Guide to Peng Chau Island

Peng Chau is perhaps the least commercial outlying island in Hong Kong. Unlike Lamma Island or the neighbouring Cheung Chau, Peng Chau remains relatively tourist-free even on weekends.

But it’s this lack of crowds and attention that makes this island a perfect getaway. And thanks to its relatively small size (0.99 square kilometres or 0.38 square miles), exploring the island is not only easy but also fun!

Getting To Peng Chau By Ferry

Ferries run from multiple locations in Hong Kong to Peng Chau.

From Central

Fast and slow ferries run from Central Ferry Pier No. 6 to Peng Chau. The ferry timetable can be accessed on the HKKF website.

Fast ferries usually take around 30-35 minutes one-way.

From Discovery Bay

Discovery Bay is quite literally right next to Peng Chau. Frequent ferries run between the two and the timetable can be found on the Transport Department’s website.

From Mui Wo or Cheung Chau

There’s also the inter-island ferry service that runs between Cheung Chau – Chi Ma Wan – Mui Wo – Peng Chau.

The ferry timetable is accessible on the NWFF website.

Things to do on Peng Chau

Although Peng Chau is a small, non-commercial island, there is still plenty to do and discover. Here are some of our top recommendations.

Visit the Leather Factory

We discovered The Leather Factory by chance during one of our visits to Peng Chau.

While walking down Wing On Street we saw a brightly coloured sign above a doorway for a Leather Factory. And the moment we walked through the door, it felt like we had been transported to a different world!

About The Leather Factory

The narrow colourful alley, laden with graffiti and artwork, takes you to a street that is equally vivid. This is the site of two old leather factories that is now been brought to life with local art.

It’s no surprise that this is such a hot Instagram spot!

Other than the graffiti and street art, there is a small yard that serves as an alfresco art exhibition. Step inside this yard and admire the eccentric art usually created with old, discarded items.

There are also a couple of shops and art studios to explore your own creativity, such as Sherry’s Art and Helen Craft House in the alley.

Next to the yard, there’s a small cafe/boutique store. It’s a really interesting spot to grab a coffee as you admire all the art. You can also browse inside the store, where you’ll find a selection of curios and local craft for sale.

Shop at Sun Sat Store

If the boutique next to the leather factory caught your fancy, a visit to the Sun Sat Store is highly recommended.

Named after the days on which it is open (Saturday and Sunday), the store sells local handicrafts, antiques and vintage items. Browse around, or grab a cup of coffee as you check out the store because they happen to be a cafe too.

Sun Sat Store is located at 27 Wing Hing Street, along the promenade on the ferry pier side.

Beaches on Peng Chau

Unlike some of the other outlying islands, Peng Chau isn’t gifted with big, beautiful beaches. In fact, it is home to many smaller and quainter beaches that are almost always empty.

The main beach in Peng Chau is located at the end of the large bay, on the west of the island. The beach doesn’t have any facilities nearby, so come prepared. But from the mouth of the bay, swimmers can enjoy views of the Hong Kong skyline on a clear day.

Apart from the main beach, there are four other much smaller beaches located along the Peng Yu Path, that honestly are quite pretty. More information, and pictures, about these beaches can be found under the Peng Yu Path guide.

Restaurants on Peng Chau

A trip to Peng Chau wouldn’t be complete without visiting any of the local restaurants. Listed below are some of the restaurants that we’ve tried or have read good reviews about.

Hoi King Seafood Restaurant

Address: G/F 13-15 Wing On Side Street, Peng Chau

OpenRice listing

If you’re in the mood for dumplings, head over to Hoi King Seafood Restaurant for a truly authentic feel. Pick your dumplings from their baskets outside and bring them over to your table. No cart service here.

Kee Sum Cafe

Address: Shop B, G/F, 3 Peng Chau Wing On Street, Peng Chau

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Peng Chau is known for its delicious shrimp toast, and there’s no place more famous than Kee Sum Cafe.

Express Restaurant

Address: G/F., 53 Peng Chau Wing On Street, Peng Chau

OpenRice listing

A relatively popular restaurant that serves good seafood and other Hong Kong-style dishes.

Hoho Kitchen

Address: G/F, 29 Peng Chau Wing On Street, Peng Chau

OpenRice listing

Searching for some afternoon tea and snacks? Well, head on down to Hoho Kitchen.

Hikes on Peng Chau

If you’re looking for an outdoor excursion, there are two hikes/walks that you can explore while on Peng Chau.

Finger Hill Hike (Fung Ping Pavilion)

At 95 metres, Finger Hill is the highest point on the island. From up here, you’ll be treated with views of the bay and beach, and also the stunning hills of Lantau Island in the background. And on a very clear day, you can see the Hong Kong skyline too. The lookout point is also a popular sunset spot.

How to get to Finger Hill?

The Finger Hill hike is very easy and very short. It’s roughly between 1 km and 800 metres depending on the route you take. It took me about 15 minutes to get to Finger Hill from the Peng Chau Playground (next to the beach). There is only one, long flight of steps before the top.

However, the easiest route to follow to Finger Hill (Fung Ping Pavilion) is as follows:

1. Just after the Ferry Pier, turn right onto Wing On Side Street towards the Peng Chau Market.
2. After the market, turn left and walk down the alley to Wing On Street and Shing Ka Road.
3. Turn right for Shing Ka Road and walk almost to the end.
4. Just before the end of the road, turn left onto Nam Shan Road.
5. At the end of Nam Shan Road, go up the steps and follow the signs to Finger Hill.

You can also open the route of the Finger Hill hike in Google Maps.

Peng Yu Path Walk

The Peng Yu Path Walk is on the opposite side of the island from Finger Hill. It’s a relaxing 2 km circular loop of the northern side of the island that involves minimal climbing and four small beaches. Not including breaks, it can easily be completed in under 40 minutes.

The highlight of the walk is the Old Fisherman’s Rock and its Lookout Pavilion that offers amazing views of Hong Kong’s skyline.

Starting point

I prefer starting the Peng Yu Path Walk from the north end of the main beach, next to Paloma Cove.

Walk to the end of the promenade till you see a sign for the Old Fisherman’s Rock. Turn left and follow the path.

The path cuts between numerous small organic farms and village homes. Soon, after the small organic farms, the path curves to the right. And just as it begins to curve, there is another path that diverges to the left.

Turn left at this path and follow the steps, with the red arrows, uphill. After a very short uphill climb, turn right.

To the Transmitting Station

Once you turn right, simply follow Peng Yu Path.

There are a couple of flights of steps on the way, but most of the path is flat and shaded. In fact, the trees form a natural tunnel on the path.

Just past the halfway point on this section of the path is a pavilion. Unfortunately, the views from this pavilion are covered by trees. So, walk past it till you arrive at the next left turn, with a sign for the Transmitting Station.

Walk down this path to arrive at the boundary of the transmitting station.

Old Fisherman’s Rock Lookout Pavilion

Peng Yu Path wraps itself around the boundary wall of the transmitting station before arriving at the steps at the back.

Walk down the steps to arrive at the Old Fisherman’s Rock Lookout Pavilion.

On a clear day, the views from this pavilion are quite amazing! Towards the east, you can see the Hong Kong skyline in the distance! And to the north, Disneyland and the Disneyland Hotel are visible.

Although the Peng Yu Path continues to the north, it’s worth taking a quick detour to the hidden beach under the pavilion to the east.

The hidden beach

There’s a small hidden beach if you walk down the steps behind the Old Fisherman’s Rock Lookout Pavilion, towards the Hong Kong Skyline.

I personally really like this beach because it’s very peaceful and also has really nice views of the city.

You can sit on the beach, or on the rocks on either side and enjoy the peace. You can also see the Old Fisherman’s Rock from the rocks on the left.

After that, you can return to the Old Fisherman’s Rock Lookout Pavilion to continue on the Peng Yu Path walk.

Old Fisherman’s Rock

From the Old Fisherman’s Rock Lookout Pavilion, walk down the steps facing Disneyland.

At the end of the steps, there is another lookout point. And to the right of this lookout point are the steps that go down to the Old Fisherman’s Rock.

There are two rocks in this area. But as I couldn’t find many details on them, I believe the large rock is the Old Fisherman’s Rock (釣魚翁石), whereas the smaller more prominent rock is called 坪洲史諾比石 (Snoopy Stone according to translate).

The beaches on the north side

The next section of the Peng Yu Path, in my opinion, is the most scenic section. From the Old Fisherman’s Rock, the path continues along the northern coastline of Peng Chau.

Along the path, there are three quaint beaches facing Lantau Island. The first beach is immediately after the steps from the Old Fisherman’s Rock. This beach feels a little barren but has the best views of Disneyland. In fact, the fireworks from Disney are easily visible from this beach (when they happen).

The second beach is my favourite beach as it’s the biggest and always feels inviting. It also feels like it’s the least crowded of the three.

The third beach is like the second beach, but smaller.

Feel free to take your time to relax at the beaches. To complete the loop, continue on Peng Yu Path till you finally arrive at Peng Lei Road.

The Peng Yu Path Hike is best done at a leisurely pace, with frequent breaks to enjoy the beauty of the island.

Temples on Peng Chau

If you enjoy visiting old temples, Peng Chau has a lot to offer.

There are three main temples on the island, not including the Tin Hau Temple. Fortunately, all temples are in very close vicinity of each other.

Tin Hau Temple

The Tin Hau Temple is a short and straightforward walk from the ferry pier on Wing On Side Road. Once you exit the ferry pier, walk to the end of Wing On Side Street to reach the Tin Hau Temple.

Golden Flower Shrine (Kam Fa Temple)

But right behind it is the Golden Flower Shrine, dedicated to Lady Golden Flower and celebrates not only her festival but also the popular Bodhisattva Festival. I love the location of this temple and the beautiful tree behind it.

Lung Mo Temple

On the south side of the main beach is the Lung Mo Temple. This 40-year-old temple is the largest temple on the island and easily the most impressive.

Seven Sister’s Temple

And finally, there’s the Seven Sister’s Temple, close to the entrance of the Peng Yu Path.

Our Guide to Peng Chau

Apart from the activities listed above, Peng Chau is also home to abandoned lime kiln factories, which were once quite prominent back in the day.

As I said earlier, Peng Chau may be tiny, but it sure does pack plenty to do for a day. The island is small enough to easily get around on foot. But if you want, there are a couple of cycle rental shops on Wing On Street.

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