Finding Calm in Cheung Chau

An oft-overlooked island in Hong Kong will surprise you with its edible offerings: fat-bursting shrimps, fish balls the size of tennis balls, and caramel cheese ice cream tarts.

Everyone loves their own version of Hong Kong, the cosmopolitan hub that’s brought joy to many Filipinos for decades. In just under two hours  —  arguably a shorter travel time than traversing EDSA on a rainy Friday night — you can find yourself lost in its dizzying streets of roast duck, wonton noodles, and egg tarts.

My first overseas trip was to Hong Kong, as a measly munchkin who had to be carried all around Ocean Park. I loved it, and it’s held a special place in my heart ever since. I can already take family and friends to their destination of choice without the help of a map, and I can give you a list of recommendations if you want only the best eats for every budget bracket. I love Hong Kong that much, so much so that I often get asked if I get sick of it.

Never! Especially because there’s something new on every visit! For many trips with friends in the past, we would make our way through the mazes of Causeway Bay, Wan Chai, and Mongkok, immersing ourselves in its harrying sights, sounds, and smells sans hesitation. Yet in the recent couple of visits with family, we yearned for a Hong Kong that is peaceful and quiet — almost unimaginable to find in a city that’s in constant real-life hyperlapse.

Glutinous balls in coconut soup and warm rice cakes in chopped peanuts

Yet in a mere 45-minute ferry ride, we found it. We found Cheung Chau.

The little island, only 10 kilometers from Hong Kong Island, offers an instant escape from the bustling city life and thick crowds. Departing from Central Pier No. 5, you have two options to get there: an ordinary or fast ferry. (To curb your enthusiasm, choose the latter going to the island. You’ll appreciate the slower pace of the former heading back.) Even before docking, you’ll see how the sleepy island has conserved a way of life devoid of modern sensibilities. Wooden fishing vessels and miniature junk boats line its harbor, while streets are free from four-wheeled vehicles (you’ll need to rent a bike to get around).

Cheung Chau is most famous for its Bun Festival that happens every May. There are feasts and parades, and even bamboo towers made out of lucky steamed buns, which locals climb. Outside the three-day festival, there is just as much to discover around the island. There are several temples worth visiting; idyllic beaches perfect for swimming, windsurfing, and all-day lounging; and scenic hiking trails, which even mom and dad can take.

A hot-and-cold caramel cheese ice cream tart found along the harbor in a green store with a sign that says “Famous Mochi from Cheung Chau.”

Beyond all these, it was Cheung Chau’s edible offerings that won me over, specifically the street food, seafood, and desserts. As soon as you get off the ferry, take a few steps to the central square and make a bolt for the unassuming stall peddling skewered fish balls the size of a tennis ball. They come in flavors of curry, sweet soy, and satay, but it’s when the balls are deep fried and sprinkled with pepper salt that you’ll appreciate them best. The same stall sells thirst-quenching fresh fruit shakes and herbal teas, plus fruit-filled mochi treats (get the mango!).

For lunch, seafood is the way to go. Facing the sea, walk to the right end of the harbor, where seafood restaurants abound. We chose the New Baccarat Seafood Restaurant for its menu sets. Here is where we had the freshest fat-bursting shrimps simply fried and tossed in garlic and spices, just-caught fish steamed with oil and soy sauce, sweet scallops topped with minced garlic and glass noodles, succulent salt-and-pepper squid, and golden mantis shrimps. There’s also excellent sweet-and-sour pork and an unbelievably flavorful Yang Chow. It was a feast like no other, enjoyed al fresco with a clear view — and smell! — of the salty sea.

The island’s sweet offerings are just as rewarding. You’ll find them along the tiny side alleys and backstreets. Try everything that tickles your fancy (you won’t find the same back in the city). Sweltering summer days call for a frozen pineapple or a chocolate milk bar, while cooler months are best treated with glutinous balls in coconut soup and warm rice cakes in chopped peanuts. Or go for a hot-cold treat with a caramel cheese ice cream tart (found along the harbor in a green store with a sign that says “Famous Mochi from Cheung Chau”).

The New Baccarat Seafood Restaurant serves the freshest fat-bursting shrimps tossed in garlic and spices, just-caught fish steamed with oil and soy sauce, sweet scallops, succulent squid, and golden mantis shrimps.

It’s easy to spend a whole day around Cheung Chau, walking and biking and eating aimlessly. Head there just before lunch, then take the slow ferry back just in time for when the Victoria Harbour lights up. At the end of the day trip, you’ll find yourself at peace, hearts calm and tummies satisfied, and maybe even armed for more rounds of shopping in the city.