On weekends, droves of visitors trek to the far-flung west coast of Lantau to see a fascinating way of life. Here in the village of Tai O, historical home to the Tanka boat people, life is all about the sea. Houses are built on stilts above the ocean, sampans ply the dark-green waterways, and elderly residents still dry seafood on traditional straw mats and make the village's celebrated shrimp paste.
Tai O is built partly on Lantau and partly on a tiny island about 15m from the shore. Until the mid-1990s the only way to cross was via a rope-tow ferry pulled by elderly women. That and the large number of sampans in the small harbor earned Tai O the nickname "the Venice of Hong Kong." Though the narrow iron Tai Chung footbridge now spans the canal, the rope-tow ferry is resurrected on some weekends and holidays: drop HK$1 in the box as you disembark.
The main activity for visitors in Tai O is simply wandering the back alleys, photographing the stilt houses, strolling the long causeway, and buying seafood at the crowded street markets.
For the best view of the Stilt Houses, look east from Sun Ki Bridge or take one of the numerous boat tours that depart from near the bridge.
If you can, visit Tai O on a weekday morning when there are few tourists and the town is at its most atmospheric, as fishing boats dock at and leave the harbor and locals sort seafood in buckets outside their homes. On the weekends, the hordes descend and it's a very different – although still worthwhile – experience. As often in the New Territories, avoid Tuesdays, as many restaurants will be closed.
Tai O is connected by ferry and bus to Tung Chung (next to Hong Kong Airport), from where you can pick up the MTR back to Central. You can also hike around the cape from Tai O to Tung Chung on the Tung O Ancient Trail (14.3km, 3–4 hours). Note that taxis out of Tai O are essentially nonexistent, and weekend afternoons mean long queues for buses headed back to Mui Wo and Tung Chung.
