Tai O is a fishing village, located on the north western side of Lantau Island (the same one the HKG airport is on). The village is located partially on the main island and partially on a small island, also named Tai O, with the two parts connected by a drawbridge.
It’s not the most fascinating place, and I only recommend it if you have exhausted other sites, or if you have time in the morning before the other sites open, or you just want to enjoy the beautiful views from the bus.
I got up early from my airport hotel and took a couple of buses on a roller coaster-like ride to the village. I don’t have the strongest stomach (I don’t ride roller coasters any more), but it could also have been the anti-malaria medication I’m on (for my next stops on south pacific islands) that gave me a queasy feeling in my gut.
The village offers some nice markets to visit, and an interesting drawbridge joining the two sides of the village. I went on a Thursday morning, and I was the only non-Asian on the bus and in the village. At 9-10am, many of the market stalls were still shuttered. If you have something else to do, then this stop may not rise to the level of being worth it, but if you have time in the morning before the other destinations on Lantau island open, then take the plunge.
Note: the main activity, after strolling though the market, is taking a boat tour around the island.
After the fishing village, I took another bus to the Tian Tan Buddha at Ngong Ping.
Why go?
- The scenery from the bus on the way to Tai O is beautiful.
- Tai O is “open” before the other sites on Lantau Island, giving you something to fill your time before seeing them.
- The village is in decline (most children are leaving), and the fishing lifestyle is dying out. But the stilt homes are interesting, and the boat tour offers interesting views.
- You *may* see a white dolphin on a boat tour.
What you need to know:
- Bus tickets may be included if you purchase a Ngong Ping package tour.
- Bus fares are very cheap. Just click on the [Schedule] links below for costs in HKD and timetables.
- The water is reasonably clean, and I watched a woman drop a crab trap into the water just two or three houses down from the bridge.
- I enjoyed some fish balls with soy sauce. Turns out the name is a reference to the shape of the product, not the anatomy of the crustacean (who knew?). They were boiling in oil, so I felt safe eating from a street vendor.
It’s really easy to get to Tai O on your own from the airport:
- Look for the signs to the Regal Airport Hotel. Once in the hotel, take two escalators down and then head out the glass doors. Walk across the street to the bus stop.
- Take bus S1 [Schedule] to the end of the line at Tung Chung terminal.
- See my map (in my Instagram pics below) to get from the Tung Chung terminal to the bus depot to pick up the next bus.
- Take bus 11 to Tai O [Schedule]
- The final stop of the bus will be Tai O.
- To return, take bus 11 back to Tung Chung, or take bus 21 [Schedule] to Ngong Ping
Fishballs. Turns out the name is a reference to the shape of the product, not the anatomy of the fish. Who knew?
Location: Tai O - a rural fishing village on Lantau Island in Hong Kong.
This village is home to the Tanka people, who live in houses on stilts over the water from which they fish. Many of the buildings are interconnected, forming a tight community. There are ample opportunities for photography. The, arguably, center of town is a drawbridge connecting the mainland to the island, which replaces a rope-drawn ferry that operated for over 85 years.
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Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
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Picture taken: 08/2018
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#TaiO #FishingVillage #TravelPhotography #HongKong #HKG #HongKongAirport #LantauIsland #Lantau #Tanka #StiltHouses #HousesOnStilts #fishballs
Map of Tai O village with tour boat routes
Location: Tai O - a rural fishing village on Lantau Island in Hong Kong.
This village is home to the Tanka people, who live in houses on stilts over the water from which they fish. Many of the buildings are interconnected, forming a tight community. There are ample opportunities for photography. The, arguably, center of town is a drawbridge connecting the mainland to the island, which replaces a rope-drawn ferry that operated for over 85 years.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 08/2018
.
#TaiO #FishingVillage #TravelPhotography #HongKong #HKG #HongKongAirport #LantauIsland #Lantau #Tanka #StiltHouses #HousesOnStilts #boattours
View of Harbor with airplane in the distance (showing how close Tai O is to HKG)
Location: Tai O - a rural fishing village on Lantau Island in Hong Kong.
This village is home to the Tanka people, who live in houses on stilts over the water from which they fish. Many of the buildings are interconnected, forming a tight community. There are ample opportunities for photography. The, arguably, center of town is a drawbridge connecting the mainland to the island, which replaces a rope-drawn ferry that operated for over 85 years.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 08/2018
.
#TaiO #FishingVillage #TravelPhotography #HongKong #HKG #HongKongAirport #LantauIsland #Lantau #Tanka #StiltHouses #HousesOnStilts
Husbands for sale? Not sure what this sign means. BTW. the US equivalent is about $3.50
Location: Tai O - a rural fishing village on Lantau Island in Hong Kong.
This village is home to the Tanka people, who live in houses on stilts over the water from which they fish. Many of the buildings are interconnected, forming a tight community. There are ample opportunities for photography. The, arguably, center of town is a drawbridge connecting the mainland to the island, which replaces a rope-drawn ferry that operated for over 85 years.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 08/2018
.
#TaiO #FishingVillage #TravelPhotography #HongKong #HKG #HongKongAirport #LantauIsland #Lantau #Tanka #StiltHouses #HousesOnStilts #fishmarket
Typical Asian squat toilet
Location: Tai O - a rural fishing village on Lantau Island in Hong Kong.
This village is home to the Tanka people, who live in houses on stilts over the water from which they fish. Many of the buildings are interconnected, forming a tight community. There are ample opportunities for photography. The, arguably, center of town is a drawbridge connecting the mainland to the island, which replaces a rope-drawn ferry that operated for over 85 years.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 08/2018
.
#TaiO #FishingVillage #TravelPhotography #HongKong #HKG #HongKongAirport #LantauIsland #Lantau #Tanka #StiltHouses #HousesOnStilts #squattoilet
The drawbridge in the "center" of Tai O
Location: Tai O - a rural fishing village on Lantau Island in Hong Kong.
This village is home to the Tanka people, who live in houses on stilts over the water from which they fish. Many of the buildings are interconnected, forming a tight community. There are ample opportunities for photography. The, arguably, center of town is a drawbridge connecting the mainland to the island, which replaces a rope-drawn ferry that operated for over 85 years.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 08/2018
.
#TaiO #FishingVillage #TravelPhotography #HongKong #HKG #HongKongAirport #LantauIsland #Lantau #Tanka #StiltHouses #HousesOnStilts #bridge #drawbridge
View of the houses on stilts, and some of the tour boats.
Location: Tai O - a rural fishing village on Lantau Island in Hong Kong.
This village is home to the Tanka people, who live in houses on stilts over the water from which they fish. Many of the buildings are interconnected, forming a tight community. There are ample opportunities for photography. The, arguably, center of town is a drawbridge connecting the mainland to the island, which replaces a rope-drawn ferry that operated for over 85 years.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 08/2018
.
#TaiO #FishingVillage #TravelPhotography #HongKong #HKG #HongKongAirport #LantauIsland #Lantau #Tanka #StiltHouses #HousesOnStilts
Lot of options for dried fish
Location: Tai O - a rural fishing village on Lantau Island in Hong Kong.
This village is home to the Tanka people, who live in houses on stilts over the water from which they fish. Many of the buildings are interconnected, forming a tight community. There are ample opportunities for photography. The, arguably, center of town is a drawbridge connecting the mainland to the island, which replaces a rope-drawn ferry that operated for over 85 years.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 08/2018
.
#TaiO #FishingVillage #TravelPhotography #HongKong #HKG #HongKongAirport #LantauIsland #Lantau #Tanka #StiltHouses #HousesOnStilts #fishmarket
Early morning - the vendors are not quite open yet
Location: Tai O - a rural fishing village on Lantau Island in Hong Kong.
This village is home to the Tanka people, who live in houses on stilts over the water from which they fish. Many of the buildings are interconnected, forming a tight community. There are ample opportunities for photography. The, arguably, center of town is a drawbridge connecting the mainland to the island, which replaces a rope-drawn ferry that operated for over 85 years.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 08/2018
.
#TaiO #FishingVillage #TravelPhotography #HongKong #HKG #HongKongAirport #LantauIsland #Lantau #Tanka #StiltHouses #HousesOnStilts #fishmarket
Dried fish at Tai O - a rural fishing village on Lantau Island in Hong Kong.
This village is home to the Tanka people, who live in houses on stilts over the water from which they fish. Many of the buildings are interconnected, forming a tight community. There are ample opportunities for photography. The, arguably, center of town is a drawbridge connecting the mainland to the island, which replaces a rope-drawn ferry that operated for over 85 years.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 08/2018
.
#TaiO #FishingVillage #TravelPhotography #HongKong #HKG #HongKongAirport #LantauIsland #Lantau #Tanka #StiltHouses #HousesOnStilts
Tai O - a rural fishing village on Lantau Island in Hong Kong.
This village is home to the Tanka people, who live in houses on stilts over the water from which they fish. Many of the buildings are interconnected, forming a tight community. There are ample opportunities for photography. The, arguably, center of town is a drawbridge connecting the mainland to the island, which replaces a rope-drawn ferry that operated for over 85 years.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 08/2018
.
#TaiO #FishingVillage #TravelPhotography #HongKong #HKG #HongKongAirport #LantauIsland #Lantau #Tanka #StiltHouses #HousesOnStilts
Traffic obstacle on the way to the Tai O fishing village (on bus 11)
Location: Lantau Island, Hong Kong
Bus 11 takes you from Tung Chung to the Tai O fishing village. This village is home to the Tanka people, who live in houses on stilts over the water from which they fish. Many of the buildings are interconnected, forming a tight community. There are ample opportunities for photography. The, arguably, center of town is a drawbridge connecting the mainland to the island, which replaces a rope-drawn ferry that operated for over 85 years.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 08/2018
.
#HongKong #TaiO #FishingVillage #Busterminal #S1BusTerminal #BusS1HongKong #TravelPhotography #TungChung #TungChungTerminal #CityGateOutlets #HKG #HongKongAirport #LantauIsland #Lantau
On the way to the Tai O fishing village (on bus 11)
Location: Lantau Island, Hong Kong
Bus 11 takes you from Tung Chung to the Tai O fishing village. This village is home to the Tanka people, who live in houses on stilts over the water from which they fish. Many of the buildings are interconnected, forming a tight community. There are ample opportunities for photography. The, arguably, center of town is a drawbridge connecting the mainland to the island, which replaces a rope-drawn ferry that operated for over 85 years.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 08/2018
.
#HongKong #TaiO #FishingVillage #Busterminal #S1BusTerminal #BusS1HongKong #TravelPhotography #TungChung #TungChungTerminal #CityGateOutlets #HKG #HongKongAirport #LantauIsland #Lantau
Waiting for the Tai O bus (bus 11)
Location: Tung Chung, Hong Kong
Bus 11 takes you from Tung Chung to the Tai O fishing village. This village is home to the Tanka people, who live in houses on stilts over the water from which they fish. Many of the buildings are interconnected, forming a tight community. There are ample opportunities for photography. The, arguably, center of town is a drawbridge connecting the mainland to the island, which replaces a rope-drawn ferry that operated for over 85 years.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 08/2018
.
#HongKong #TaiO #FishingVillage #Busterminal #S1BusTerminal #BusS1HongKong #TravelPhotography #TungChung #TungChungTerminal #CityGateOutlets #HKG #HongKongAirport
Bus to Tung Chung from HKG
Location: HKG, Hong Kong
Bus S1 takes you from the north end of the airport (just outside of the Regal Airport hotel) to Tung Chung terminal.
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Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 08/2018
.
#HongKong #TaiO #FishingVillage #Busterminal #S1BusTerminal #BusS1HongKong #TravelPhotography #TungChung #TungChungTerminal #CityGateOutlets #HKG #HongKongAirport #NgongPing
Hong Kong - Map to get from bus S1 (from airport) to bus 11 (Tai O)
Location: Tung Chung, Hong Kong
Getting from the Hong Kong airport to the Tai O fishing village is very easy. However, there is one step which you may want to be aware of: getting off the S1 bus, and getting to bus 11. The S1 bus drops you off at the Tung Chung terminal, but bus 11 departs from another terminal about two blocks away.
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Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 08/2018
.
#HongKong #TaiO #FishingVillage #Busterminal #S1BusTerminal #Bus11HongKong #TravelPhotography #TungChung #TungChungTerminal #CityGateOutlets #HKG #HongKongAirport
