My Take | Growing appeal of island life marks a cultural shift

The popularity of Hong Kong’s outlying islands has soared during the pandemic as day trippers desperate to escape crowded streets and cramped high-rise flats seek open spaces, fresher air, and a little tranquillity. The islands are especially popular this Easter weekend as swimming pools and beaches open again.

A boat trip to southern Lantau, Lamma, Peng Chau or Cheung Chau offers much-needed relief and a chance to get closer to nature, whether hiking, biking, kayaking or camping.

Residents of the outlying islands, a short ferry ride from the heart of the city, have become accustomed to the day trippers descending. They are easy to spot. Some hikers have so much gear you would think they are mounting Everest.

But the Covid-era draw of the islands is not only fuelling trips and tours. Demand for homes in the secondary market also surged last year. Islands district, which includes the now relatively densely populated Tung Chung and suburban Discovery Bay, saw an increase of 28.5 per cent in such transactions in 2020.

This has been attributed to the islands having the cheapest average price per square foot among all of Hong Kong’s 18 districts, as well as the availability of low-density housing, greater privacy, and a leafy seaside environment.

The drive to escape the city has been seen elsewhere in the world as people under lockdown desire bigger homes with more outdoor space. But for Hong Kong it marks a cultural shift. In the past, it seemed, everyone wanted to live above an MTR station. When I told people I lived in Mui Wo, as I did for a decade, the response was often “So far away!”

I have always loved living on Lantau. The ferry journey to and from Mui Wo can take an hour, but it is a wonderful commute. You can sit on the open rear deck and watch as the city drifts away.