Lamma Island - a surprisingly satisfying short break in Hong Kong

For some, the outlying island is more than just a weekend getaway, it's a way of life

Explore Hong Kong

Christopher DeWolf

Published: 10:00pm, 21 Jan 2015

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I arrived a sceptic and left a convert. I have always been ambivalent about Lamma Island, finding it hard to look past the tatty souvenir shops, scummy waterways and relentless mosquitoes — not to mention the comically dystopian power plant that looms over the horizon. On a recent couple of visits, though, the island's charm has worn down my defences.

"A lot of people really look down on it," says Chris Horton. "I think it's a kind of paradise. I walk out of my place, grab fruit off the trees in my village, and 10 minutes later, I'm here on the beach."

Horton, a journalist and a new Lamma resident, is still enjoying the honeymoon period of island life. But if other residents are any indication, that honeymoon will last a long time.

Living on Lamma is "like taking a vacation every weekend", says Cedric Sam, a web developer who moved to the island in 2009.

"It's just such an exception to all the normal rules in Hong Kong," says Trey Menefee, an academic who recently left the island to be closer to his job in the New Territories. "There's just this constant background of familiar faces, people who you've never maybe even said hi to, but you feel obliged to nod at when you pass by."

The island's friendly shabbiness has begun to feel like a refreshing antidote to big city gentrification. And it's just 25 minutes away from Central by ferry. "It's a Never Never Land orbiting around the Death Star," says Horton.

Step off the ferry in Yung Shue Wan and you enter a kind of decompression chamber: there are places to relax at every turn. Many of the bars, restaurants and cafes along the main street are unassuming at first glance, but look beyond the cosy interiors and you'll often find a sun-filled terrace overlooking the harbour.

Green Cottage is an old standby that serves coffee from Olympia Graeco Egyptian Coffee, which has been roasting beans since the 1930s. Down the street, the Banyan Bay Cafe is popular for its breakfast fry-ups and Sunday evening jam sessions. Brunch is the focus of new arrival Hideout. One of the more unexpectedly beautiful spots to hang out is Just Green, an organic grocery store with a verdant waterfront patio. Then there's Bookworm Cafe, an institution that for many weekend visitors is synonymous with Lamma itself. Along with a vegetarian menu, there's a selection of books and vintage vinyl for sale.

Raspberry chocolate slice at Lala Mama's.

The latest arrival on the Yung Shue Wan cafe scene is Lala Mama's, a tranquil hideaway a couple of minutes away from the main street. The feel is rustic and homely, with furniture made from recycled teak floors and walls lined by big jars of pickled fruits. Owner/chef Hory Fong oversees a rotating menu of lunch specials, but leave room for dessert: Fong earned her culinary chops working in local bakeries.

Visit Golden Blue, where Lily Choy and her family have been selling their own chili sauces, dried fish and other condiments for 18 years. "With each chili sauce, you can smell if it's really good. We put a lot of garlic and onions in ours," says the Canadian-born Choy, who moved to Lamma with her husband after running a Chinese restaurant in a small town in Quebec.

Lamma has no shortage of touristy kitsch, but the retail scene is enlivened on the weekend by hawkers that line the path to Hung Shing Yeh Beach. On a recent sunny weekend, there were vendors selling vintage wristwatches, bunny-themed accessories and home-made cashew brittle.

Enjoying the house speciality at Kin Hing Tofu Dessert.

"We're semi-retired, so we do this partly for interest, partly for leisure and partly for a free dinner," says Keith Lam, who sells home-made soap and mosquito spray made by his wife, Lori. She was inspired by her nephews, who suffer from eczema. She made a special cleanser from comfrey-infused olive oil, coconut oil and shea butter, which is meant to be gentle on the skin. Produce from the couple's own garden finds its way into many of their products. "We grow our own aloe vera and papaya," says Keith.

Kin Hing Tofu Dessert is guided by a similarly artisanal approach. Every weekend, this family-run, open-air shack draws a crowd for its simple tofu fa, a silky smooth dessert that can be eaten hot or cold. If the queue is too long, keep walking to the beach, where you'll find Herboland, a small organic farm and tea house, owned by Gary Tse, who quit his job as a designer to open the farm 11 years ago. Besides fresh herbs and fruits, you can buy soaps infused with Tse's products.

As you would expect for an island populated by so many expats, there is no shortage of places to drink on Lamma. Lung Kong offers a full bar, sport on TV and hearty Sichuan food to accompany your beer. Lamma Grill is the kind of unpretentious dive bar that every neighbourhood needs; it's cheap and friendly, with excellent ribs and pulled pork, an impressive selection of craft beer and a view over the water.

Soon enough, it's time to leave — the last ferry leaves Yung Shue Wan at 11.30pm. You could consider getting a room at the Dayan Petit Resort, a new hotel on Hung Shing Yeh Beach inspired by a vaguely sinister-looking cartoon cat from Japan. Or you could stop by Brothers Store, which has one of the cheapest selections of craft beer in Hong Kong, for a hoppy companion on the boat ride home.

That's what I opt for as I make my way to the pier. Newly persuaded by Lamma's charm, I'm reluctant to leave. "Good luck back in the real world," says Horton as he waves goodbye.