Five spots in Hong Kong

You’ll never be short of distractions in the pulsating metropolis that is Hong Kong. But if you’re seeking out its quieter charms, then these off-the-beaten-track spots will show you a different side to the ‘Fragrant Harbour’.

The Bay

Dinner with a sunset view is not hard to come by in Hong Kong, but the more unconventional option is The Bay restaurant in Mo Tat Wan on Lamma Island. The only way to get there is by sampan from Aberdeen’s Fish Market (near the Jumbo floating restaurant), or by foot from Sok Kwu Wan – about a 20-minute hike in. Once there, take in the gorgeous water views and warm sunsets at one of their family-sized tables. The bilingual menu features Mediterranean- style seafood. Dishes to look forward to include mussels steamed in white-wine and shallot sauce, bouillabaisse, grilled prawns with cherry tomatoes, and sardines with pine nuts and parsley. There’s a golden-sand beach right outside the back deck, and if you go during the daytime you can take a walk around the headland to tiny Tung O village, where actor Chow Yun-Fat grew up.

Where: 7 Beach Front, Mo Tat Wan, Lamma Island

Contact: +852 2982 8186; www.thebayhk.com

When: Tue-Sun 11am-10pm

Tai Wo Market

Walking through Fu Shin Street is like stepping back in time to the 1940s. Underneath faded green awnings and red umbrellas, merchants barter and banter with grandmothers over the price of fresh produce. Pastel-hued postwar apartments only six storeys high predominate, their windows filled with drying shirts and bras. Unrefrigerated meat hangs on hooks, and neighbourhood cats lounge on the street. This is local, old-school Hong Kong – pre-glitz and glam, pre-chain supermarket and pre-Disney.

Where: 10-min walk from Tai Po Market Station

Contact: www.mtr.com.hk

Long Coast Seasports

Hong Kong has no shortage of accommodation options, but why not bunker down in a decked out safari tent? With a floor size of 4m x 4m – a reasonable living space by Hong Kong standards – and a ceiling height of over 3m, the tent is equipped with deluxe camping mattresses, furniture and even air-con, with a beachfront location thrown in for good measure. HK$1,200 (S$540) per night (price includes a voucher for one day’s activities for two people).

Where: 29 Lower Cheung Sha Village

Contact: +852 2980 3222; www.longcoast.hk

Paradiso Beach Club

To catch a stunning HK sunset, head out to Shek O. Here’s a café that offers both beach-friendly cocktails (margaritas and piña coladas) and tasty finger food (spring rolls and fried calamari) at affordable prices – there’s also an unpublicised happy hour for residents. Just steps away from the sand, and with lounge chairs overlooking the water, this hip hotspot is perfect for some R&R.

Where: Ground floor, Government Building, Shek O Main Beach

Contact: +852 2809 2080; www.paradiso.com.hk

Silvermine Waterfall

Best visited after a spell of heavy rain, Silvermine is one of Hong Kong’s best and most accessible waterfalls. Walk towards the beach, take the bridge over the creek, and keep going till you come to the mouth of a small, mangrove-fringed creek. Turn left at the mouth of the creek, and you soon reach a narrow, rural road. Turn right here, and the road follows the creek. There’s a small trail junction with a signpost that points the way left to the waterfall. At another junction, a right turn soon leads you to the foot of the falls.

Where: Take a 30-minute ferry ride from Central Pier 6. From there, grab a cab to Mui Wo (roughly HK$260 or S$50) and follow the signs.