Less than 5 kilometres south of Lantau, nestled deep in the territory’s southwestern-most waters, Tai A Chau is arguably as remote as Hong Kong gets. The largest of the Soko Islands group at 1.2 km², it’s uninhabited, totally undeveloped and seldom visited; somewhere to enjoy a real Robinson Crusoe experience. Even getting there involves a bit of an adventure. Ferries don’t make it this far so you’ll need to hop on a kayak, charter a junk or put your faith in a sampan man. Talk to the boat operators in Cheung Chau many of whom will drop you off and collect you at a pre-arranged time – don’t be late.
Tai A Chau is part of South Lantau Marine Park meaning you have a good chance of spotting rare and endangered species, including Chinese White Dolphin and finless porpoise, in the surrounding waters. Ask your boatmen to keep their distance. Approaching the island, the coastline is steep and rocky but there are a few sheltered coves and a stunning little beach with a jetty where small boats are safe to dock. The brackish water is generally clean and emerald-green despite being so close to the Pearl River Estuary – perfect for a swim.
An older name for the Sokos was Sok Kwu Kwan To (Fishing Net Islands) and the islands were once home to a handful of families, who eked out a living through fishing and small-scale farming. There were two villages on Tai A Chau: Ha Tsuen on the west coast and Sheung Tsuen in the south. Should you choose to venture inland, you’ll find a few remnants of habitation including a well-preserved Tin Hau temple and the crumbling ruins of a shrimp-paste factory that reportedly exported to Europe and America in the 1930s. Needless to say, you won’t find a 7-Eleven or even a ‘mom and pop store’ so pack everything you’ll need for the day, including water.
The last of the Tai A Chau villagers left in the 1980s, when construction began on a large-scale Vietnamese refugee camp. Tai A Chau Detention Centre was home to thousands from 1991 to 1996, almost 9,700 at its peak in November 1991. Today, very little of the camp remains – you’ll come across concrete foundations and two helicopter landing pads. But you’re not here for a history lesson: happy adventuring in Tai A Chau!