Named after the year China Customs established stations on the island to collect duties from marine traffic, the cluster of preserved village houses has been revitalised with vibrant colours and is now an art and lifestyle hub.

It is now home to sea-view restaurants, shops offering art and craft workshops, galleries, sound baths and outdoor activities.

Murals are a notable feature here; one of which depicts Tin Hau, the goddess of the sea, and is complemented by the eponymous temple built in her honour, reminding visitors of the island’s maritime history. Preserved inscribed ‘Stone Tablets of the Old Kowloon Custom’ also serve as witnesses to the island’s development.

On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, visitors can join the Ma Wan’s island discovery tour, departing at 12:15pm or 2:30pm from Ma Wan Public Pier, off Ma Wan 1868. The boat tour presents Ma Wan's past and present while circling the island's coastline. It passes a cluster of aquaculture fish rafts, the green islet of Tang Lung Chau and under the iconic Tsing Ma Bridge, where breathtaking views of the southwestern New Territories shoreline unfold.

Registration is required. Please visit Traway’s website for details.

A hike up the 69-metre-tall hill, Tai Leng Tau, will take you as little as 30 minutes to complete, depending on the route you choose.

The hilltop overlooks Ma Wan Channel and the towering Tsing Ma Bridge.

Visitors can enjoy a picnic during sunset and soak in the tranquil vibe while snapping some stunning photos.

This experience, offered by Noah’s Ark Hong Kong, allows visitors to explore the island’s unique biodiversity, which ranges from fast-running tiger beetles to stout, wart-covered Asian common toads.

Equipped with flashlights, safari guides take visitors around the island’s forests and ponds on foot to help them spot the many nocturnal insects, amphibians and other small creatures as they emerge from the shadows.

The 1.5-hour journey covers the nearby Ma Wan Park Nature Garden and its artificial pond, as well as shoreline mangroves at the west of Ma Wan, near Ma Wan O Mei Shelter.

Jagged rocks line the sandy entrance of Tung Wan Beach, where the sunlight sparkles above its waves.

As the jewel of the island, this sandy strip is ideal for an early morning swim or a lazy afternoon spent reading and relaxing beside the shore.

At the waterfront Park Island Beach Commercial Complex, visitors can enjoy refreshing drinks and great food at an array of bars and restaurants.

The afterglow above the backdrop of mountains and the bridge illuminates the beach at dusk for an unmissable view.

This family-friendly theme park combines entertainment with education. Starting from the Ark Garden, the main building took inspiration from Noah’s Ark described in the Bible and features sculptures of the story’s animals.

The sound of chirping birds invites visitors into Ark Expo, a live zoo featuring birds, insects, and amphibians, while the ePlanet zone, the first interactive multi-sensory, nature-themed digital arts walkthrough in Hong Kong, features animated, Instagrammable backdrops of falling maple leaves and cascading waterfalls.

Treasure House offers various sensory experiences focused on life, science, history and other subjects, stimulating children to explore their curiosity and creativity.

Children can also go outdoors and climb the monkey bars of Fun Fun Playland or ride rental bikes.

A former primary school-turned-museum, the Heritage Centre showcases the history of the island from the Neolithic era (late Stone Age) to the present.

Prehistoric artefacts such as stone pottery and jewellery, as well as a reconstructed brick kiln from the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), offer a rare glimpse of the island’s past.

A collection of human skeletal remains helped archaeologists imagine what Neolithic Ma Wan inhabitants looked like, as visualised through sculptures on display.

Visitors can also read about Ma Wan’s rise from shrimp paste making and sea farming to its modernisation, where past meets present.