TAI O TRAVELLING: Introducing TAI O. Hong Kong (updated on 22 July, 2016)

Sunrise @ TAI O

Dear Friends,

WELCOME TO MY BLOG

I am so glad to see you here and share my living experience in TAI O. Living in Tai O is interesting. Lots of cultural events / heritage / people they are waiting for you to explore. By exploring a place / people, you will be inspired !! That make you have a different perception, or even bring you to a new horizon. Sounds great, right?

Travelling is a way to explore yourself.

I LOVE TAI O

Simply because of this passion, I create this blog to meet you guys here to share it. If you guys are passionate and full of curiosity to the world as well, I am so proud to meet you here.

Perhaps, some of you guys have visited TAI O for several times, or TAI O is new to you, anyway my blog hopefully can give some tips about TAI O, and inspiring you as well.

WHERE IS TAI O?

Where is TAI O? TAI O is located in west coast of Lantau Island of Hong Kong. It is a fishing village since Ming Dynasty (around 500 years ago). Fishing, salt making, making shrimp paste and salted fish used to be the main business activities. Nowadays, shrimp paste and salted fish are still available as souvenirs for tourists. Fishermen are getting old now, though some of them are still active in fishing.

TAI O is characterised by stilt houses along the seaside. That's why it is also known as "Eastern Venice".

You may go there by bus (from Tung Chung MTR station) or by ferry (from Tuen Mun), but the sad is that private car is not allowed unless you get special permission.

Though the transportation of TAI O is not so convenient, it probably is one of the reasons to allow TAI O to retain its tradition.

HOW ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN TAI O?

In the past decades, young people went to urban to work. Only old people stay in TAI O. They usually operate a shop to sell some traditional stuff, e.g salted fish, dried duck egg, CHA KWO (a kind of TAI O dessert) to earn their living. Fortunately, TAI O is positioned as a tourist attraction by Hong Kong Government recently, and thus more conservation and revitalisation policies have been introduced in the past 8 - 10 years. Some young people are now willing to stay / return to TAI O as they see more tourists visit there.

STREET SNACKS / RESTAURANTS

If you like street snacks, TAI O won't disappoint you. Egg waffle (cooked by charcoal), grill squid, giant fish ball, various kind of Chinese desserts can be found in the street. You just cannot stop eating...Well, if you prefer High class restaurant in hotel and local seafood restaurants, they are also available for your choices. By my observation, almost 50% kind of street snacks of HK can be found in this small fish village.

FESTIVALS

Tuen Ng Dragon Boat Water Parade, is the most important festival in TAI O. Well...don't think this is again the dragon boat racing like in other districts, it is more than just the boat racing. In TAI O, this is a ceremony to bless villagers and fishermen so that hopefully they can enjoy safety and peace in the coming year. In the past, fishing was just like an adventure. Fishermen went out to the ocean for fishing, by primitive boat and tools. Safely back to home is always the primary concern for fishermen.

I attended this ceremony last month and was recalled that our ancestors had to fight against the rain storm, in order to earn the living for families. Heroes....!!

Because of such meaningful ceremony, Tuen Ng Dragon Boat Water Parade has been recognised as "the third batch of China's National Intangible Cultural Heritage items" since 2011.

Nowadays, this festival has became the hot tourist attraction.

TEMPLES

Being a traditional fishing village, temple is common in TAI O.

I select four major temples in TAI O. They are KWAN TAI Temple, YEUNG HAU Temple, GUAN YIN Temple and HUNG SHING Temple. Apart from these four, there are some others . However, in my future blogs, I tend to focus on these BIG four temples as they are the most popular deities.

On this Saturday (23 July), is the celebration of KWAN TAI Temple in TAI O, it will be another tourist attraction. Let me take some photos for you guys. So stay tuned...