There are numerous things to love about Hong Kong and having close access to so many beaches is just one of them. Come summer, the heat and humidity make hiking and exploring country parks a sweaty ordeal. That’s when you just want to grab your swimsuit and beach towel and take a trip down to the beach for a relaxing day.

There are a total of 41 gazetted public beaches managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department in Hong Kong. But obviously, there are plenty more beaches just sprinkled all around the islands, Kowloon, and New Territories. Although we haven’t visited every single public and non-public beach in Hong Kong, I’d say we’ve covered quite a bit of ground.

Top 5 Hong Kong Beaches

Below are our favourite beaches in Hong Kong, and we think each beach is unique in its way. We’ve been sparse on the details because we have posts dedicated to each one of these beaches. If you need detailed information about the beaches, or how to get there and what to do whilst there, we’ve linked the posts for your benefit.

This list is in no particular order, but we’ll start with our favourite beach and work our way down.

1. Tai Long Wan, Sai Kung

Ham Tin Beach with Sharp Peak in the background

Tai Long Wan isn’t technically a beach, it’s a beautiful bay located in Sai Kung Country Park. The bay is home to some of the clearest blue water and four gorgeous beaches – Sai Wan, Ham Tin, Tai Wan, and Tung Wan. And yes, it is possible to go beach-hopping in Tai Long Wan.

The first time you lay your eyes on Tai Long Wan, you’ll forget that you’re in Hong Kong. It’s quite literally paradise in the city’s backyard! It makes you feel like you’re on vacation on a tropical island.

Given the relatively remote location of Tai Long Wan, you’ll probably need to plan. You can get there by taking a bus/taxi and then hiking or by taking a speedboat from Sai Kung. Everything that you need to know about Tai Long Wan is in this post.

Sai Wan Beach in Tai Long Wan

This is just one of those beaches and locations that you must visit at least once before you leave Hong Kong!

2. Cheung Sha Beach, Lantau Island

Lower Cheung Sha Beach looks gorgeous on a sunny day

The first thing that strikes anyone when they step onto Cheung Sha Beach is – wow, this beach is long! At 3 kilometres, Cheung Sha Beach (Upper and Lower combined) is Hong Kong’s longest beach.

Located along the eastern coast of Lantau Island, Cheung Sha Beach has expansive views of the sea on one side, and towering mountains behind it. The beach itself offers plenty of activities and amazing restaurants. It’s a terrific location to spend your summer afternoons. And the best part is that it never feels too crowded.

Kayaks and paddleboards for rent

Here’s all the information that you need on Cheung Sha Beach, Lantau Island.

There are plenty of other beautiful beaches close to Cheung Sha Beach. You can read about our favourite beaches on Lantau Island in this post.

3. Sham Wan Beach, Lamma Island

Aerial view of Sham Wan Beach on Lamma Island

Sham Wan Beach on Lamma Island is perhaps the most unique beach on this list. It is closed to the public from June 1 to October 31 to allow green turtles to lay their eggs. Once the nesting season is over, this beautiful, secluded beach is open to visitors.

So, it should come as no surprise that this beach offers some of the softest sand and beautiful waters. Sham Wan Beach is located in a small bay that is surrounded by hills. This gives it an extremely secluded, peaceful and calm vibe.

Come here to relax and get away far away from the crowds, but don’t expect any facilities at Sham Wan Beach.

The soft sand of Sham Wan Beach, Lamma Island

As this beach is closed for 5 months in a year, I thought I’d offer a substitute beach for those months. Shek Pai Wan Beach is the beach that comes right before Sham Wan Beach. I love Shek Pai Wan. It’s another beautiful beach on Lamma Island, with soft sand and relatively clear water. There is a small village right next to the beach where you can grab a bite or a drink.

There are plenty of other beautiful beaches waiting to be discovered on Lamma Island. We have a different guide to our top beaches on Lamma Island.

Aerial view of Shek Pai Wan Beach and Yung Shue Ha Village on Lamma Island

Here’s all the information that you need on Sham Wan Beach (and Shek Pai Wan Beach).

4. Trio Beach, Sai Kung

Right above Trio Beach, Sai Kung, Hong Kong

Something is charming about Trio Beach that’s hard to put into words. It’s a tiny beach, located right behind Hebe Haven and Hiram’s Highway, that is hidden from plain sight by a small hill. To get to the beach, you can hike via a simple trail or take a sampan (small boat).

The beach itself has incredibly soft sand and some of the clearest water in Hong Kong. Trio Beach is perhaps the easiest beach to access in Sai Kung.

Everyone cooling off in the water at Trio Beach

Here’s all the information you need on Trio Beach.

5. Shek O, Hong Kong Island

Aerial view of Shek O Beach, Hong Kong

For those who live on Hong Kong Island, there are plenty of beaches to choose from on the south side. However, Shek O has been our favourite go-to beach on the island. However, I’d imagine many would pick Big Wave Bay Beach.

Tucked away into the southeast corner of Hong Kong Island, Shek O is shielded away from all the high-rises and cityscapes. The Shek O village adds a charm to the beach, making it feel more remote than it is.

From amazing restaurants to walks, the beach has plenty of things to do to keep one busy throughout the day. You can also choose to combine the beach with the Dragon’s Back hike.

Shek-O Beach – a great place to relax

Here’s all the information you need on Shek O Beach.

Best Beaches in Hong Kong

We hope that you enjoyed this list. As we said, these are just our favourite beaches in the city that make you feel like you’re on a vacation in paradise!

If you’re interested, there are more beaches in Hong Kong that we’ve covered on our blog.

If you find this post useful, feel free to share it with someone else who will also appreciate this list. And as always, we always appreciate your feedback.