My family recently visited the quaint fishing village on Lantau Island called Tai O.

Tai O (大澳 in traditional Chinese) is a village located on the western side of Lantau Island, Hong Kong’s biggest island and also where the Chek Lap Kok Airport is located.  It can be easily reached from nearby Tung Chung (bus 11) or from Mui Wo (bus 1).

We visited during the 2011 Chinese New Year break and, as was expected, many locals and tourists alike had the same plans for the day.

Tip: If you’re planning to visit Tai O on a public holiday or even just on a Sunday, rather take the ferry from Hong Kong Island to Mui Wo and take bus 1 from there.  The queues and the trip to Tai O are shorter than from Tung Chung Town Centre.

The bus 11 queue at the Tung Chung terminus (Pic: Mike Jansen)

There are many sights, sounds and smells to experience in Tai O. 

However, for a look at a rare example of a Chinese stilt-house community, Tai O is the place to visit. This is home to the Tanka people, a community of fisherfolk who have built their homes on stilts above the tidal flats for generations because they do not feel safe on land.

Locals enjoy a game of mahjong in  a Tai O stilt-home (Pic: Mike Jansen)

Their enchanting world is an amateur photographer’s paradise so be prepared to dodge posing visitors everywhere.

We took a short (20 minutes) ride on a boat that was advertising “Pink Dolphin Sightseeing” tours.  While the waters off Tai O is indeed home to these rare animals, we saw none on the day.  The trip was very enjoyable nevertheless.

Our day ended with a sumptuous late-lunch at one of several seafood restaurants.

Tao O cuisine (Pic: Mike Jansen)

We wisely took the bus back to Mui Wo, where a stunning sunset awaited on the Silvermine beach right next to the Mui Wo Ferry Pier.