Summer Staycation in Tai O: Discovering Last Gems of Hong Kong

Yay! It’s July. Holiday time! There is immense joy in having a few weeks of well-deserved and long-awaited time off in the summer. If life gives you lemons, make lemonade—so here is my creative summer cocktail, spent exploring the hidden, rustic corners of my beautiful home base of Hong Kong.

Going around

The first thing I did to beat the heavy Hong Kong blues was visit neighbourhoods and areas I’d never been to and had been always planning to explore with my camera. Frankly speaking, it didn’t bring much enjoyment but at least it filled my days with some purpose. I visited fishing villages – for example Lei Yue Mun, Stanley – one of the richest areas in Hong Kong, Repulse Bay – a beach that didn’t quite resonate with my preference for quiet serenity, and Aberdeen. When it became crystal clear that this wasn’t the way to go, I took a smarter approach and booked a couple staycations. It filled me with hope that I could experience a hint of something that remotely resembled a holiday. And in a way, I was right.

Lantau, the only way to go

Upon checking booking.com and its meagre offer of guesthouses I immediately knew that the only place where I might feel like I’m travelling was Lantau. It ticks all the necessary boxes – It’s huge, far, green and diverse. Let’s go!

Tai O

From my previous posts you know that I love this place. From the entire Hong Kong this is the last gem of a place one can find here. Traditions still alive, small community, no crowds – that is if you are smart and avoid weekends, and peak hours.

Commercial? Nope

Some people hate Tai O for it’s too commercial and busy, they claim. I must disagree. Tai O is a small maze, a traditional stilt village that gets a bad rep because of people who simply don’t understand that this community needs to somehow make their ends meet if they are to preserve its vibe. So yes, some parts get busy and have shops that cater to tourists, but those who claim they don’t like it probably haven’t ventured past the main areas. In fact, Tai O is very similar to Pulau Ketam, my most favourite fishing village in Malaysia. That’s perhaps also why I’m so fond of Tai O, because it reminds me so much of my beloved Pulau Ketam.

Oh, Malaysia, you were so kind to me. Forgive me if I ever took you for granted. 

Staycation in Tai O was the best idea I could have come up with. Since getting to the village involves a boat and a bus ride, you get the feeling of being on a journey fairly quickly. It takes time to get there which is probably for the best. Arriving late in the afternoon provides an opportunity for catching sunset and once the day-tripping crowds disappear, you get to see the beauty of this place.

Local style eating

After a day spent in the scorching heat, it’s time for dinner in some of the local shops. Cheap fried rice, a can of beer and a sensation of simplicity that renders you ultimately happy is in full swing. That’s what I like. Low-key, no embellishment, no fuss, no snobbism, just a local dinner spot with a handful of residents and news in Putonghua blasting from TV hung in one of the upper wall corners. Yeah. Anthony Bourdain would’ve certainly given me a high five here!

Fine dining in Tai O

Once I however discovered the Tai O Lookout restaurant, I was sold. Amazing food – check. Lovely vibe – check. Kronenburg on tap – check. As you can imagine, I never went to that cheap fried rice spot again or any other local food spot for that matter. I just couldn’t resist. The menu had all I loved. The quality was great and the prices reasonable. When you add the view, overlooking the northwest tip of the island and the fact that the restaurant is in a traditional building that serves as a hotel nowadays, you simply can’t afford not to include this place in your Tai O gourmet itinerary.

Season matters

I can honestly tell you that exploring Tai O in July is hard-core. The heat is unbearable but this is probably what also contributes to the feeling of being on holiday. I managed to do my hiking and walks in the morning. The afternoons I spent in the Lookout and before sunset I ventured back to the streets, mainly to observe and shoot what I love most – day-to-day life and locals going about.

No photos please

On the one hand Tai O is a photographer’s dream despite the infamous aversion of locals to being photographed. On the other hand, their unwillingness to appear in photos might make it impossible for you to get any close-ups or real-life portraits. Tai O’s residents really hate it and the only way to get a great shot of a local is to be an insider or have one walk with you.

Where to stay

Accommodation options are not exactly abundant here but the Espace Elastique is probably the best guesthouse in the area. It’s in the centre of everything and at a reasonable price. It’s spotlessly clean, spacious, and there are many perks to staying there. For me it was the freely available – and delicious! – snacks and coffee that you could grab any time of the day. It really came in handy for my early morning hikes when the town was still asleep and I wouldn’t be able to find anything open. While it isn’t flawless, it’s indeed one of the best shots if you want to enjoy Tai O and not have your wallet bleed.

Cafe scene

Right next to the guesthouse are a couple of lovely cafes. But my go-to spot was Solo. Along with the Tai O Lookout this was my ultimate chilling spot. Smooth coffee, refreshing drinks, tasty tiramisu, simply a great little hunger-killer. While the menu didn’t feature a dizzying selection of food and snacks, it was perfectly enough.

In fact, it is the ambience that makes this place special. It has a terrace so whatever you drink or eat comes with an excellent view of life along the river. Don’t expect too picturesque scenes though. It’s about getting the vibe of the whole village. Another reason why I loved going to  this cafe is the arts and crafts shop attached to it. What’s more, the owner was kind enough to appreciate my regular visits by giving me a free coffee refill. Quite uncommon to see that nowadays.

Thirst to learn more

Another reason why this cafe is special is the fact that it opened me a door to a better understanding of locals’ life. Ever since I set my foot in Tai O, I’ve always been wondering about the history of the place, the stories of local residents and penetrating into their way of living. I got many answers to my question in Solo cafe. The owner noticed my camera and a keen interest in capturing Tai O and during one of my visits at the cafe placed a recently published book about the village in front of me. He didn’t mean to sell it. He just thought it would pique my interest. What an astute observation. When I said I wanted to buy the book, the owner was so happy that he offered more than a friendly discount to me. I was ecstatic to finally read more about the history of this place and the way people have lived there. The book has answered many of the questions I had about this unique town.

Tai O – Love stories of the fishing village

While the title might be misleading, the book reveals plenty of aspects of this cute village from the modest beginnings to today’s life. You won’t find out about love stories but you’ll get to know that prostitution was one of the ways to make ends meet for local people. While men lived on the sea, girls used to be sold as prostitutes either in Tai O or they were sent to brothels in Hong Kong Island. My curiosity was sparked even more when I read that apart from salt fields and the famous shrimp paste production, which is still alive on the island, opium trade and Triad operations (i.e. mafia and gangs) were pretty common here too.

Interesting information

You’ll also learn about a big fire that almost destroyed the village and how locals dealt with poverty, attacks of pirates and other unavoidable events. The book confirms that the place certainly has its deal of history and it might also explain why locals are so tough and resilient. But of course to me one of the most valuable things the book offers is the absolutely wonderful photos that capture the essence of the local life so well. It’s exactly the style of photography I love. I wish I could emulate some of the photos too, but like I said, outsiders rarely get a chance. So at least I have the book as a source of inspiration.

Photography my love

On the last day the photography spirit rewarded me with an excellent opportunity to take shots that would boost my confidence a great deal. Sometimes it’s just really about being at the right time in the right place. As I was aimlessly stepping around one of the usual streets, trying to grab some unique shots, I noticed a lovely lady taking a shot of the sunset too. Voilà – and one of my most favourite photos from the Tai O trip was born.

Summary

Tai O is a little gem suitable for both a day trip and a staycation. It has a moderate amount of pleasant hikes that are not difficult and offer different glimpses and angles of panoramic views. But, I’d say that a 3-night stay is really the right amount of time to enjoy this place. In fact, I believe I could handle even more. It’s also the fact that every part of the day just strolling around offers another type of scenery. Tai O simply never disappoints.