area with a set of stairs going down to another beach. Walk down the stairs and find two special rocks.
First, you’ll see the Snoopy Rock. I didn’t take a good photo of the rock so it doesn’t really look like Snoopy. If you walk around on the left side of the rock, it will resemble more like the cartoon character.
Continue walking around Snoopy Rock and you’ll see another rock at the edge of the water. This is the Old Fisherman’s Rock. At the spot along the beach, you can see more of Hong Kong’s skyline (even though it is quite far and small).
Visit another secluded beach
Get back on Peng Yu Path and continue walking. From this point moving forward, the path becomes Peng Chau Family Walk (just in case you are wondering if you are looking at Google Maps).
When you pass the pagoda, there is a trail that goes down to another secluded Peng Chau beach. This beach, however, is much smaller and is not as clean as the previous beaches. But it is still worth checking out.
8. Tung Wan Beach
Continue walking on Peng Chau Family Walk. The trail will lead you across several villages. Then after about 20 minutes or so, you will arrive at the edge of a long stretch of beach. At the perpendicular intersection, turn right and the path will lead you to Tung Wan Beach.
Tung Wan Beach is a much bigger beach – bigger than all of the beaches you’ve visited along Peng Yu Path. Day trippers come to this beach for sunbathing and swimming. There is also a barbecue area on the north side of the beach.
The beach itself is still pretty empty during weekday. It probably gets busy on the weekend.
9. Lung Mo Temple (Yuet Lung Sing Yuen)
Directly next to Tung Wan Beach is the red and gold Lung Mo Temple.
Also known as “Yuet Lung Sing Yuen“, the temple is dedicated to the Dragon Mother, who is the Goddess of Water. The temple houses a Lung Mo statue and a “dragon bed“. It is said that you will have good luck if you touch this dragon bed.
And the temple gets a bit more festive during the Dragon Mother’s birthday, which is on the 8th day of the 5th month in the lunar calendar. Might be worth visiting Peng Chau during this celebration.
10. Leather Factory
During the 1930s, Peng Chau had two leather factories in the centre of the island. The industry was booming until the operation was ceased by the Japanese Occupation. And since the introduction of plastic leather, the demand for leather declined greatly and the factories were eventually closed.
The factory site is located at the back of Wing On Street. And the factories are mostly one-storey buildings with traditional Chinese vernacular architecture.
Today, the old factory buildings are designated as historical buildings and many of the buildings are converted to a coffee shop, an antique shop, and other retail outlets.
11. Art installations in the junkyard
A big part of the Leather Factory is an outdoor art installation. It looks like many random pieces of materials are put together and displayed in a junkyard.
The art pieces and space itself change constantly so if you have seen the art installations before, you might want to go back again and see what is added to the junkyard.
12. Wing On Street and Lunch
Before heading off for some lunch, walk around the town of Peng Chau and see some of the quirky decorations and colourful murals around the Leather Factory and on Wing On Street, which is one of the main roads on the island.
And also browse around the little streets in the center of town where you can see local shops selling all kinds of food and knick-knacks.
By now you should be pretty hungry. Peng Chau has a handful of cafes and restaurants in the centre of town. These places are excellent for solo travellers. But make sure you check the hours of operation. Many food places are closed either Mondays or some time during the week.
- Kee Sum Cafe (Shop B, 3 Wing On St | 8am-4pm; closed Mondays) – the cafe has been around since 1970. Many visitors order their famous prawn toast.
- HoHo Kitchen (29 Wing On St | 11am-8pm) – try the pineapple bun and ice cream. I haven’t seen that combo anywhere else in HK!
- Shing Hing Restaurant (26 Wing On St | 5:30am-2pm; closed Mondays) – popular dim sum restaurant.
- A Noy Bakery (11 Wing On St | 6am-6pm; closed Mondays) – a local bakery selling traditional baked goods.
- Island Table Grocer Cafe (9 Wing Hing St | 10am-5pm Monday to Friday, 9:30am-5:30pm Saturdays and Sundays) – serves homemade pastries, pizzas, and coffee.
- The Edible Projects (1 Wing On St | 11am-5:30pm; closed Wednesdays and Thursdays) – excellent coffee shop with brunch food and dessert.
13. Finger Hill
After lunch, get back on Peng Chau Family Walk and explore the highest point and the southern part of the island.
First, you’ll have to meander through the small town and find the Peng Chau Playground, which is close to Kee Sum Cafe. There is a small path with many signages. Walk through the small alley, walk past the public toilet and go up the stairs.
The path will lead you to a set of stairs that goes all the way up to Finger Hill.
There are only 355 steps up to the top of Finger Hill. When you take a break halfway up the stairs, turn around and look back at the view. It is quite stunning!
At the summit, there is a pagoda where you can take a bit of rest and enjoy the view. At 312 feet, you can see Lamma Island, HK Disneyland, Discovery Bay and Tsing Ma Bridge. If you reach the top around late afternoon, you might want to stay for sunset.
When you are ready to move forward, follow the set of stairs next to the triangulation station. The set of stairs will lead you to the next destination on the itinerary.
14. Ngan Chau Tsai Pavilion
Walk down the flight of stairs until you reach the bottom. Turn right and follow the path until you see a small road on the left. The small road will lead to Ngan Chau Tsai Pavilion.
The lookout pavilion is the most easterly point of Peng Chau Island. And at this pavilion, you can see an excellent view of Hong Kong’s skyline.
15. Viewing platform and Ngan Chau Island
There is a path right next to Ngan Chau Tsai Pavilion. Follow the path and it will lead you to a viewing platform and a small beach.
At the viewing platform, it is another opportunity to see views of HK on the east side of Peng Chau Island. And right in front of you is a small uninhabitable island called Ngan Chau Island. I’m not sure what the function is but I did see people at the edge of the island. And I wondered, how did they get there?
16. Southern Pier and see another secluded beach
Get back on the main road and continue walking down the paved road.
In about 10 minutes or so, another secluded beach will peek through on the left side. There is also a pier at this beach, although I’m not sure if any boats dock here since most boats go to the main ferry pier.
17. Yuen Tung Monastery
When you are ready to get back on the trail, find the set of stairs next to the main road. Walk up the stairs, turn left and follow the path. Keep following the path and the signs.
Walk past Peng Chau Garden of Remembrance, which is a decorative entrance to a memorial park. There isn’t much to see there so continue walking along the path.
Soon after, you’ll arrive at Yuen Tung Monastery. There are several Buddhas in the small Buddhist monastery but it was closed when I was there. Hopefully, it will be open when you go.
18. Nam Wan
From Yuen Tung Monastery, continue on the downhill path and turn left and walk downhill. At the end of the downhill path, you will pass several low-rise residential buildings. At the end of the path, turn left and head over to the beach at Nam Wan.
Nam Wan (translation: South Bay), is the residential neighbourhood you just walked past and the surrounding area. Perhaps the best part of Nam Wan is the beach because it is an excellent spot for watching the sunset. If timing is right, definitely stick around to watch the sun setting over the horizon.
19. Seaside promenade
Continue walking along the seaside promenade and make your way back towards the Peng Chau Ferry Pier. I quite like this pedestrian promenade because there is so much to see and the walk is quite relaxing.
20. Peng Chau Ferry Pier
Finally, after a day of exploring Peng Chau Island, walk to Peng Chau Ferry Pier and catch the next ferry back to Central Pier.
As I mentioned earlier, make sure you check the ferry schedule at the start of your day trip so you know when you can get back to Hong Kong Island.
Are you ready to take a day trip to Peng Chau Island?
I hope you’re not still wondering what to do in Peng Chau because I covered it all in this detailed day trip itinerary. All you need to do is follow this post and enjoy your time discovering this hidden gem of an island.
As much as I like exploring Lamma Island and Cheung Chau, I really enjoyed spending a day in Peng Chau because the island is smaller and it is not as touristy but there are still has many things to see.
If you have any other questions about my Peng Chau itinerary, leave a comment below.
Ready to plan your trip to Hong Kong? Here are some of my go-to travel planning resources:
* Book your flight: find flight deals on Skyscanner and book HK Express flights for other connections in Asia
* Book accommodation: find the best Hong Kong accommodations on Agoda or Booking
* Buy insurance: Safetywing is my go-to provider for travel insurance, as it covers many things. I will never travel without the Nomad Insurance Package because it protects me against unforeseen events. Get a quote today.
* Order a SIM card: order a SIM card in advance, collect it upon arrival, and set up your mobile phone before arriving at your destination.
* Join tours: check Klook or Get Your Guide for the best tours in Hong Kong.
Thank you for reading my Peng Chau itinerary
I have many posts on Hong Kong and you might also like these other posts on solo travel and hiking in HK:
Hong Kong posts
- Hong Kong solo travel guide: everything you need to know
- 6 boutique hotels: where to stay in HK for solo travellers
- Hong Kong food culture: all the must-try food
- Best places to watch sunset in Hong Kong
- HK off the beaten path: 11 hidden gems
- Short and easy hikes in Hong Kong
- Macau itinerary: things to do for solo traveller
- My honest review of HK Express, HK budget airline
Island District Hikes
- How to get to Lamma Island
- Lamma Island: hike from Sok Kwu Wan to Yung Shue Wan
- Cheung Chau Island: 1-day itinerary around Cheung Chau
- Tung O Ancient Trail: hike the coastal trail in Lantau North Country Park
- Lo Yan Shan Hike: hike Chi Ma Wan Country Trail in southern Lantau Island
- Fan Lau Hike: explore the southwest tip of Lantau Island
- Po Toi Island: see Hong Kong’s South Pole
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Hi, my name is Queenie, and I’ve been a solo traveller for 20+ years and currently based in Hong Kong. Follow me on my adventures through Instagram and my blog!
4 comments
Hi, I like your article. It is very comprehensive.
I am planing to visit Peng Chau by the end of January.
Hi Max,
Thank you for your message. Peng Chau is really nice if you like something quieter. There are beaches and hikes and things to see around the centre of town. Enjoy your time there – January is a great time for visiting Peng Chau.
Nice article, very informative. We visited Peng Chau today and will come again with friends.
Hi Alan,
Thank you so much for your comment. I’ve always visited Peng Chau on a weekday and wonder if more shops open on the weekend. I’ll have to go back and find out. Thanks again!