Lamma Island

I found my new getaway spot last weekend. They guys and I all retreated to Lamma Island for the laid back scene instead of the usual rush. The island is only a twenty minute ferry away, but it seems like you’re thousands of miles off. Set just to the southwest of Hong Kong Island, it is rumored to contain the earliest evidence of Chinese society from over 5000 years ago.

There isn’t much to Lamma, and that’s the beauty of it. The ferry arrives at the terminal and you follow the gangway onto the sole street on the island. Seafood restaurants are separated only by small bars and food shops. We dined on a balcony overlooking local fishing boats in the South China Sea. We ate everything from squid and garlic shrimps to ginger crab and grouper. The meal was fantastic and cheap.

Afterwards, we sat by the bay and had some drinks while playing cards into the wee hours. A hotel room steps from our table cost us each about $12 USD. In the morning, a local restaurateur cooked up an American breakfast special for us with eggs, bacon, sausage and plenty of coffee.

For about $50 USD we each had one of the best weekends we can remember in Hong Kong. Lamma is definitely a regular spot for us now to escape the ruckus that is Central Hong Kong and to relax the right way.