https://www.scmp.com/rss/34533/feed Lamma Island, the third largest island in Hong Kong with a land area of about 14 square km, is situated 3 km off the southwest coast of Hong Kong Island. It is home to a highly diverse population of about 6,000 people, many of them of Western origins. There are regular ferry services between Lamma and Hong Kong Island. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong’s CLP Power is distributing HK$100 (US$13) consumption coupons to about 600,000 eligible customers, including elderly people receiving concessionary tariffs, using HK$60 million from the company’s Community Energy Saving Fund. The initiative follows the power company’s earlier announcement that it would raise its fuel cost adjustment (FCA) charge starting this month, citing a discrepancy between forecast and actual fuel prices amid the United States-Israel war against Iran, which has... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348760/hong-kongs-clp-power-give-out-hk100-shopping-coupons-600000-customers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348760/hong-kongs-clp-power-give-out-hk100-shopping-coupons-600000-customers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 05:43:24 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words Hong Kong’s low birth rate has shrunk the number of children attending school, burdening school budgets and threatening pupils’ learning. We must swiftly reform our schools for a brighter educational and economic future. Since 2012, Hong Kong’s crude birth rate has fallen most... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3347817/hong-kongs-low-birth-rate-calls-swift-thoughtful-school-restructuring?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3347817/hong-kongs-low-birth-rate-calls-swift-thoughtful-school-restructuring?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 03:30:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Fare increases might be inevitable as Hong Kong sets a course towards a brighter future after the recent economic doldrums. However, as transport authorities propose price rises on six key ferry routes, efforts to ensure operators stay afloat must be balanced with exploration of ways to diversify their revenue streams so fares remain affordable. It is good that the government has acted as a pragmatic gatekeeper, rejecting an initial operator request for increases of up to 30 per cent. However,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3346487/sustainable-ferry-services-vital-hongkongers-outlying-islands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3346487/sustainable-ferry-services-vital-hongkongers-outlying-islands?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 22:45:15 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin District councillors representing Hong Kong’s outlying islands have opposed a plan to raise selected ferry fares by up to 12.8 per cent, arguing that it will discourage the elderly from travelling and harm the local economy. Members of Islands District Council on Tuesday all raised concerns that another fare increase could be sought in response to soaring fuel prices. The remarks were made as the Transport Department briefed council members on the fare adjustment proposal for six key ferry... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3346137/district-councillors-oppose-ferry-fare-rises-outlying-island-routes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3346137/district-councillors-oppose-ferry-fare-rises-outlying-island-routes?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 14:07:28 +0000 Harvey Kong Harvey Kong Hong Kong transport authorities have proposed adjusting single-journey fares for six ferry routes from April 1, the first revision in nearly three years, with some journeys to rise by 12.5 per cent, while certain high-speed trips will become cheaper. In a document submitted to the Islands District Council, the Transport Department said its fare adjustment proposal struck a balance between residents’ travel needs and the ferries’ financial viability. Under the proposal, fares for one-way trips... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3345817/hong-kong-authorities-propose-ferry-fare-adjustments-keep-operators-afloat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3345817/hong-kong-authorities-propose-ferry-fare-adjustments-keep-operators-afloat?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 10:18:39 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words The sentencing of Jimmy Lai Chee-ying to 20 years in prison marks a pivotal moment in Hong Kong’s journey towards restoring the rule of law and social stability. This landmark ruling, followed by the State Council’s release of a white paper on safeguarding national security in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3344096/jimmy-lai-case-verdict-and-state-councils-white-paper-send-strong-message?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3344096/jimmy-lai-case-verdict-and-state-councils-white-paper-send-strong-message?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 03:30:07 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow Relatives of the 39 victims in one of Hong Kong’s deadliest maritime disasters expressed anger after the coroner overseeing an inquest said it was “impractical and unrealistic” for them to expect inspectors could have spotted a missing watertight door if they had examined the ship’s structural drawings. Coroner Monica Chow Wai-choo said on Thursday, the second day of the verdict, that the Marine Department’s officers would not have detected the missing watertight door on the underdeck of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340878/outrageous-families-hong-kong-ferry-crash-victims-fume-over-coroners-remarks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340878/outrageous-families-hong-kong-ferry-crash-victims-fume-over-coroners-remarks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 12:41:33 +0000 Hei Kiu Au Hei Kiu Au Would you be willing to eat a fish you raised? This was the question that faced 25 young Hongkongers one December afternoon on Lamma Island, who had gathered to share a simple meal of steamed fish that they had nurtured over nine months. This “simple” meal defied a citywide norm. Dinner tables in Hong Kong will almost always include at least one classic seafood dish – from typhoon shelter crab to steamed grouper – but most of the time, that seafood did not come from the city’s waters. This is... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3340639/hong-kong-aquaculture-scheme-nurtures-young-fish-farmers-revive-citys-seafood-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3340639/hong-kong-aquaculture-scheme-nurtures-young-fish-farmers-revive-citys-seafood-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 09:15:10 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong The design of a ship that sank in a collision with a ferry off Lamma Island in 2012 met the safety standards of the time, a Hong Kong inquest has found, rejecting accusations by relatives of the 39 deceased victims that it was flawed and contributed materially to the city’s worst maritime disaster in decades. The Coroner’s Court on Wednesday returned a verdict of unlawful killing of the 39, pointing to gross negligence by the ships’ two coxswains, while ruling on issues relating to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340629/hong-kong-court-rules-39-victims-lamma-ferry-crash-unlawfully-killed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340629/hong-kong-court-rules-39-victims-lamma-ferry-crash-unlawfully-killed?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 03:17:39 +0000 Jacqueline Kot Jacqueline Kot Imagine a classroom with no walls, where instead, trees provide a natural border of sorts, and air conditioning and lights are replaced by fresh air, breezes and unfiltered sunlight. Where children are free to jump, climb and make a mess – all on a normal weekday at school. Outdoor learning has long been a popular concept in Scandinavia, with children encouraged to develop their critical thinking and learn about nature and biodiversity through play and activities in real-life settings. Some of... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3336911/hong-kong-forest-schools-are-embracing-risky-play-children-young-2?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3336911/hong-kong-forest-schools-are-embracing-risky-play-children-young-2?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 22:00:09 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung Though many events in December have been cancelled or postponed following the Tai Po fire tragedy, some are still going forward as planned as the city slowly heals. Whether it is a fundraising vintage thrifting event, the return of everyone’s favourite Christmas ballet or a poolside Pilates session, these events offer fun and connection. Here are five of the best things to do in Hong Kong this weekend. 1. Top Swop Club This shopping event offers a sustainable way to refresh your wardrobe before... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3336140/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-december-12-14?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3336140/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-december-12-14?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 02:49:55 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong The Coroner’s Court has postponed a long-awaited verdict for an inquest into one of Hong Kong’s deadliest maritime disasters, in which 39 residents died after a collision between two ferries in 2012. The court was slated to make a ruling on Thursday on the underlying causes of the crash, which took place off Lamma Island, that had not been identified by a previous government-appointed inquiry in 2013. A judiciary spokesman confirmed the hearing had been postponed but declined to elaborate. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3334928/hong-kong-court-postpones-inquest-verdict-2012-lamma-island-ferry-crash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3334928/hong-kong-court-postpones-inquest-verdict-2012-lamma-island-ferry-crash?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 10:32:57 +0000 Annemarie Evans Annemarie Evans Lawrence Osborne wrote The Ballad of a Small Player – his acclaimed 2014 novel, now adapted into a Netflix film starring Colin Farrell as a high-rolling fraud whose luck is running out – at a time when he was down and out. “We exalt winners and we despise losers, but, in fact, most of us are losers,” says Osborne. “For most of my life, I felt absolutely down at heel and unable to make money. This is the writer’s lot. “When you’re in that condition and you have no backup or safety net, it drives... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3333524/how-childhood-scandal-and-macaus-shadows-shaped-lawrence-osbornes-anti-hero?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3333524/how-childhood-scandal-and-macaus-shadows-shaped-lawrence-osbornes-anti-hero?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2025 04:00:09 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Two bodies were recovered from Hong Kong waters in two separate incidents on Sunday, with police working to uncover their identities. Police received a report at 2.20pm that a woman was seen drifting in the waters about 2km (1.2 miles) off isolated Shek Kwu Chau, an island located 3km west of Cheung Chau. She was confirmed dead at the scene. No identification documents or suicide note were recovered. Separately, the force received a report at 3.40pm about a man floating in waters about 20... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3333868/2-bodies-found-waters-isolated-island-and-lamma-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3333868/2-bodies-found-waters-isolated-island-and-lamma-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Nov 2025 15:32:36 +0000 Kylie Knott Kylie Knott When Lamma Fun Day (LFD) was first held in 2000, it was a small affair: no stages, just a few buskers singing next to a handful of stalls selling food and crafts. One stall offered massages. David Wilkinson, the festival’s music coordinator for the past decade, recalls a couple of guys on guitars using a pay-to-hear tactic to tease money from the audience. “Basically, you had to drop money into a box and request a cover song,” Wilkinson says. “If they knew the song, they would play a few bars... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3330548/story-lamma-fun-day-hong-kongs-longest-running-free-music-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3330548/story-lamma-fun-day-hong-kongs-longest-running-free-music-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Oct 2025 04:15:08 +0000 Adele Brunner Adele Brunner Frenchman Vincent Sahuc is living proof that one can never say never. Having renovated a ground-floor flat on Lamma Island in 2018, he swore he wouldn’t go through the process again. And yet … fast forward to today and he’s just completed the refurbishment of another 700 sq ft flat in a village house on Lamma, complete with a similarly sized rooftop. Dubbed “The Lookout” by Sahuc and his partner, Jerome Sozzi, an arts logistics professional, also from France, the 1980s-built apartment had never... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/design-interiors/article/3329760/how-le-corbusier-and-french-bubble-houses-inspired-lamma-island-renovation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/design-interiors/article/3329760/how-le-corbusier-and-french-bubble-houses-inspired-lamma-island-renovation?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 08:00:09 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen A waterspout has been spotted off Hong Kong’s Lamma Island, the first recorded locally this year, with thunderstorms hitting the city. The Observatory said the waterspout, known as a water tornado in Chinese, was seen by residents in the sea near Lamma, in southern Hong Kong, around 1pm on Sunday. “A waterspout is a water column rapidly rotating, interlaced with water droplets that connects to the water from the base of a convective cloud,” Observatory scientific officer Tse Kwan-shu said. He... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3328698/waterspout-spotted-hong-kongs-lamma-island?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3328698/waterspout-spotted-hong-kongs-lamma-island?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 09:21:46 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong A director of a ship company has been accused of lying in a court inquest about a structural flaw that caused a ferry it built to sink in Hong Kong’s deadliest maritime disaster in decades. The Coroner’s Court on Thursday heard oral closing submissions in what could be the last formal inquiry into the ferry collision on October 1, 2012. The Lamma IV was hit by the Sea Smooth catamaran in the waters off Lamma Island while carrying 124 HK Electric employees and their relatives to watch the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3326033/ship-company-head-accused-lying-2012-hong-kong-lamma-ferry-crash-inquest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3326033/ship-company-head-accused-lying-2012-hong-kong-lamma-ferry-crash-inquest?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Sep 2025 13:52:18 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok A “faint whistle” from a mainland Chinese hiker missing for four days on Lamma Island in Hong Kong led to his dramatic rescue by a drone photographer sailing a catamaran. The hiker, Zheng To, 52, who arrived in the city from the mainland on Saturday for a short business trip, was found on Wednesday morning with minor injuries at a cliff at the foot of Mount Stenhouse. Zheng had told colleagues that he was lost and that his phone battery was running low, hours after setting off for a hike on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3325866/mainland-chinese-hiker-missing-4-days-hong-kong-found-lamma-island-beach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3325866/mainland-chinese-hiker-missing-4-days-hong-kong-found-lamma-island-beach?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Sep 2025 09:31:15 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Hong Kong authorities are searching for a man from mainland China who went missing during a hiking trip to Lamma Island on Saturday, with one of his last known messages to a colleague saying he suspected he had lost his way. Zheng To, 52, arrived in Hong Kong the same day for a short business trip and was staying at a hotel in Kwun Tong. On Saturday morning, he told colleagues that he planned to hike on Lamma Island. In the afternoon, he sent a message to a colleague via WeChat and said he... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3325749/search-under-way-missing-hiker-hong-kongs-lamma-island?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3325749/search-under-way-missing-hiker-hong-kongs-lamma-island?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 11:05:40 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Hong Kong’s affluent Repulse Bay neighbourhood has been hit by a power outage, leaving 230 households without electricity for five hours after a high-voltage cable was damaged. A spokesman from HK Electric, which serves Hong Kong Island and Lamma Island, said an 11-kilovolt high-voltage cable was suspected to be damaged by a third-party construction project at around 2.35pm on Tuesday. “This incident affected several substations on Repulse Bay Road, cutting off power to over 230 customers in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3324910/hong-kongs-repulse-bay-hit-power-outage-200-homes-without-electricity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3324910/hong-kongs-repulse-bay-hit-power-outage-200-homes-without-electricity?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 10:13:05 +0000 Vanessa Lee Vanessa Lee In the mid-20th century, rows of tightly moored houseboats floated in the marinas of Aberdeen, Shau Kei Wan and Tai O, forming floating cities where entire generations grew up on the water. At their peak, thousands of Tanka boats inhabited the waters of Hong Kong, families spending much of their lives on their boats, with up to 10 children and adults sleeping side by side on the floor at night. Threading his sampan through Aberdeen marina, Lam Lau says he’s been selling his famed boat noodles to... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3322665/meet-people-keeping-original-hong-kong-cuisine-alive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3322665/meet-people-keeping-original-hong-kong-cuisine-alive?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 10:00:14 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification It is tragic that it took a fatal accident involving an 80-year-old driver to get to this point. However, I am glad that the government is finally returning to the proposal to tighten drivers’... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3321547/eyesight-tests-hong-kong-drivers-seriously-need-be-updated?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3321547/eyesight-tests-hong-kong-drivers-seriously-need-be-updated?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Aug 2025 03:30:09 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Hong Kong’s first black rainstorm of the year underscored the vagaries of rainy season weather, inundating some areas while leaving others relatively unscathed. It is a pattern repeated by the torrential downpours in mainland China, only on a much larger and more tragic scale, including the loss of many lives. Hong Kong’s rainfall was heaviest in the Southern and Eastern districts, raising the risk of landslides. After downgrading the black rainstorm signal to red, then amber, the Observatory... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3320006/climate-change-makes-rainy-season-weather-dangerously-harder-predict?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3320006/climate-change-makes-rainy-season-weather-dangerously-harder-predict?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Jul 2025 22:45:07 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Beijing’s top official overseeing Hong Kong affairs held a three-hour closed-door discussion with local tycoons and business leaders on the third day of his inspection trip to the city on Friday. Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, also visited Ocean Park in the afternoon before taking a boat trip to Lamma Island. The exchanges on Friday morning, held at the government headquarters in Admiralty, marked the first time since last November that Xia had direct talks with... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3315278/xia-baolong-holds-closed-door-talks-hong-kong-business-leaders-during-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3315278/xia-baolong-holds-closed-door-talks-hong-kong-business-leaders-during-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Jun 2025 11:50:13 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong Two Marine Department officials have told a court inquest that they failed to notice a design flaw in a ferry involved in one of Hong Kong’s deadliest maritime disasters as they thought they were not required to look for such issues during periodical check-ups. The Coroner’s Court on Monday heard oral evidence from three current and former ship inspectors who were involved in checks on the Lamma IV between 1997 and 2009 before it collided with another ferry and sank on October 1, 2012. The Lamma... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3310969/hong-kong-marine-officials-missed-ferry-design-flaw-disaster-inquiry-hears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3310969/hong-kong-marine-officials-missed-ferry-design-flaw-disaster-inquiry-hears?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 May 2025 14:33:57 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong A former engineering manager at the company that built a ferry involved in one of Hong Kong’s deadliest maritime disasters has admitted during a court inquest that he failed to ensure the accuracy of the vessel’s safety data submitted to the government. Cheung Chuen-yau made the comment while testifying at the Coroner’s Court on Friday, the fourth day of what is expected to be a 60-day inquiry into a 2012 maritime disaster that left 39 people dead. Cheung told the court that he was responsible... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3309798/ex-ship-worker-failed-check-safety-data-sunk-hong-kong-ferry-court-hears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3309798/ex-ship-worker-failed-check-safety-data-sunk-hong-kong-ferry-court-hears?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 May 2025 11:59:09 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong A survivor of Hong Kong’s Lamma Island ferry disaster has told a court inquest that the life jackets were locked away and he was unable to obtain one for himself before his ferry sank following its collision with another vessel. Philip Chiu Ping-chuen, whose sister died in the tragedy, on Thursday became the first witness to provide verbal testimony at the coroner’s inquiry into the accident that took place on October 1, 2012. That night, the Lamma Island-bound Sea Smooth catamaran, operated by... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3309588/hong-kong-ferry-disaster-survivor-says-life-jackets-locked-away-sinking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3309588/hong-kong-ferry-disaster-survivor-says-life-jackets-locked-away-sinking?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 May 2025 09:42:08 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong A ferry involved in one of Hong Kong’s worst maritime disasters 13 years ago was sailing at high speed before it crashed into another vessel and caused the latter to sink within minutes, a court inquest has heard. The Coroner’s Court heard on Wednesday that the Sea Smooth could have been travelling as fast as 20 knots, or about 37km/h, before the collision with the Lamma IV off the waters of Lamma Island that claimed 39 lives on October 1, 2012. Witnesses also recalled how the Sea Smooth’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3309458/boat-involved-hong-kong-ferry-disaster-was-sailing-high-speed-crash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3309458/boat-involved-hong-kong-ferry-disaster-was-sailing-high-speed-crash?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 May 2025 12:55:00 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong A coroner’s inquest into one of Hong Kong’s worst maritime disasters started on Tuesday, with some survivors complaining that they were never told the location of life-saving apparatus and the means of escape before their ferry sank in the accident 13 years ago. The Coroner’s Court on Tuesday began hearing evidence regarding the circumstances of the 39 deaths caused by a collision between two ferries in waters off Lamma Island on October 1, 2012. The long-overdue hearing was held after two... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3309320/coroners-inquest-begins-2012-hong-kong-lamma-ferry-disaster?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3309320/coroners-inquest-begins-2012-hong-kong-lamma-ferry-disaster?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 May 2025 16:07:41 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification I refer to your letter, “A shame Hong Kong appeared shabby in YouTube star’s live stream” on April 8. IShowSpeed’s recent visit to Hong Kong has sparked discussions about missed promotional... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3306393/hong-kongs-free-spirit-shines-ishowspeeds-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3306393/hong-kongs-free-spirit-shines-ishowspeeds-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Apr 2025 06:30:07 +0000 Recent discussions in Beijing over Hong Kong’s tourism have emphasised the potential of its islands and coastal resources for the development of distinctive experiences. Returning from her visit, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, spoke of how Hong Kong could innovate within the tourism sector. Indeed, Hong Kong’s islands and coastline hold vast tourism potential, their breathtaking... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3305876/how-hong-kong-can-tap-potential-its-island-economies-waiting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3305876/how-hong-kong-can-tap-potential-its-island-economies-waiting?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Apr 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Hong Kong is one of the most developed places in the world, yet nearly three-quarters of its area remains relatively untouched, leaving great potential for further development. This fact is also recognised by the government, which is seeking to make better use of the existing natural resources in a measured and sustainable manner, and rightly so. In the largest land disposal for new tourism and recreation in recent years, three important sites have been set aside for commercial investment. These... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3305904/sustainable-approach-ecotourism-hong-kong-can-be-great-benefit-all?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3305904/sustainable-approach-ecotourism-hong-kong-can-be-great-benefit-all?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Apr 2025 00:15:07 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Customs officers have seized cannabis worth more than HK$100 million (US$12.8 million) from a fishing boat in Hong Kong’s southern waters, marking the largest drugs bust involving such a vessel in a decade. Officers on patrol spotted the boat south of Lamma Island on Tuesday morning, Wong Ngar-lun, divisional commander of customs’ marine strike and strategic planning section, revealed. The worn-out vessel, with no fishing equipment on board, aroused suspicion and led to an interception, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3299341/hong-kong-customs-seizes-hk118-million-cannabis-fishing-boat-bust?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3299341/hong-kong-customs-seizes-hk118-million-cannabis-fishing-boat-bust?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Feb 2025 12:36:39 +0000 Dave Besseling Dave Besseling “Hongkong Electric and a green group have teamed up to explore the feasibility of wind-generated electricity in the SAR,” reported the South China Morning Post on December 27, 2000. “The power company has commissioned the Friends of the Earth to conduct a $1 million exploratory project on wind power. “They hope to produce a ‘wind atlas’ to show the power potential of different areas and persuade the Government or private developers to invest in wind power. Friends of the Earth researcher Eric... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3298525/when-hong-kong-built-its-first-wind-turbine-lamma-island?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3298525/when-hong-kong-built-its-first-wind-turbine-lamma-island?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Feb 2025 22:15:07 +0000 From snake-themed events to whether your luck is in: discover all you need to know about the coming Lunar New Year in our Year of the Snake 2025 series. Get ready for the Year of the Snake by boosting your fitness at a day-long fitness retreat on Hong Kong’s Lamma Island ahead of the Lunar New Year. Two Sweet Feet, an enterprise co-founded by British strength training coach Harry Taylor and Hong Kong yoga instructor Kalam Chu, has organised a day of fitness and community connection in Tai Peng... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3291669/year-snake-fitness-retreat-hong-kong-features-snake-themed-exercises-and-motifs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3291669/year-snake-fitness-retreat-hong-kong-features-snake-themed-exercises-and-motifs?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Dec 2024 08:15:09 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik Foreign marine science researchers in Hong Kong are working to exchange expertise and partner with scientists in mainland China amid geopolitical tension and restrictions on fieldwork in sensitive waters such as the South China Sea. The marine science division of the University of Hong Kong hopes to nurture connections with institutes across the border with a new vehicle for collaboration, even though international researchers are being challenged and limited by strained US-China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3289180/south-china-sea-scientists-see-china-collaboration-crucial-saving-marine-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3289180/south-china-sea-scientists-see-china-collaboration-crucial-saving-marine-life?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Dec 2024 02:00:15 +0000 Landlords who have bought to let tend not to expend huge amounts of time, effort or money on renovating their properties. However, interior designer Debi Yeung-Salansy’s client, who had invested in a village house on Lamma Island, commissioned her to come up with a hotel-standard concept for the 2,100 sq ft property, complete with interior furnishings, fittings, and even plants. The house is divided into three flats – one per storey – and although they share the same design DNA, the 700 sq ft,... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/design-interiors/article/3288529/makeover-village-house-hong-kongs-idyllic-lamma-island?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/design-interiors/article/3288529/makeover-village-house-hong-kongs-idyllic-lamma-island?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Nov 2024 10:15:10 +0000 Hong Kong police have arrested the captain of an oil barge after it collided with a fishing boat off Lamma Island, the Post has learned, as rescuers continued to search for the 81-year-old skipper of the latter vessel. The force said it was notified of the incident at 5.21am on Sunday. The six crew members of the fishing boat swam towards the oil barge after the collision. “They mostly reported chest pains, headache and bruises on their limbs,” a police spokesman said. Five of the men were from... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3286902/hong-kong-fishing-boat-captain-missing-after-ship-collides-oil-barge-lamma-island?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3286902/hong-kong-fishing-boat-captain-missing-after-ship-collides-oil-barge-lamma-island?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Nov 2024 03:43:49 +0000 SCMP Reporter SCMP Reporter According to the weather forecast, the past few days of rain and typhoon will soon depart, giving way to sunny intervals and little chance of rain this weekend. That is good timing, as we have three of Hong Kong’s best-loved outdoor cultural events happening. 1. Swire Symphony Under the Stars Demand for the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra’s annual outdoor concert has been so great that there will be not just one, but two evenings of music at the Central Harbourfront this... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3286482/5-must-see-music-and-arts-events-hong-kong-weekend-november-8-10?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3286482/5-must-see-music-and-arts-events-hong-kong-weekend-november-8-10?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Nov 2024 03:25:00 +0000 It’s the last Friday in September, and a very good Friday at that. The oppressive humidity of summer has finally broken. The sky is coloured a perfect azure blue. I’m in idyllic Luk Chau village, breathing in the soul-cleansing sea air on the patio of OOAK Lamma, feeling a million miles away from civilisation – although I’d left the city behind a mere 15 minutes ago. What exactly is OOAK Lamma? You’d be forgiven for asking: its mysteriously blank Instagram page has close to 4,000 followers, all... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3284648/how-chef-created-one-kind-culinary-oasis-hidden-hong-kongs-luk-chau-village-lamma-island?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3284648/how-chef-created-one-kind-culinary-oasis-hidden-hong-kongs-luk-chau-village-lamma-island?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Oct 2024 10:15:13 +0000 A Hong Kong lawyer who had been missing since Thursday has been found safe, according to sources. The 49-year-old man was found on Friday following an hours-long search by police, which included a search of Lamma Island, where his phone signal was last detected before he became unreachable. A source said the force could not provide further details at this point as to where the lawyer was found out of respect for the family’s wishes to keep the matter private. Authorities were first alerted to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3279354/concerns-grow-hong-kong-lawyer-reported-missing-wife-thursday-evening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3279354/concerns-grow-hong-kong-lawyer-reported-missing-wife-thursday-evening?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Sep 2024 10:24:14 +0000 Adele Brunner Adele Brunner In a world where the pace of urban life can be overwhelming, the need for sanctuary can become increasingly important. For one couple, the desire to lead a more mindful, contemplative lifestyle took on a tangible form – the purchase of a village house on Lamma Island with impressive ocean and mountain views. The original property was dark and uninhabitable, with no air conditioning, an odd layout and an electrical supply stuck in the 1990s, without sufficient power to run multiple appliances and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/3276518/how-atelier-shan-transformed-gloomy-hong-kong-village-house-chic-minimalist-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/3276518/how-atelier-shan-transformed-gloomy-hong-kong-village-house-chic-minimalist-home?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:15:10 +0000 Customs and traditions do not necessarily move with the times. But when it comes to burials and tomb sweeping in Hong Kong, there is good cause for a rethink. The growing demand for columbariums and cemeteries in our land-strapped city simply makes the conventional approach unsustainable in the long run. It is a relief to learn that the number of green burials has quadrupled over the past decade. Last year, 8,237 chose to have their ashes scattered in memorial gardens, while 1,144 opted for... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3258047/raise-awareness-foster-green-hong-kong-burials?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3258047/raise-awareness-foster-green-hong-kong-burials?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Apr 2024 22:30:21 +0000 Of Hong Kong’s big four island escapes, Lamma might be the most resistant to the passing of time. Unlike Cheung Chau, and Lantau’s Discovery Bay and Mui Wo communities, there are no American fast food chains or convenience stores to be found. And Lamma’s infamous counterculture ethos hasn’t taken root on the tiny dumbbell of Peng Chau – another car-free, time-capsule escape with a population not yet approaching five digits. Lamma’s substantial expat community has long celebrated its laid-back... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/article/3244674/does-lammas-new-hipster-restaurant-terracotta-deliver-quality-goods-club-group-behind-shady-acres?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/article/3244674/does-lammas-new-hipster-restaurant-terracotta-deliver-quality-goods-club-group-behind-shady-acres?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Dec 2023 02:00:18 +0000 For dozens of Hong Kong families, news of the return of National Day fireworks after a five-year break was not a cause for celebration but instead a painful reminder of the loss and grief they had endured. “My wife drowned while on her way to see the fireworks 11 years ago. How can I enjoy fireworks on the same day?” Wong Tai-wah, 71, said. Wong is among those who lost loved ones in one of Hong Kong’s deadliest maritime disasters in history, which claimed 39 lives on October 1, 2012, when two... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3236411/return-national-day-fireworks-stir-painful-memories-2012-lamma-ferry-disaster-hong-kong-families?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3236411/return-national-day-fireworks-stir-painful-memories-2012-lamma-ferry-disaster-hong-kong-families?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Oct 2023 06:00:15 +0000 Damon Wong woke up one morning in February to find that part of an old incense tree near his home on Hong Kong’s Lamma Island had been chopped off. Neighbours said they had heard people using machines to saw wood during the night. A few days later, more of the tree was gone. “We all know what happened to it,” said Wong, 38, a former resident representative at his village. Illegal logging of valuable incense trees had resumed after a three-year break during the Covid-19 pandemic. Early last... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3217221/hong-kong-reopens-borders-illegal-loggers-and-poachers-resurface-targeting-prized-incense-trees?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3217221/hong-kong-reopens-borders-illegal-loggers-and-poachers-resurface-targeting-prized-incense-trees?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Apr 2023 04:00:08 +0000 A mainland Chinese man is still missing and four others were sent to hospital on Monday night after a fishing boat went down in Hong Kong waters. A police search for the missing man continued into the night. The four other crew members – three mainlanders and one Hongkonger – were taken to Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung for treatment. The force said the rescue mission was launched after a mayday call was made as the boat took on water south of Tsing Yi. 1 dead, 2 rescued from sinking... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3210893/mainland-chinese-man-missing-4-others-sent-hospital-after-fishing-boat-sinks-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3210893/mainland-chinese-man-missing-4-others-sent-hospital-after-fishing-boat-sinks-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Feb 2023 15:28:36 +0000 A total of 25 tonnes (27 tons) of frozen meat worth HK$2.2 million (US$257,000) was seized and six men arrested after Hong Kong customs officers boarded a cargo ship in a nighttime anti-smuggling operation. But a speedboat equipped with four outboard engines, which came from mainland China to transfer the cargo near Lamma Island, managed to flee the city’s waters, a source familiar with the case said on Monday. The arrests came after customs officers spotted bags of goods being unloaded from the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3202147/6-arrested-after-hong-kong-customs-officers-seize-hk22-million-worth-frozen-meat-after-cargo-ship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3202147/6-arrested-after-hong-kong-customs-officers-seize-hk22-million-worth-frozen-meat-after-cargo-ship?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Dec 2022 11:32:08 +0000 A seafood restaurant on Hong Kong’s Lamma Island has become one of the first eateries to express interest in hosting inbound tour groups under updated Covid-19 measures. Eight other Chinese restaurants were also interested, a local catering group revealed, although uncertainties over the latest measures have affected industry confidence. Carol Pak, a spokeswoman for the Lamma Rainbow Seafood Restaurant, said she had agreed to host incoming tour groups after a travel agency approached her. “We... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3201858/where-eat-hong-kong-trickle-tour-groups-expected-covid-19-pandemic-rules-leave-restaurants-cool?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3201858/where-eat-hong-kong-trickle-tour-groups-expected-covid-19-pandemic-rules-leave-restaurants-cool?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Dec 2022 00:00:12 +0000