Sai Kung

There’s much to explore in Hong Kong beyond the skyline.

An old high school friend of mine invited me to join him for lunch today at a beachfront town in northern Hong Kong called Sai Kung, not far from where he and his family reside. I jumped at the chance to catch up and explore a new part of Hong Kong most tourists don’t visit or even know about. It took a bit of effort getting there. A metro to a far flung station and then a little bus to Sai Kung. But it was fun to see if I could manage it, and I did well enough.

Sai Kung is a lively little wharf area lined with boutique shops and cafes. I didn’t have much time to explore it before I had to meet my friend on an outdoor patio at one of the countless restaurants in the center of town, but it’s clear you could easily spend a whole day just wandering its boardwalk and ducking in and out of the neighborhood stores. My friend tells me the beaches nearby are notable and that there are even a number of good surf spots, an activity I’m not sure many associate with Hong Kong. But I trust his opinion; he grew up in Newport Beach surfings its many breaks. I don’t have the time to explore unfortunately but I’m anxious to return when I can give this part of Hong Kong its due.