Southern treasures: a guide to South Lantau

Lantau Island is Hong Kong’s largest and greenest isle, home to the airport and the Tian Tan “Big” Buddha – but on its southern coast, the community is coming together to forge a new identity.

To see the fruits of the mega-refresher that South Lantau has given itself over the last year or two, look no further than Chung Hau (Little River Mouth), the oldest part of the rural town of Mui Wo. Along its once-tatterdemalion main street, the workaday eateries and family-owned grocers have been joined by a scattering of hip lifestyle spaces.

A former ship chandlery now hosts a French carpenter’s workshop, a retail space (The Humble Room ) specialising in artisanal coffee and one-of-a-kind garments, and a café that’s twinned with Pause yoga studio  on the other side of the River Silver.

Heading west, the Mui Wo Laundry (previously an ironmonger’s) does coffee and merch – hats, bags, tees – as well as the obvious. The Lantau Pottery Studio , which runs classes for both children and adults, shares its display window with an estate agency, while around the corner, in hailing distance of the Hung Shing temple, family-run boutique Marcy’s sells jewellery and fashion items.

“There’ve been some significant changes around here,” says Mui Wo Laundry founder Tony Tsang Wing-yu, whose family has lived in Mui Wo for 200 years.

“Obviously, we’re a business, but we wanted to capture the essence and simple lifestyle of the town,” he says. “We’ve become a bit of a landmark since we opened in 2022, and many visitors pose for photos with our delivery van, which has a scale-model washing machine on its roof.” 

A little way up the street, art classes are held at Wood and Art Create, while a short stroll leads to Winnie the Farm , run by a banker-turned-gardener who hosts “farmcation” tours – dishing out homegrown roselle tea and explaining the ins and outs of organic farming. 

Elsewhere in Mui Wo – whose ferry pier and surrounds are being given an extensive multi- million-dollar facelift – independents have been upping their game. The Beach House , as well as offering unmatched views over Silvermine Bay, pours everything from kombucha to locally brewed Double Haven craft beers. Solomon Leeder of wine boutique Leeder Quay hosts regular tastings, drawing from a stock that includes a well-curated range of organic and vegan-friendly reds and whites. And at Vibe , Gary Brightman has turned a second-hand bookshop into an unofficial community centre, hosting author talks and live- streamed gigs as well as selling vinyl records, CDs and stereo equipment.

“Folk bands and musicians have played here, we stock some quite specialised gear, and our 15,000 or so books include titles in Chinese, French and other languages,” says Brightman, who packed in his IT job to devote himself to music and books.

Further up the valley beyond the fire station, The Hideout – sheltered among greenery and with deck seating overlooking a fishpond – serves as a tranquil event space, art jamming studio and garden-to-table eatery.

“The Hideout really lives up to its name,” says the venue’s event manager Ziva Chung. “We’ve also started yoga and breathwork classes, which work well in this chill space.”

A great deal more lies waiting to be discovered outside Mui Wo: not least Lantau’s hiking trails. These range from the 70km Mui Wo Loop, which opened 40 years ago, to the vertiginous pathways that lead up from the Tian Tan Buddha to the island’s highest points.

“We’re very lucky with the sheer variety,” says Rory Mackay, who leads Wild Hong Kong ’s hiking and cycling tours. “Summiting Lantau Peak’s 934 metres at sunrise is very popular, but if the weather’s uncooperative we can switch to something like the waterfall trek up Wong Lung Hang. We host a lot of overseas clients, and they’re all blown away by Lantau’s green vistas.”

Down on the coast, Lantau’s beaches are a visitor magnet for much of the year, but especially in summer. 

“At Treasure Island in Pui O, we run a variety of outdoor adventure tours; kids really love our surfing classes, which are led by a Hawaiian expert,” says Adrienne Ng, the group’s founder. “We help them hone their water skills while also underscoring the importance of the environment.”

Naturally, there are plenty of opportunities to eat and drink by the sea. Apart from Treasure Island’s restaurant , there’s Lantana Beach Club at Cheung Sha, where the calamari and salmon fillet are two menu highlights, and The Gallery in Tong Fuk, which boasts quality organic beef, Black Angus steak and pulled pork dishes. 

All over Lantau, there’s a new, palpable sense of community, a vigorous appreciation for the natural environment and a real interest in sustainable lifestyles. The island has always been Hong Kong’s greenest: now, that’s gone beyond the hills and into the homes and businesses.

Getting there

Mui Wo provides the main gateway to the rest of South Lantau. Ferries to Mui Wo run every 30 to 50 minutes from Central’s Pier 6 and take about 30 minutes.