Cheung Chau Review – The Best HK Island For Travelers

This Cheung Chau Review includes all the information you need to know about what to do, where to eat, what to buy, where to stay, transportation, and weather information on the island. Being a local, I have been to Cheung Chau countless times. Now, with traveling experience in over 70 countries, I dare say it is the best outlying island in Hong Kong. This is true especially if you are a first-time visitor to Hong Kong.

In this blog post, you will find reviews of the best things to do and eat on the islands. Followed by transportation and weather information. At the very end, I will also compare Cheung Chau to other islands in Hong Kong. It should be the one-stop day trip guide for Hong Kong Cheung Chau.

Is Cheung Chau Worth Visiting?

The answer is, of course, yes. It is one of the most convenient islands to visit in Central Hong Kong. Getting there by ferry from Central Ferry Pier Number 5 takes around 30 to 60 minutes.

It is the most populous outlying island in Hong Kong, with over 20,000 residents. On top of that, historical cultural sites like Cheung Po Tsai Cave, 3000 year old rock carvings and Pak Tai Temple on the island, You will also find a list of good activities available.

Being in all the inhabited islands in Hong Kong, Cheung Chau has the most choices of activities. At the same time, it is not a big island. Thus, it is walkable even when you travel with kids. English is one of the official languages in Hong Kong. You will have no trouble viewing the signs and communicating with the locals.

Given you are likely to stay in Hong Kong from 3 days to one week, Cheung Chau is the best for a first-time visitor given its accessibility and wide range of activities.

Cheung Chau Island Map

From the official Cheung Chau Island map above, you will know that Cheung Chau is a small island despite its variety of offers. It is less than 3km long, and walking from one end to the other takes less than an hour. There are two main beaches on the eastern side (Tung Wah Beach) and the southwestern side (Kwun Yam Beach). The three main scenic (and easy) hiking trails are on the Northern part (North Lookout Pavilion Trail), Southeastern part (Min Great Wall), and Southern end (Cheung Po Tsai Hole).

All the street food, main hotels, restaurants, historical temples, and necessity shops are clustered at the central area of the island, including Tai San Praya Road and Pak She Praya Road. The main street is just next to the arrival pier.

In short, you can’t get lost in Cheung Chau with this east layout.

Cheung Chau Festival

The most popular festival is the Cheung Chau Jiao (aka bun) festival which has 100 years of history. The festival usually takes place during the fifth to ninth day of the fourth lunar month. It is somewhere near the Buddha Birthday in Hong Kong in April or May.

Every year, most locals and tourists will view the Bun Scrambling competition and the Piu Sik Parade on the last two days of the festival. In 2025, the bun festival will be on 5th May (for the parade) and 6th May (for the bun scrambling competition).

Usually, a month before, the whole island will be decorated, and shops will be selling related items like Ping On Buns (“平安包”).

Warning ahead, Given the festival’s popularity, Cheung Chau will become very crowded during the period, especially on the parade and bun scrambling day. If you want to avoid the crowd and prefera more relaxing experience, you should not go to the island on those two days.  

Top 5 Things To Do In Cheung Chau – Local Recommendation

1.     Explore The Main Street

The very first and top thing to do is to explore the main street of Cheung Chau. At the alleys just at the drop-off point of Cheung Chau Pier. You will find multiple local shops there. On the right-hand side, with ~ 10 minutes walk to the Cheung Chau Municipal Services building, you will find the Cheung Chau market with multiple local Cantonese food and seafood available.

Heading straight from the pier, you will find lots of street food and local dried seafood shops at the Cheung Chau Central Plaza. Don’t forget to also explore the alleys near the Plaza, you will usually find lots of surprises.

Around 3 minutes’ walking distance from the Plaza, you will find the Cheung Chau Cinema, an old cinema that no longer operates and is reserved as a site-seeing point. On the way from the main street to Tung Wan beach, you will find the “Love Lock” and multiple fancy cafes.

2.     Visit The Historical Sites

Despite being a small island, Cheung Chau also has several good historical sites. The first one is the famous Pak Tai Temple. It is a temple used by the local fishing community for generations for worshipping the Taoist sea god. The temple is located at the left-hand side from the Pier within 6 minutes walk.

Other than that, you will also find the “Cheung Chau Rock Carvings” near the Tung Wan beach. It is a rock carving carrying ancient petroglyphs over 3,000 years old. Hong Kong has around 9 similar carvings located in different parts of trails.

Perhaps the most historical site in Cheung Chau is the Cheung Po Tsai Cave. Cheung Po Tsai was an infamous pirate in Hong Kong in the 19th century. According to the legend, Cheung hid his treasures in multiple caves in Hong Kong. The one in Cheung Chau is the most famous one. If you are in luck, you may find some jewels still there (Although I didn’t). The cave is also the end point for the Cheung Po Tsai hiking trail.

3.     Hiking

 The three main scenic (and easy) hiking trails are on the Northern part (North Lookout Pavilion Trail), the Southeastern part (Min Great Wall), and the Southern end (Cheung Po Tsai Cave). Each of these trails takes around a 2-hour walk with its features.

For first-time visitors, I recommend you choose the Cheung Po Tsai Cave trail first. Because this is the trail that you can visit the famous cave as the end point. The trail is located at the southern end of the island, usually crowded with peopl,e especially near the cave.

The second option would be the Mini Great Wall Trail. The trail is famous for its unique rock formations, such as the human head rock, eagle rock, and jade stones. Other than the rocks, it is also the trail that will pass through Kwun Yam Beach and the sailing center. Although the highest point of the trail is only 70m on Peng Hill, it offers you a stunning view of the coastal coastline. Not to mention, you can stay at Kwun Yam beach for beach, water sports, or food after the hike.

The least recommended option is the North Lookout Pavilion Trail, which is not as scenic as other trails in Hong Kong, like the Tai Tam family walk. Although it is the longest of the three trails in Cheung Chau, it is far from challenging if you are looking for adventurous hiking like Sharp Peak.

4.     Cycling

Cycling is also one of the popular activities in Cheung Chau, other than hiking. You will see lots of bicycle rental shops near the pier. The rental rate is usually around 5 USD per hour. You can cycle to various icons on Cheung Chau, such as the Pak Tai Temple, Tung Wan Beach, and other spots. It probably takes less than an hour for you to go from one end to another end. However, you need to be aware that the main street is very crowded. So you need to be mindful of the pedestrians.

5.     Beach and Water Activities

Being an island, beaches and water activities are a must. Both Tun Wan and Kwun Yam Wan beaches are the best spots for swimming and picnics. Tun Wan is also the only beach that has houses on that and at the same time links to two sides of islands.

If you are looking for water activities like windsurfing, kayaking, paddleboarding, etc, then you need to go for Kwun Yam Wan. The activities’ price could range from ~ 20 USD to 40 USD, depending on your choice.

Top 5 Food To Eat In Cheung Chau – Local Recommendation

1.     Cheung Chau Mango Mochi

As far as I can remember, Mango Mochi was probably the first widely promoted Cheung Chau food in the early 90s. Unlike normal mochi, which is usually small, Cheung Chau Mochi is around palm-sized. A big slice of mango will be embedded in a thin and chewy layer of glutinous rice dough. The portion between the fruit and glutinous rice dough offers great taste with a blend of textures and flavors.

Nowadays, the local shops would also include other flavours such as durian, strawberry, and even chocolate. Tasting most of the flavours, I find mango the best, followed by Durian. The taste of this special mochi is hard to find in other Asian Countries. You can find several good shops near the Central Plaza.

2.     Jumbo Cheung Chau Fish Balls

Fish balls have been one of the must-try snacks in Hong Kong for a long time. Cheung Chau fish ball is an “evolved” version of that. For less than 2 USD, you will have a stick of two gigantic fish balls. There are several fish ball shops. I love the one closest to the pier with multiple spicy flavors.

3.     Cantonese Food

On the main street and food market of Cheung Chau, you will find different kinds of traditional Cantonese food. That includes some dim sum shops and old Chinese restaurants near the main street. Additionally, there are several Cantonese noodle shops in the alleys near Tai San Street. My recommendation is a famous local congee and noodle shop called “Li En Ji 黎恩記” near the Cheung Chau Municipal Services Building.

4.     Seafood

Walking to the south side of Cheung Chau Family Walk, you will find endless seafood restaurants. If you have not tasted seafood anywhere else in Hong Kong, you should grab this chance to have some. I recommend you to buy a fixed meal set instead of a la carte. This is because this would save the trouble of bargaining on the fish price.

Other than that, you will also find some dried seafood shops selling dried shrimp, squids, and other products on the main street. It is also one of the must-try in Hong Kong.

5.     Café

Other than the traditional food, Cheung Chau also offers a lot of fancy cafes. If you get tired of hiking, water activities, or cycling. It is a good place to have a coffee and take a rest. You will even find local options like Chenpi “sun-dried mandarin” café. You will find most of the nice cafes near the “Love Lock” or near the alleys of main streets.

Transportation – How to Get to Cheung Chau

Cheung Chau is only accessible by boat. Getting there is very straightforward. You just need to take the ferry for Pier Number 5 at Central Pier. There are over 40 ferries from Central to Cheung Chau and other way rounds each day. It costs ~ 3 USD one way for an ordinary ferry with 50 50-minute rides. Alternatively, a fast ferry is also available at ~ 6 USD for a ~ 30-minute ride.

Wheather In Cheung Chau

The weather in Cheung Chau is the same as Hong Kong, following a distinct season. During winter (December to February),  it is dry and cold at around 14°C. You are unlikely to go for water activities during this time.

The temperature during Spring (March to May) and Autumn (September to November) is around 22 °C. It is good for all activities while not being too hot.

During the Summer (June to August), it is hot at over 31°C. Although it is the best time for water activities, there is also a high chance of rain. Remember to check the HK observatory for the weather before your journey.

Cheung Chau vs. Other Hong Kong Islands

If you’re deciding between Cheung Chau and other islands, here’s a quick comparison:

Cheung Chau vs. Lamma Island

Both islands are easily assessable via Central pier. Lamma Islands are almost five times bigger than Cheung Chau. It has more scenic and challenging hiking routes. I have hiked there in the past and found it more adventurous than Cheung Chau. However, the trails could also be dangerous for first-time visitors.

Lamma islands also have several seafood restaurants and local restaurants. However, they are not as special as Cheung Chau. Seafood restaurants in general are more overpriced than those in Cheung Chau. Cheung Chau is more urbanized as compared to Lamma Island, with a larger population. There is no bicycle shop on Lamma island. Water activities are available but with fewer choices.

In general, I would recommend you go to Cheung Chau as a first-time visitor.

Cheung Chau vs. Peng Chau

Peng Chau is another smaller island accessible via Central Pier as well. With ~ 1/3 island size and number of population, it offers activities like traditional shops, art works, and hiking at a smaller scale of Cheung Chau. As a local, I would rank that after Lamma Island, given fewer available activities. It is a small, beautiful island, but with limited time, I would opt for Cheung Chau.

Cheung Chau vs. Mui Wo

Like Cheung Chau, Mui Wo is also accessible via Central Pier. However, it is not an island, it is the eastern coast of Lantau Island (a district of Hong Kong) instead. While it has several hiking trails nearby and is famous for Slivermine Cave & Waterfall, it is not really a main tourist attraction.

Cheung Chau vs. Tai O

Tai O is not really an island but rather a small village on the western coast of Lantau Island (a district of Hong Kong). It offers a similar fishing village culture as Cheung Chau and also has some street food available. You can go hiking nearby but there are no water activities or cycling options. Instead, you can take a boat for Chinese White Dolphin watching, although the chance of spotting a dolphin is less than 1 % due to water pollution.

It is quite a different experience compared to what you have in Cheung Chau. However, you will need to take an MTR to Tung Chung, then take another bus to Tai O. The whole journey will cost you more than 2 hours.

For convenience, I would spend a day in Cheung Chau instead.

Cheung Chau vs. Lantau Island

By now, you should know that Lantau Island is a district of Hong Kong rather than an outlying island like Cheung Chau, Lamma Island, or Peng Chau. There are several tourist spots on Lan Tau Island, like the Ngong Ping area with the giant Tian Tan Buddha, HK Disney Land, Tai O, and Mu Wo. Hong Kong International Airport is also located there.

So, if you are looking for an outlying island experience, don’t get confused by the name itself.

Where to Stay in Cheung Chau

If you are looking to stay in Cheung Chau overnight, there are a few hotels or apartments available. The accommodation cost is usually around 50 – 60 USD during the weekday. However, the price could be double during weekends, public holidays, or festival times.

For first-time visitors, I recommend staying at Warwick Hotel, which is the oldest and real hotel in Cheung Chau. The hotel is a multi-storey building near Tung Wan Beach. Most of the rooms offer fascinating sea views. Also, the hotel has a private BBQ area at an additional cost. Noting that there aren’t many barbeque areas in Cheung Chau, if you are looking for BBQ, it is a great option. Plus, the price is not much different compared to other accommodation options.

Hotels in Cheung Chau

Below are the main accommodations in Cheung Chau.

• Warwick Hotel Cheung Chau:  The tallest hotel in Cheung Chau with seven floors. It offers standard hotel facilities such as a dining hall, elevator, 24-hour front desk, and private BBQ area.
• B&B Cheung Chau: A hostel featuring cozy cafes and shops on the ground floor. It is located just near the “Love Lock” of Cheung Chau.
• Lychee Sunset Hotel Cheung Chau: Instead of locating right next to the beach or the main street like Warwick or B&B. Lychee is situated at the center of multiple alleys near the main street. It is still a convenient place. You can enjoy the city view from the hotel terrace. However, I would prefer Warwick or B&B for a first-time visitor.
• Saiyuen Camping Adventure Park: Other than hotels/hostels, you can even have camping experiences for your family. Closer to Po Tsai Cave, Saiyuen Camping Adventure Park also offers air-conditioned tents for overnight stays. You can choose different styles of tents like Mongolian, African, Fantasy, Sapa, etc. Similar to Wawick, the park also offers a BBQ facility. Other than that, the park offers activities like archery, junior abseiling, board games, etc. Together with other Cheung Chau attractions, it will create a good, fun day for your family.

Final Thoughts – Should I Go to Cheung Chau On My First Travel?

Being a local with over 70 Countries ‘ worth of travel experience, I find Cheung Chau the most comprehensive island experience for travelers. Together with theme parks like HK Ocean Park, HK Disney, and other HK city center experiences.

Adding one day in Cheung Chau to the itinerary seems to be ideal. Especially, the island offers a wide range of outdoor activities with traditional features. On top of that, it is very accessible via public ferry.

As a local, I have also been to a lot of other islands in Hong Kong, including the very exotic ones. Yet, for the first-time visitor, my dearest recommendation is definitely Cheung Chau.