Tung Wan Beach and Kwun Yam Beach

On the weekends, surf-loving city dwellers head to the island of Cheung Chau to enjoy the beaches where an Olympic windsurfing champion once trained. Lee Lai-shan (or ‘Shan Shan’ as she is affectionately known locally) brought back Hong Kong’s first Olympic gold medal from the Atlanta Games in 1996.

A year-round favourite with locals is Tung Wan Beach, which has turquoise waters and charming night views of Aberdeen and Lamma Island. In a small nearby garden, a sculpture of a windsurfer commemorates Shan Shan’s achievement. Right next door to Tung Wan Beach, Kwun Yam Beach is where the young windsurfer with stars in her eyes cut her teeth. The Cheung Chau Windsurfing Centre here provides windsurfing, surfing and canoeing equipment, and it’s possible to see unusual coastal rock formations and the Mini Great Wall from the waters around here.

Please check the latest information on public beaches here.