Thirty minutes from Central, a different world entirely 

Hong Kong has more than 260 islands – and most visitors never leave the city. Lantau Island alone rewards a full day: the Tian Tan Buddha, ancient stilt-house villages, wild beaches and jungle ridgelines. Add Sai Kung’s geopark coastline and the car-free lanes of Lamma, and the city beyond the harbour starts to look unmissable

For all the drama of Hong Kong’s legendary harbour and iconic skyline, some of the city’s most memorable moments happen far from the skyscrapers and thrilling urban rush. 

Many visitors are surprised to learn that Hong Kong actually has 263 islands, offering an extraordinary range of experiences, culture and nature.

Lantau Island

As Hong Kong’s largest island, dramatic Lantau is the natural place to begin thanks to beaches, mountains, villages and Buddhist temples.  It feels like a destination in its own right and light years away from the city’s Central district, even though it’s under 30 minutes on the train.

There’s no better way to get your bearings, as well as an appreciation for Lantau’s scale, then to take the Ngong Ping 360 cable car. Soaring above jungle-covered hills, you get a glimpse of the jaw-dropping 34-metre Tian Tan Buddha. Climb the steps up to the vast bronze statue that offers seriously stellar views, then head to Po Lin Monastery  – but remember to cover up. 

The Wisdom Path offers a quiet, reflective trail through the surrounding landscape, but a much more challenging walk awaits hikers on the 70-kilometre Lantau Trail. It crosses the island with stunning vistas and landscapes, notably from Sunset Peak.

Another great Lantau option is Cheung Sha, Hong Kong’s longest beach with pale sand and clear water that stretches for two miles along Lantau’s southern shore, while further west, Tai O feels like another world and era entirely. Its narrow waterways and charming traditional stilt houses belong to one of Hong Kong’s oldest fishing communities, while waterfront stalls sell dried seafood, shrimp paste and other local specialities.

Sai Kung

On the eastern side of the New Territories, the Sai Kung Peninsula has a different character altogether. It offers rugged country parks, secluded beaches, offshore islands and some of the territory’s most striking geological landscapes.

It’s worth bringing walking shoes – and an appetite. Multiple trails thread through the hilly expanse of the Sai Kung countryside, while boats head out towards islands within the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark. Sharp Island is a popular draw thanks to its placid beaches, unusual rock formations and Hong Kong’s best snorkelling over coral and rich marine life. 

Once back in Sai Kung town, hit up Seafood Street to reward yourself after a day’s exertions. It’s lined with restaurants where live lobsters, mantis shrimp, cuttlefish and garoupa are displayed in tanks, ready to be chosen and cooked to order, ideally washed down with cold local beers.

Island life

For the most laid-back version of Hong Kong, nothing beats a ferry to an outlying island. Lamma is an easy introduction as ferries from Central take just 30 minutes. On arrival, the pace of life changes almost immediately as most of the famously relaxed island is free of motorised transport, meaning that navigating the narrow lanes, temples, seafood restaurants and cafés is all done on foot. Don’t miss the easy Lamma Family Trail linking the island’s two main settlements of Yung Shue Wan and Sok Kwu Wan 

The island of Cheung Chau has slightly more bustle, with fishing boats gathered around the harbour, traditional snacks at every turn and winding lanes leading towards beaches and coastal paths. It’s also the setting for one of Hong Kong’s most distinctive traditional celebrations, the Cheung Chau Bun Festival. 

Held in May, its colourful and eye-opening climax comes with the famed bun-scrambling competition when athletes race up a 14-meter bamboo tower covered in plastic buns – representing traditional steamed buns – and try to grab as many as possible within three minutes. 

Peng Chau is quieter again, with easy walking trails, narrow streets, atmospheric incense-filled temples and a growing reputation as a creative cultural hub, notably at The Leather Factory, a garden filled with street art.

Another important dimension to Hong Kong’s historic coastal culture comes with the Dragon Boat Festival which falls around a two-week period in late June. Colourful, loud and vibrant, it serves as a thrilling showcase of world-class dragonboat racing, culture, entertainment and food, with endless entertainment both on and off the waves.

Hong Kong’s beauty is that within barely an hour from sleek urban sophistication you can be swimming off a pristine beach, walking with monkeys through ancient jungle, eating freshly caught seafood or watching a fishing boat glide between houses on stilts. Come for the iconic urban skyline and unique neon-soaked energy – but be sure to leave time for the thrilling diversity that lies beyond.

Find out more about Hong Kong’s great outdoors and start planning today by visiting the Hong Kong Tourism Board.