Cheung Chau By Bike
(Saturday)
The small island of Cheung Chau (長 洲) lies about 10 km southwest of Hong Kong Island and is home to a population of about 30,000.
Dumbbell-shaped, with hills at the northern and southern ends and the settlements concentrated in between, the island has been inhabited
for longer than most other places in the HKSAR. Artefacts unearthed from archaeological sites on the island have been traced back to the
Bronze Age (1500-221 BC)...
Most people who cycle on car-free Cheung Chau do so along the harbourfront. We shall do that, too, but our route presents a bit more of a
challenge…
Compared to others in the Hong Kong SAR, the peaks of Cheung Chau are but mole hills. Indeed, the highest point on this route is a mere 85
metres above sea level. Yet, lacking proper run-ups certain inclines could well have you out of the saddle and pushing your bike…
The first hill of the day also presents the greatest challenge of the day as we make our way up to the Northern Look-out Pavillion. While
everybody is encouraged to ride their multi-speed iron horses for as long as possible, no loss of face is suffered by anyone finding the climb
a little too steep.
Having caught our breath while taking in the panorama at the look-out, we get to check the braking abilities of our rental bikes as we descend
into Cheung Chau Central and the old Pak Tai Temple. The original temple was built more than two centuries ago and is dedicated to the
Taoist god of the sea, the “Supreme Emperor of the Dark Heaven.” In the 18th century, Cheung Chau was devastated by plague and infiltrated
by pirates - until local fishermen brought an image of Pak Tai to the island. Paraded through the village lanes, the deity drove away evil spirits.
Beyond the temple we check out the beaches at Tung Wan and Kwun Yam Wan, training grounds for Hong Kong’s only olympic gold medallist.
We visit the Kwun Yam Temple and explore the island’s southern hills before winding our way along the ridge running westwards. As this
section is mostly downhill, we might forget to pay attention to the graves in the cemetery we traverse.
Sai Wan (Western Bay) is home to one of Cheung Chau’s temples dedicated to Tin Hau, the protectress of fishermen and other seafarers.
Nearby is a small store where liquid enlightenment can be procured…
The last section of the day’s ride mostly follows the flat shoreline of Cheung Chau’s well-protected harbour. With just a little luck, we should
be able to confirm that these are fully operational docks. We will also make a brief detour to check out another temple or two as well as other
interesting nooks and crannies…
After returning our bikes, we suggest leading you on a short walk through a maze of back streets to finish the outing with lunch at a popular
waterfront restaurant.
(Saturday)
The small island of Cheung Chau (長 洲) lies about 10 km southwest of Hong Kong Island and is home to a population of about 30,000.
Dumbbell-shaped, with hills at the northern and southern ends and the settlements concentrated in between, the island has been inhabited
for longer than most other places in the HKSAR. Artefacts unearthed from archaeological sites on the island have been traced back to the
Bronze Age (1500-221 BC)...
Most people who cycle on car-free Cheung Chau do so along the harbourfront. We shall do that, too, but our route presents a bit more of a
challenge…
Compared to others in the Hong Kong SAR, the peaks of Cheung Chau are but mole hills. Indeed, the highest point on this route is a mere 85
metres above sea level. Yet, lacking proper run-ups certain inclines could well have you out of the saddle and pushing your bike…
The first hill of the day also presents the greatest challenge of the day as we make our way up to the Northern Look-out Pavillion. While
everybody is encouraged to ride their multi-speed iron horses for as long as possible, no loss of face is suffered by anyone finding the climb
a little too steep.
Having caught our breath while taking in the panorama at the look-out, we get to check the braking abilities of our rental bikes as we descend
into Cheung Chau Central and the old Pak Tai Temple. The original temple was built more than two centuries ago and is dedicated to the
Taoist god of the sea, the “Supreme Emperor of the Dark Heaven.” In the 18th century, Cheung Chau was devastated by plague and infiltrated
by pirates - until local fishermen brought an image of Pak Tai to the island. Paraded through the village lanes, the deity drove away evil spirits.
Beyond the temple we check out the beaches at Tung Wan and Kwun Yam Wan, training grounds for Hong Kong’s only olympic gold medallist.
We visit the Kwun Yam Temple and explore the island’s southern hills before winding our way along the ridge running westwards. As this
section is mostly downhill, we might forget to pay attention to the graves in the cemetery we traverse.
Sai Wan (Western Bay) is home to one of Cheung Chau’s temples dedicated to Tin Hau, the protectress of fishermen and other seafarers.
Nearby is a small store where liquid enlightenment can be procured…
The last section of the day’s ride mostly follows the flat shoreline of Cheung Chau’s well-protected harbour. With just a little luck, we should
be able to confirm that these are fully operational docks. We will also make a brief detour to check out another temple or two as well as other
interesting nooks and crannies…
After returning our bikes, we suggest leading you on a short walk through a maze of back streets to finish the outing with lunch at a popular
waterfront restaurant.
| ... exploring Hong Kong's other side... |
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