Residents of remote Lantau village reveal their plight

Yu Yuk-chun, 85, moved to Tai Long on Lantau Island some 40 years ago to live with her husband, an indigenous resident of the village.

She loves the peaceful environment of this little-known corner of Hong Kong, but no longer finds it practical to live there.

Now a widow, she lives with her daughter in busy Causeway Bay, only occasionally returning to her village home.

"My [left] leg was injured 10 years ago," she said. "When the water tank dries up and there is no water coming from the tap, it would be difficult for me to carry water from the well to the house."

This was just one of the problems she faced. "There is no doctor to see here … Nobody knew about Tai Long Wan Tsuen. When I hurt my leg and sought help, even rural leaders had to look for our village on the map."

Like Yu, her friend Fan Kiu, 82, also became a resident by marriage. She has made Tai Long her home for some 60 years, and now lives there alone after her seven children moved away.