A Complete Guide To Lamma Island

Lamma Island may be a short ferry ride from Hong Kong Island but it’s a totally different world! The island offers visitors a stark contrast to the skyscrapers and bright lights of the buzzing city. Lamma’s multicultural and laidback vibe attracts numerous visitors, especially over the weekends, who come to dine at its restaurants, hike its trails, enjoy its beaches, and shop. If you ask me, Lamma Island is perhaps the most vivid and enjoyable outlying island in Hong Kong!

And you can keep coming back here, week after week, and find something new to do and discover!

How to get to Lamma Island

Lamma Island can be reached by ferry to one of its public piers.

1. Yung Shue Wan – the main pier in the north of the island that serves most of the villages.
2. Sok Kwu Wan – the main pier in the centre of the island.
3. Pak Kok Tsuen – a smaller pier near Yung Shue Wan.
4. Mo Tat Wan – a smaller pier in the centre of the island.

The ferries operate from Central or Aberdeen on Hong Kong Island to one of the four piers on Lamma Island.

From Central

• To Yung Shue Wan (takes about 20 minutes and the schedule can be found here)
• To Sok Kwu Wan (takes about 30 minutes and the schedule can be found here)

From Aberdeen

• To Sok Sku Wan via Mo Tat Wan (takes 25 minutes to Mo Tat Wan and another 10 minutes to Sok Kwu Wan, and the schedule can be found here)
• To Yung Shue Wan via Pak Kok Tsuen (takes 25 minutes to Pak Kok Tsuen and another 15 minutes to Yung Shue Wan, and the schedule can be found here)

Pick a ferry that takes you to the part of the island that you’d like to explore.

Here’s a bit more detail on the two main sides of the island – Yung Shue Wan and Sok Kwu Wan.

Yung Shue Wan

Yung Shue Wan is the most populous region of Lamma Island. Most of the other villages are adjoining Yung Shue Wan. Also, the majority of restaurants and shops are either located here in the neighbouring villages.

A few of the most popular beaches on the island are located within walking distance from Yung Shue Wan.

For first-timers to Lamma Island, we always recommend exploring Yung Shue Wan. There are plenty of restaurants and cafes that serve everything from local seafood to western cuisines. And there are also plenty of unique shops to browse and explore on this side of the island.

Sok Kwu Wan

Located in the centre of Lamma Island, Sok Kwu Wan is the quieter, more secluded part of the island. Get off the ferry and you’ll be greeted by a line of local seafood restaurants, which essentially is the main attraction in Sok Kwu Wan.

Sok Kwu Wan feels rawer and less developed than Yung Shue Wan. There are plenty of hikes and trails, along with beautiful sand beaches that can be explored from this side of the island.

Lamma Island Things To Do

There are plenty of ways to spend your day on Lamma Island, and it usually depends on what you’re in the mood for. Luckily, Lamma has it all!

What we recommend is that you pick a side of the island you’d like to explore and build an itinerary around it. We like to start our itinerary by dining at a good restaurant and then heading out to explore one of the hikes, relax on a beach, or do a little shopping.

So, what are some of our recommendations for restaurants on Lamma Island?

Where to eat on Lamma Island

No matter which pier you get off at, you’ll find an amazing restaurant to eat at easily! So, here’s what you should know about the restaurants at Yung Shue Wan and Sok Kwu Wan.

Restaurants at Yung Shue Wan

If you’re a foodie, make sure you head to Yung Shue Wan where you’ll find the widest variety of restaurants on the island. From vegan restaurants to eateries serving amazing grills and barbecues, and amazing cafes!

Here are our favourite restaurants, bars and cafes on the Yung Shue Wan side. We’ve either eaten here personally or the establishment comes highly recommended.

Melanie’s Kitchen

55 Yung Shue Wan Main St, Lamma Island

Phone: 6378 5573

Melanie’s Kitchen is a hidden gem on Lamma Island. It serves the most authentic and delicious Indonesian and Filipina food in the city. It’s some of the best Indonesian food that I’ve ever eaten!

There’s an undeniable charm in the way the owners run this restaurant. It feels more like a private kitchen.

There is limited seating capacity as the owners are the ones who personally cook for you. We’ve tried their nasi goreng and beef rendang, which to be honest was the best beef rendang I’ve ever eaten. Their selection of drinks and smoothies is also delightfully refreshing!

Bookworm Cafe (BWC)

79 Yung Shue Wan Main St, Lamma Island

Phone: 2982 4838

A cosy bookshelf-lined cafe that offers an array of organic vegetarian food, along with sweet treats.

Lamma Grill

36 Yung Shue Wan Main St, Lamma Island

Phone: 2982 1447

An American grill restaurant that serves delicious burgers, gigantic wraps, fall-off-the-bone ribs, and hand-cut fries.

Dale Candela

23 Main St, Yung Shue Wan, Lamma Island

Dale Candela is a Spanish restaurant known for its tapas, cocktails, and music.

As someone who has lived in Spain, and has tried numerous Spanish restaurants in Hong Kong, I would say that Dale Candela comes very close in its authenticity!

All the dishes we tried were delicious and authentic! This restaurant is highly recommended and more so if you can grab a table outside.

Hideout

77 Yung Shue Wan Main St, Lamma Island

Phone: 2982 4321

An excellent spot for brunch with many all-day breakfast options.

Ozen Corner

G/F 35A Sha Po Old Village, Lamma Island

Phone: 5199 1556

Lamma’s famed Turkish restaurant offers delicious kebabs and falafel, along with Turkish teas and coffees. The restaurant is hidden behind the shop on the street selling Turkish handmade items.

 

Bali Tyche

39 G/F Sha Po Village, Lamma Island

Phone: 5664 6722

A vegetarian cafe offering a concise menu of burgers, sandwiches, salads, and acai bowls. Several dishes are Indonesian influenced, including gado gado and mie goreng. The restaurant also offers are a falafel burger and a banh mi with marinated tofu, pickles, green chilli, and vegan pate.

The Beer Shack

10 Sha Po New Village, Lamma Island

Phone: 6537 9046

The first taproom by the award-winning Yardley Brothers Brewery.

LaLa mama’s

27 Sha Po Old Village, Lamma Island

Phone: 9759 2553

A very cosy and laidback cafe, that’s slightly off the main road. It serves a range of casual western dishes, including all-day breakfast, pasta, and cakes.

Rawsoever

Flat A, G/F, 18E Tai Yuen Village, Yung Shue Wan, Lamma Island

Phone: 6136 1066

A raw vegan cafe and grocery store that sells raw food and eco-friendly products.

Banyan Bay Cafe

67 Yung Shue Wan Main St, Lamma Island

Phone: 2982 1150

A western-style cafe with good breakfast options.

Restaurants at Sok Kwu Wan

Although Sok Kwu Wan’s main street is filled with restaurants, the variety is mostly limited to local seafood. Don’t get me wrong, when we crave some fish and rice, or crab and noodles, we make sure to head to Sok Kwu Wan!

What we love and find convenient about Sok Kwu Wan is that all the restaurants are located along the harbour, right next to the ferry pier.

Lamma Rainbow (formerly Rainbow Seafood Restaurant)

G/F, 23-27, First Street, Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island

Phone: 2982 8100

The biggest and most well-recognised seafood restaurant on Lamma Island. The restaurant also offers its patrons free ferry rides to and from Central and TST.

Genuine Lamma Hilton Fishing Village Restaurant

G/F, Lot 584 DD.10, Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island

Phone: 2982 8220

One of the most highly rated and sought-after seafood restaurants on Lamma Island. The restaurant is not located with the other restaurants in Sok Kwu Wan. Once you exit the ferry pier, turn left and walk for a minute to arrive at the Genuine Lamma Hilton Fishing Village Restaurant.

The restaurant can get extremely busy, so we highly recommend making a reservation, especially over the weekend.

Wai Kee Seafood Restaurant

3-4 First Street, Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island

Phone: 2982 8135

Our go-to restaurant for local seafood on Lamma Island. It never disappoints us.

LoSo Kitchen

Shop 28, First Street, Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island

The odd restaurant that stands out in the line of seafood eateries. LoSo Kitchen specialises in various international dishes and barbecues that include curry beef brisket, Thai food, and German Herbs Sausages. It’s hard to miss this restaurant as it’s the first one right next to the ferry pier.

Restaurants on Mo Tat Wan

Mo Tat Wan has only one restaurant called The Bay. Fortunately, it serves pretty good food and their helpings are fairly generous.

The Bay is located on the Mo Tat Wan Beach, a few minutes’ walk from the ferry pier. You can also reach it from Sok Kwu Wan, which is an easy 25-minute coastal walk.

Shopping on Lamma Island

Lamma also offers some unique and eclectic shops to keep you busy. We often love to shop for trinkets and curios for our house from a couple of the shops on the island.

As mentioned, all the shops are located at or close to Yung Shue Wan. Apart from household items, some shops sell local handmade beauty products or are local island brands.

Lamma Brand

No.75 Yung Shue Wan Main Street Lamma Island

Lamma Brand is one of my favourite shops on Lamma Island. The shop specialises in locally designed and manufactured streetwear.

This local clothing brand store has some amazing and unique t-shirt designs that make you want to buy them all! Not to mention, their shop has an amazing vibe which only gets better once you realize that there is a harbour-facing balcony at the end of the shop where you can chill with a beer!

As you walk along the Main Street in Yung Shue Wan, and towards Sha Po Village, you’ll come across numerous other shops selling everything from locally sourced honey to locally made handmade cosmetics, jewellery, plants, and clothes!

Beaches on Lamma Island

There are numerous beaches on Lamma Island. And no matter which side of the island you’re on, there are a couple of beaches a short walk away from you.

Also worth noting is that the island is home to Hong Kong’s only turtle nesting beach which is located in the south of the island. However, this beach is only open for a few months a year.

I have a dedicated post on the best beaches on Lamma Island that should serve as a comprehensive guide on this topic.

Hikes & Trails on Lamma Island

Lamma also offers plenty of hikes and trails to enjoy its natural beauty. Here are a few hiking trails on Lamma Island that you can explore.

Lamma Island Family Trail

The hike from Yung Shue Wan to Sok Kwu Wan along the Lamma Island Family Trail essentially connects the two sides of the island and is a great way to explore the vast portion of the island. You can learn more about the Yung Shue Wan to Sok Kwu Wan hike on this post. If you venture on this hike, don’t forget to stop by the Kamikaze Cave. This cave held strategic importance for Japan’s Hong Kong-based ‘kamikaze team’ during the Second World War. They concealed speedboats here to be deployed on suicide missions against Allied shipping.

The hike from Yung Shue Wan to Sok Kwu Wan is the best way to see both sides of Lamma Island.

Ling Kok Shan Hike

The other hike is a circular hike on the south side with much nicer views. However, to make the hike more interesting, diagonally cut across the circular path via Ling Kok Shan. You can learn more about the Sok Kwu Wan Circular Hike in this post.

Mt Stenhouse Hike

And finally, you can also hike up to Mt Stenhouse, the highest point on Lamma Island. Although this isn’t a maintained trail, there are plenty of neglected paths that run up to the top.

Only attempt this hike if you aren’t a beginner and feel confident about hiking in Hong Kong. The views from Mount Stenhouse are simply spectacular! Learn more about the Mt Stenhouse Hike in this post.

Hong Kong Greenhouse Trail – Lamma Island Route

The Hong Kong Greenhouse Trail – Lamma Island Route is an eco-heritage walk through the villages and beaches in the north of the island. The trail is an easy exploratory walk that allows you to discover the natural habitat and history of north Lamma Island.

The Hong Kong Greenhouse Trail – Lamma Island Route is easy enough to do on a summer’s day and is a great way to build your appetite before you return to Yung Shue Wan.

Staycation on Lamma Island

Lamma Island is also an amazing location to plan your next staycation. With plenty of hotels and B&Bs, you could spend a relaxing weekend away from the madness of Hong Kong.

There are a couple of budget hotels located very close to Yung Shue Wan as you get off the ferry. The Bali Holiday Resort is a great option for those who want to stay right amid all the action.

However, if you’re looking for a peaceful and secluded option that makes you feel like you’re on a holiday, check out Concerto Inn at Hung Shing Ye Beach. The hotel is located right on the beach and is a short walk from all the restaurants and shops.

Honestly, a weekend on Lamma Island sounds very relaxing!

More ongoing Staycation Offers

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The Ultimate Guide To Lamma Island

We hope that you enjoyed our guide to Lamma Island and all the things you can do on the island. Hopefully, this post makes planning your day or weekend trip easier.

As always feel free to leave us a comment below or share this post on the social media channel of your choice.