Tai O
4
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
About
Lovely little fishing village with many shops and seafood. Take a boat ride for lovely scenery or take a walk up the mountain to see the White Chinese Dolhins swim.
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The area
Neighbourhood: New Territories
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Restaurants
17 within 5 kms
Attractions
35 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- Gehan G30 contributionsFishing Village DetourLittle fishing village, amazing (short) hike to wonderous views, deilcious food. Definitely an adventure worth taking. Originally I had a day all planned out where I would take the Ngong Ping 360 see Tian Tan Buddha and go to Tai O but since the Ngong Ping 360 was closed (and I really wanted to go on it) I opted to go straight to Tai O. I was not disappointed. As mentioned the bus route (number 11) to Tai O is gorgeous. Once I arrived it was pretty early in the day so I decided to hike to Fu Shan viewing point. The views are stunning. The hike is pretty easy. Back in town it was time to eat. I had delicious mochi and seafood. I didn't take a boat tour but I have heard that's something to do when there. Its an easy enough ride to Tai O so defintely worth a visit.Visited October 2023Travelled soloWritten 12 October 2023
- csabadappBrasov, Romania202 contributionsUnderwhelmingWe read that is the Venice of Asia. Well for us, it was underwhelming. Cute little village with a market full of fish, it also smells like that a lot :) Other than the market, not much to see. Going on a boat trip maybe and that's it.Visited July 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 16 October 2023
- Helen BarclaySingapore, Singapore81 contributionsQuaint Tai OWe loved this little place although as independent travellers that like to avoid organised tours getting there and back took some planning. We went on a short boat trip that showed us some of the stilted village then out to sea to look for the dolphins. Unfortunately, they didn't come to play for us :( We enjoyed wandering around the streets and unlike other similar places we've been to, we didn't feel targeted as tourists to buy things. Be prepared for the fishy smell - they sell a lot of dried fish and fish products, but then that's their way of life! We did sit and have drinks in one cafe beside the river. The staff (all the same family) were very friendly and gave us books to look at that told us the story of the village. It felt like a privilege to see a little bit of their world. We got the ferry back but luckily for us, a boatman told us to be at the pier 30 minutes before departure. The ferries run every 2 hours but are quite small and can be delayed or cancelled if the weather's bad. There must have been at least 30 people queuing that couldn't get onto our ferry, so it's probably wise to either turn up early and wait, or have a Plan B!Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 15 November 2023
- Shalli AngSingapore, Singapore764 contributionsSweet Old Fishing Villagewe took bus 21 from Ngong Ping village to the Tai Po. Tried the 20mins dolphin sightseeing boat ride at HKD 40 and managed to catch a quick sight of the white dolphin. We walked around the street near the canal and tried the many local snacks. Going back to Hong Kong central was another long ride on the public bus and transfer onto MTR.Visited December 2023Travelled with familyWritten 25 December 2023
- Christine W98 contributionsGreat experienceTai O was my favorite experience from my visit to Hong Kong. It was great to get out of the city center and see the contrast of architecture and history of the fishing village. It's a very small village, take your time walking through and take the 20 minute boat tour. To get there use the ferry from Tung Chung. I took a taxi there because I didn't check the ferry schedule in advance and didn't want to wait 2 hours for the next ferry, but I took the ferry back and would recommend the ferry both ways.Visited December 2023Travelled soloWritten 5 January 2024
- crawford gAberdeen, United Kingdom1,807 contributionsThe Alternative Hong-KongThis is a truly amazing place for a day out on Lantau. The bus ride in is a true thrill itself and really makes a great start. The heritage village is amazing and you feel it is genuine. The river houses on stilts reminded me of Sarawak, and the pace of life is a million miles from Hong-Kong city. This is a wonderful day out.Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 3 February 2024
- I ZBrussels, Belgium91 contributionsDefinitely worths a visit!It was the highlight of our Lantau Island day trip. We reached it by bus from the Big Buddha. Make sure to walk all the way to western edge of the promenade where the Tai O Heritage Hotel is located. There are many street food vendors in Tai O, but we fell for an old couple much further from the village's center and close to the Hung Shing temple, that were selling fishballs but also grilled dry fish! Exquisite!!!Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 16 February 2024
- mfilcol2014Lisbon, Portugal1,915 contributionsInterestingTypical Chinese fishing village. Interesting visit but nothing special. Opportunity to see the stilt houses and the huge number of dried fish stalls for sale. Can be reached by Bus 21 from Ngong Ping. If you want to see a different way of life than usual, you should visit, but don't expect any wondersVisited March 2024Travelled with familyWritten 16 April 2024
- Ug O17 contributionsExplore the walkways over the river and the little passageways at your own pace.We visited this traditional fishing village in Tai O via bus, which we boarded at Big Buddha. This is a simple add-on to a vacation to Lantau Island and unquestionably a must see. This location blends historic structures on land with traditional stilt dwellings on the river.Visited August 2024Travelled with familyWritten 22 August 2024
- KrazzMelbourne, Australia213 contributionsBeautiful little village, another side to Hong KongI am glad I visited this place as it shows a different side to Hong Kong. We visited this place while visiting the Big Buddha as it was short bus ride away from Ngong Ping. The village is quite small so you can easily cover it on foot in half a day. There are boat tours you can take on the water. I simply walked around the village and tried different foods. It was nice to take some quiet time out here to relax. There is a pier here so you can take a ferry back to Tung Chung if you wish to return back to city on MTR.Visited September 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 12 September 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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jenkle89
Hendaye, France417 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
A 50 minute bus ride from Tung Chung (Bus 11) takes you to the oldest village on Lantau, the lovely Tai O fishing village. It was nice wandering the little lanes, discovering some smoky temples and discovering all sorts of dried seafood. It is worth taking a 20minute boat trip for 30HK$ which takes you through the village and then around the bay, although we didn't spot any rare pink dolphins. I think it is best to visit in the morning/early afternoon after which it gets busy.
Written 29 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tubby Panda
Portsmouth, UK449 contributions
Jan 2020
The Venice of China and a must see are often used to describe Tai O. Probably a bit over the top yet it is an interesting place to go and as a photographer I loved it.
It is a fair trek to get to and I would recommend you only go if you are near the place. We went there late afternoon from Tsing Yi and ended up so late we had to sleep over in HK. (I live in Shenzhen and border is not 24hr)
You just have to explore around the old bridges and walkways, do be respectful of people living there, not everywhere is open to the public. Whilst some of it is falling or fallen apart there still a lot of unique views around the place.
I would recommend if you can visit on a week day and away from any Chinese holidays, it is not a big place and the streets would fill very quickly.
There are lots of places to eat and tons of fresh and not so fresh seafood products hanging around, obviously it smells so be prepared.
I plan to revisit because the few hours I spent there were not enough to capture all of it, for a look around with friends/family you may be happy with a couple of hours. A photographer can easily do all day.
It is a fair trek to get to and I would recommend you only go if you are near the place. We went there late afternoon from Tsing Yi and ended up so late we had to sleep over in HK. (I live in Shenzhen and border is not 24hr)
You just have to explore around the old bridges and walkways, do be respectful of people living there, not everywhere is open to the public. Whilst some of it is falling or fallen apart there still a lot of unique views around the place.
I would recommend if you can visit on a week day and away from any Chinese holidays, it is not a big place and the streets would fill very quickly.
There are lots of places to eat and tons of fresh and not so fresh seafood products hanging around, obviously it smells so be prepared.
I plan to revisit because the few hours I spent there were not enough to capture all of it, for a look around with friends/family you may be happy with a couple of hours. A photographer can easily do all day.
Written 26 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Remi
Thailand2,571 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
The Venice of Hong Kong - Tai O Fishing Village is a must see picturesque place when visiting Hong Kong. It is accessible by taking Bus 11 from Tung Chung Station. Once reaching Tai O, we passed through an avenue full of street food items and dried seafood. The fish maw, salted fish and fermented shrimp paste were popular souvenir items. A the charm of this historic community. Stilt houses were built along the river bank. A few graffiti arts and street arts made the area more attractive.
Locals there were mainly elderly people nowadays as the younger generations preferred to live in the city. However, the city was still lively with many restaurants and locals were actively maintaining the village.
Locals there were mainly elderly people nowadays as the younger generations preferred to live in the city. However, the city was still lively with many restaurants and locals were actively maintaining the village.
Written 14 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael T
Singapore, Singapore3,027 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
We'd visited Tai O recently on a Thursday afternoon. The same Thursday that parts of Hong Kong were badly affected by the heavy rain storm.
To get to Tai O, we took the MTR train to Tung Chung, then walked a short distance to the bus terminal to board bus 11.
It was probably the most scenic bus ride I had taken in Hong Kong, passing through narrow, rolling country roads with views out to the sea.
Weather wise it was a cloudy day, with slight drizzle as we arrived at Tai O. Surprisingly not crowded at all. A lot of the shops were closed that day.
One thing which impressed me the most was the public toilet at Tai O. It was so clean and looked like it had been recently renovated.
We took a boat ride out to the bay area and round the stilt houses in the fishing village. Weather was quite foggy. We didn't spot any dolphins.
The boat ride was HKD 50 per person. But when we crossed the short bridge another boat company quoted a little less at HKD 40 for the same boat ride. Based on my observation the first boat company got most of the business as they were at the right spot to capture the tourists attention.
After the boat ride we took a walk along the main street, passing the coast to the heritage hotel. It was a relaxing day at Tai O.
To get to Tai O, we took the MTR train to Tung Chung, then walked a short distance to the bus terminal to board bus 11.
It was probably the most scenic bus ride I had taken in Hong Kong, passing through narrow, rolling country roads with views out to the sea.
Weather wise it was a cloudy day, with slight drizzle as we arrived at Tai O. Surprisingly not crowded at all. A lot of the shops were closed that day.
One thing which impressed me the most was the public toilet at Tai O. It was so clean and looked like it had been recently renovated.
We took a boat ride out to the bay area and round the stilt houses in the fishing village. Weather was quite foggy. We didn't spot any dolphins.
The boat ride was HKD 50 per person. But when we crossed the short bridge another boat company quoted a little less at HKD 40 for the same boat ride. Based on my observation the first boat company got most of the business as they were at the right spot to capture the tourists attention.
After the boat ride we took a walk along the main street, passing the coast to the heritage hotel. It was a relaxing day at Tai O.
Written 12 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Matthew
New York City, NY42 contributions
Apr 2022
An interesting choice. I think if you're from Hong Kong, it's definitely worth a trip, but if you're visiting on a holiday and you have limited time, not sure it's worth the trip.
A lot of the value of coming here is to contextualize how far/different Hong Kong is now compared to its roots. There are a couple of nice things to buy here, including some traditional ingredients like seafood and shrimp paste. It is also connected to several hiking paths.
My suggestion would be to come in the winter.
BTW the most common way to get here is to go to the Tung Chung MTR station, then take the giant bus that everyone is lining up for.
A lot of the value of coming here is to contextualize how far/different Hong Kong is now compared to its roots. There are a couple of nice things to buy here, including some traditional ingredients like seafood and shrimp paste. It is also connected to several hiking paths.
My suggestion would be to come in the winter.
BTW the most common way to get here is to go to the Tung Chung MTR station, then take the giant bus that everyone is lining up for.
Written 5 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
EastmeetsWestAB
London, UK2,365 contributions
Aug 2020 • Friends
We went to Tai O on Sunday. This time we have taken the ferry from Tuen Mun. Its worth the trip as the whole journey is quite scenic. When you arrived at Tai O ferry walk along the pink colour bridge. This is the less touristy bit and it has it beauty. I was absolutely thrilled to discover this part of Tai O
The touristy bit of Tai O is still very pretty. With less tourist, you really can enjoy the charm of this place. However as this place residence are mainly elderly people, please remember to wear a mask @ all times during covid.
The touristy bit of Tai O is still very pretty. With less tourist, you really can enjoy the charm of this place. However as this place residence are mainly elderly people, please remember to wear a mask @ all times during covid.
Written 17 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brigette
Australia497 contributions
Jan 2023 • Family
Staycation at Auberge and wanted to visit Tai O since hadn’t been for a decade. Choice of spending 1.5hr on busses and transits, versus $270hkd via blue taxis one way. We picked taxi since there were a few of us and turned out to be great choice. After some very windy roads we reached Tai O. Avoid visiting on Wednesdays since most shops are closed. The place is a lot cleaner than a decade ago and they really cleaned up the waterways and streets. Roads are well marked and can wander around without getting lost. Must try the street foods, like giant fish balls, Chinese donuts, charcoaled toasted egg waffles and the milk custard / tofu desserts. Nice layback environment and nice locals. just be streetwise when in crowds (politely declined offers to take pics with my iPhone…maybe I am paranoid) . Do go up to Fu Shan Lookout at sunset and also to heritage hotel and see those bullet holes and enjoy the ghost stories…
Written 5 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ben King
London, UK267 contributions
Sept 2024 • Couples
Tai O is a small fishing village on Lantau Island. Most people visit the island to see the Buddha, so you may as well add Tai O onto your itinerary as it is only a 10 minute bus (number 21) journey away. You really see the other side of Hong Kong, the built up houses on the water, the fishing boats, and the markets selling dried out fish (and a lot of it at that). It also seemed like there were a few bars too, though we went on a Monday and a lot of places were closed. Last thing, I would recommend NOT doing the boat tours. When you get there, various stalls sell 20 minute or 45 boat tours, all through the same company. They advertise it as a chance to see pink dolphins, though sightings are incredibly rare. It’s basically just a drive round the island, which really wasn’t worth it.
Written 16 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
VickyLargs
Largs, UK857 contributions
Nov 2022 • Couples
So glad we were taken to this fishing village on Lantau. Very unique, called the Venice of Hong Kong, it’s famous for its stilt houses. We walked through the street market buying some local delicacies on the way and then took a boat trip 10hk $ each along the canals and onto the sea and were very lucky to see amazing pink dolphins!
Written 8 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shalli Ang
Singapore, Singapore764 contributions
Dec 2023 • Family
we took bus 21 from Ngong Ping village to the Tai Po. Tried the 20mins dolphin sightseeing boat ride at HKD 40 and managed to catch a quick sight of the white dolphin.
We walked around the street near the canal and tried the many local snacks.
Going back to Hong Kong central was another long ride on the public bus and transfer onto MTR.
We walked around the street near the canal and tried the many local snacks.
Going back to Hong Kong central was another long ride on the public bus and transfer onto MTR.
Written 26 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ok family of 4 arrived in Hong Kong this morning and now have 2 days to fill. One is a visit to Ocean Park and the other we thought would include a visit to Tai O. We are staying on Hong Kong Island and not keen on tours. What is the best way to go check out Tai O?
Written 3 April 2019
Go To Central and the ferry to Mui Wo leaves about twice an hour. There are fast ferries taking 30 min and slow ferries taking an hour and costing less.Then take bus 1 to Tai O, another half hour maybe.
Written 4 April 2019
How do I get to the village from big Buddha? Is the bus from the top? Or do I take cable back down?
Written 22 November 2018
Take Bus 21 from stop at big Buddha to Tai O. HKD33 per person; no change returned.
Written 2 January 2019
How do I get to the village from big Buddha? Is the bus from the top? Or do I take cable back down?
Written 22 November 2018
There is a bus from the Big Buddha to Tai O village about each 45min.
On the way back from Tai O I would recommend taking the bus directly to Tung Chung, and from there back to Hong Kong.
Therefore you will need to buy only 1 way ticket for the cable car:
HK--(bus)-->TungChung--(cablecar)-->BigBuddha--(bus)-->TaiO--(bus)-->TungChung--(bus)-->HK
Written 22 November 2018
Yvette poh
Bukit Batok West, Singapore
Hi,
Will Tai O shops be open on a regular weekday morning? Is it crowded during regular weekdays in January. Was thinking to visit Tai O on the 3rd week of January..
Written 11 September 2018
Hi yes, the shops are open daily.
Written 14 September 2018
what time can be there early in the morning?
what time Tai O village is opening
Written 20 January 2018
Normally, it will take 1.5 hr at least to visit the place from city, including taking MTR and bus. I believe if you arrive as early as 10am, you should be able to see most shops open. Apart from the shops, the other interesting spots are always open, like the cultural water village setting, the canals, the natural scenaries, etc. Therefore, if you really arrive early you can visit the cultural attractions first, then natural scenaries along the water front, then shops, then drinks or meals, in that order.
Written 26 January 2018
Hi, would 2 1/2 hours be sufficient to walk around,have lunch and take a boat ride?
Also, are the paths stroller friendly?
thank you
Written 15 January 2018
2.5 hr certainly will not be enough to have lunch, walk around and boat trip altogether. I would suggest to reserve a good 4 hrs at least. Firstly, the attractions are quite scattered, secondly, attractions may take time for photo shooting, and thirdly, boat trips can be arranged only when the boat is filled with passengers, they may wait and wait and wait, and you need to be patient on the boat. The paths are strollers friendly except with some bumpy wooden bridges across canals within the water village. Just a friendly reminder, typically there is a long queue for bus starting 4pm, queuing time is hard to estimate. If you find a taxi, it can be quite costly back to the city, around HK$200.
Written 15 January 2018
Hi,
I'm looking at coming over to Lantau and Tai O (from Kowloon) on New Year's day (1st Jan) to see the big buddha and Tai O village.
I have read on other websites that a lot of tourists come on weekends and holidays. Will it be very crowded on New Year's day? Will the ferry from Central be too full?
Thanks,
Mark.
Written 28 December 2017
Yes. Festive seasons always full. Not a good idea during Chinese New Year.
Written 28 December 2017
Hi. Is it advisable to go to Tai O Fishing Village in beginning Feb given it is winter? Wondering if it is easy to walk around when it is wet,rainy and maybe muddy?
Written 26 December 2017
Feb is still relatively dry, therefore, it is OK to walk around. Even though when it's rainy, the paths are not so muddy as they are cemented paths. The area is famous not only for scenaries, but also the cultural aspects.
Written 27 December 2017
There are a few seafood restaurants in Tai O but the price is not as cheap as I have expected, though they are still cheaper on Hong Kong island. There are many shops selling quick snacks in Tai O village. My family lunch at family run shop selling Wanton noodle, claypot rice and local dishes. It is situated on a side lane and I think most tourist will miss this shop. They can't speak English so speaking Cantonese or Mandarin is needed. Price is reasonable and the portion is rather generous. I can't remember the shop name but the shop is painted blue colour.
Written 21 December 2017
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