Beaches

Tung Wan beach, Cheung Chau’s longest and most popular beach (though not its prettiest), lies at the end of Tung Wan Rd, due east of the ferry pier. The best part of Tung Wan is the far southern end, which is a great area for windsurfing. Just south of Tung Wan beach, Kwun Yam Wan beach is known to English speakers as AfternoonBeach and is a great spot for windsurfing. Windsurfing has always been an extremely popular pastime on Cheung Chau, and Hong Kong’s only Olympic gold-medal winner to date, Lee Lai-shan, who took the top prize in windsurfing at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, grew up here. At the northern end of Afternoon Beach, the Cheung Chau Windsurfing Water Sports Centre rents sailboards for between $90 and $150 per hour, as well as single/double kayaks for $60/130. There are also windsurfing courses available for $600/800 per day. The best time for windsurfing here is between October and December. At the southeastern end of Afternoon Beach a footpath leads uphill past a Kwun Yam temple, which is dedicated to the goddess of mercy. Continue up the footpath and look for the sign to the Fa Peng Knoll. The concrete footpath takes you past quiet, tree-shrouded villas. From the knoll you can walk down to signposted Don Bosco Rd; it leads due south to rocky Nam Tam Wan (also known as Morning Beach), where swimming is possible. If you ignore Don Bosco Rd and continue walking west, you’ll come to the intersection of Peak and Kwun Yam Wan Rds. Kwun Yam Wan Rd and its extension, School Rd, will take you back to Cheung Chau village. Peak Rd is the main route to the island’s cemetery in the southwestern part of the island; you’ll pass several pavilions along the way built for coffin bearers making the hilly climb. Once at the cemetery it’s worth dropping down to Pak Tso Wan (Italian Beach), a sandy, isolated spot that is good for swimming. At this point Peak Rd West becomes Tsan Tuen Rd, which continues north to Sai Wan.