Remote Access
Sick of the pollution and high rents of Central? June Ng and Winnie Yeung find a new home in the country.
Over the past year, the rent in urban areas has surged by 19.9 percent; you’ve probably noticed. Steep housing prices, an increasing cost of living and air pollution are all driving more and more people to the suburbs and rural areas, drawn by the lower costs, larger living spaces and improved air quality there.
Fanling | Yuen Long | Tai Po | Sai Kung | Tung Chung
Fanling
Angus Leung, a 28-year-old social worker moved to the walled village Fanling Wai in 2005. He loves the heritage of the place and the uniqueness of each house. “This house may be small, just 400-square-foot in total, but the design is truly lovely. I can use the top floor for my bedroom and the other room as a study. Since it’s a house, the ceiling is really high and my cats totally love the space. You couldn’t find something like this in the city. My only complaint is that the house is a bit old.”
How expensive is Fanling?
A 700 sq. ft flat in Fanling Wai: $5,500-$6,000
A 400 sq. ft. flat in the city center: $1.4m for sale; $5,500 for rental;
MTR fare to Central (54 minutes): $16.3 one way, but frequent commuters can buy a monthly pass at $380 for unlimited rides on the East Rail. The fare from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central is $7.7.
What’s in Fanling?
Fanling Wai is a walled village that was founded by the Pang clan in the Ming Dynasty, roughly 400 years ago. Much of its heritage is still intact, including watchtowers, a Feng Shui fishpond, and the three cannons that are supposed to protect the village from pirates. Don’t let the appearance of this old building fool you. The warehouse is actually the Fanling Theatre (1 Luen Fat St.). It’s still running and shows the latest movies. For some Hong Kong-style Western food, go to Deluxe Restaurant (23 Wo Fung St., 2675-7861), which was once the only fine-dining restaurant in the New Territories. Top
Yuen Long
Given its shady reputation, it might surprise you to discover that Yuen Long is more than pimps, triads and Tin Shui Wai. This is largely thanks to the area’s recent facelift. With the West Rail linking the district to the rest of Hong Kong, it’s now just 40 minutes from Central, and the large property development, Yoho Town, is geared towards young people looking for inexpensive places to live.
Towards the more rural side of Yuen Long (but still just a five-minute walk from the town center), is the 14-block apartment complex Parcville (Bo Yip St., Yuen Long). All the apartment blocks are only 16-storeys tall and each flat is at least 600-square-foot. Tony Chan, a graphic designer who moved to Parcville two years ago with his girlfriend, says he is having the time of his life there. “How could anyone find such a spacious apartment with such low density – not to mention one that faces the best ecological spot in Hong Kong,” he says, referring to the Mai Po Marshes just outside his window. He misses the buzz of his old home Wan Chai a bit, but now he says that Yuen Long is more of a home to him than the city. “Friends still say Yuen Long is too far away – but they stop saying that once they come by,” he says.
How expensive is Yuen Long?
A 600 sq. ft flat at Parcville: $1.5m for sale; $6,000 for rental
A 400 sq. ft. flat in city center: $1m for sale; $4,000 for rental
MTR fare to Central (40 mins): $21.9, but a monthly pass is available at $400 for unlimited rides on West and Light Rails. The fare from Nam Cheong to Central is $9.5
What’s in Yuen Long?
The town center has at least two markets and plenty of restaurants to choose from – although customers should expect to queue. Yuen Long people love dining out and the popular ones are constantly crammed with people. Tanaka Japanese Restaurant (Hang Fat Mansions, 18 Castle Peak Rd., 2474-7874) has a constant queue every day because it has arguably the best sushi bargain in town – fill up on rich, fresh sushi and sashimi for under $100 per person. For cheap eats, go to Wing Nin Store (G/F, Po Shing Building, 6 Fung Lok Lane, 2477-3816) for some famous cart noodles (prices start at $15). It’s so famous that it has its own Facebook group; but get there fast. It’s only open from noon to 7:30pm. Top