Island
in the Sun
Twice the size of Hong Kong Island, Lantau is a lovely island where the past merges with the present. Bustling at week- ends with cheerful crowds of swimmers, campers and hikers revelling in sun, sea and greenery, Lantau moves at a different pace mid-week. Then, undistracted, visit- ors can see Hakka women tending market gardens; small villages set in panoramic valleys; and labourers working on road improvement works and building Spanish- style holiday villas. The outlying island has a local population of about 28,000 living in about 50 villages and market towns. Rich in tradition dating back to the Song (Sung) Dynasty (960-1279), Lantau possesses several important archaeological sites. In 1979, the more recent Tung Chung Fort, built by the Chinese in the early 19th century, became a protected monument. Mountainous, to a large de- gree, the island's highest point is Lantau Peak, some 934 metres above sea-level. Nearby is the magnificent Po Lin Buddhist Monastery, popular with Hong Kong residents and tourists alike. Because of growing urbanisation on the New Terri- tories' mainland, Lantau, with its vast country parks, beautiful beaches and seren- ity, has become an important recreational outlet. To cater for increased holiday- makers and to provide better amenities for local people, a number of development and tourism programmes are going ahead. On a larger scale, studies are proceeding on the feasibility of a new airport at nearby Chek Lap Kok Island, a suspension bridge link- ing Lantau with the mainland, and the development of an industrial base on northern Lantau.
AXA
Previous page: A Hakka woman and her cow complete a rustic scene in the Tung Chung valley. Left: Ducks bob in a sea- water inlet; two visitors read the inscription on the Promise Bell at Po Lin Monastery; fish drying in the sun form a geometric pattern.