If last week’s Quarry Bay Apartments, and high-density housing are on one end of Hong Kong’s spectrum, then the Tai O fishing village is on the other. While still cramped living, Tai O’s famous buildings and homes built on stilts feel a lifetime away from the busy streets and neighborhoods of Hong Kong’s more populous districts. Situated on Lantau Island’s western shores, the village is about a 2 hour train / bus ride from Kowloon, and worth a visit if you’ve got some spare time in the city (and want to get away from all the hustle and bustle!).
Holly and I decided to make a day of Lantau Island by visiting both Tai O and Hong Kong’s Giant Buddha (next week!), stopping first in Tai O. We honestly had no idea what to expect when we headed out; working only off of my friend Teddy’s “You have to go see this!” recommendation. When we arrived and started looking around we were greeted by the very pungent smell of dried fish and other seafood, common at Hong Kong’s open air-style markets. Now, I’m not one to skip a meal, but after an hour or so of wandering around the town, the only thing either Holly or I could convince ourselves to eat were some bananas we bought from a local vendor. The village was definitely neat, and the stilt construction was fascinating… but whew man, hold your nose! 🙂
–Dan Thompson
Trackbacks/Pingbacks