10 best secret beaches in Hong Kong

Lamma Island is a popular day-trip destination for most locals, full of fresh seafood and good vibes. Most visitors flock to Power Station Beach or Hung Shing Yeh Beach to get their tan on, but if you’re willing to venture into some thick bush on the southern end of the chilled-out island, you’ll reach the hidden gem that is Lo So Shing Beach.

Lo So Shing Beach remains relatively quiet even on the busiest weekends since it’s harder to reach than its peers, and as a result, it’s maintained a Grade 1 water quality rating from the HKEPD since 1986. It’s also got the basic beach amenities as well as a terrace atop the refreshments kiosk that can be rented out for private parties.

How to get there:

1. Catch the ferry from Central Ferry Pier 4 to Sok Kwu Wan.
2. Follow along the Family Walk and turn left at the hilltop pavilion.
3. Walk downhill for 15 to 20 minutes until you reach Lo So Shing Beach.

Another hidden gem on Lamma Island is Sham Wan. It is the only place in the South China Sea where green turtles are known to nest and is an important ecological site in Hong Kong. It’s closed to the public from the beginning of April to the end of October every year, with a possible fine of up to $50,000 if you trespass and disturb the turtles during that time.

It’s often deserted due to its remote location and lack of on-site facilities, so you can have the clear waters and soft and fine sand all to yourself. En route to Turtle Beach, you’ll even catch a glimpse of an abandoned early nineteenth-century village that formerly belonged to the Chow clan. You can pick up food and water along the way in So Kwu Wan or Mo Tat Wan, but take all your trash with you to keep the beach clean and peaceful for our turtle friends.

How to get there:

1. Catch the ferry from Central Ferry Pier 4 to Sok Kwu Wan.
2. Head towards the left for Mo Tat Wan when exiting the pier.
3. From the stairs beside The Bay in Mo Tat Wan, it’s a half-hour to Yung Shue Ha Village.
4. Follow the sandy curve of Shek Pai Wan Beach in Yung Shue Ha Village.
5. At a fork in the road at Tung O Village, you should see a red emergency phone.
6. Take the path where the phone is and you’ll arrive at Sham Wan after 10 to 15 minutes.
7. Alternatively, you can catch a kaito to Mo Tat Wan from Aberdeen Pier.

Unlike Sham Wan, Turtle Cove Beach only has turtles in its name. Located by the picturesque Red Hill in Stanley, down the hill from Tai Tam Reservoir, Turtle Cove is an excellent alternative to the oft-crowded Stanley Main Beach. All you have to do is tackle a long, shaded flight of steps through dense bush and you’ll find yourself at this cosy cove.

While Turtle Cove is a small beach—only about 70 metres long—what it lacks in size it makes up for with clear turquoise water, rated at Grade 1 quality since 1998. You can see all the way down until you swim out to the deep end. There are shower facilities on-site, but no kiosk, so bring your own snacks and drinks especially if you want to light up the barbecue.

How to get there:

1. Take bus 14 from Sai Wan Ho or minibus 16X from Chai Wan Station.
2. Alight at Turtle Cove (Redhill Peninsula or Pak Pat Shan Road).
3. Walk along Tai Tam Road heading into Stanley.
4. Keep an eye out for the steep steps leading down to the beach.

Another quiet alternative to Stanley Main Beach and St Stephen’s Beach is Chung Hom Kok Beach, west of Stanley Market. You wouldn’t know it was there if not for the slightly dilapidated sign pointing the way down a narrow flight of steps, and the children’s playground built in an overgrown clearing is a surprising sight as well. There are barbecue pits and shower facilities, and on a good day, you’ll be the only one using them.

Chung Hom Kok is a quaint beach that looks out to Ocean Park in the northeast and Lamma Island on the northwest horizon, and it also has a Grade 1 water quality rating, though sightings of trash have been on the rise, so please be considerate if you’re catching some rays here. If you’ve brought some beers with you for sundowners, you could climb out on the boulders on either side of the beach for the perfect picture—just exercise caution!

How to get there:

1. Hop on bus 6, 6X, or 66 from Central or minibus 16A from Chai Wan.
2. Alight at Chung Hom Kok Beach stop.
3. Follow Chung Hom Kok Road down past the Royal Bay Houses.
4. Walk until you see a staircase on the left of the road.

Most people who aren’t Lantau locals (or don’t use Google) would not have heard of Tong Fuk Beach, just a stone’s throw away from the stunning stretch of cattle-friendly sand that is Cheung Sha Beach. Its waters are just as clear as Cheung Sha’s, the sand more interesting to look at with both white and black sand, and the famous wild herds of cattle also frequent Tong Fuk Beach. It’s mostly serenely deserted and is very clean and you’ll probably be the only sunseekers there! Basic facilities and barbecue pits are on site but you’ll have to go to nearby Tong Fuk Village for a meal or some drinks to take on the beach. Fancy staying overnight? There are hostels and vacation homes for rent in the village, too.

How to get here:

1. Catch bus 11 to Tai O or 23 to Ngong Ping from Tung Chung Station.
2. Alight at Tong Fuk Beach.

Trio Beach may be small, but it’s a gorgeous and clean beach nonetheless. Sunseekers head to Trio Beach for its seclusion, as it’s only accessible via a short hike or a sampan ride from Pak Sha Wan (Hebe Haven). The sand at Trio Beach is impossibly soft and you can almost forget that you’re in Hong Kong, save for the views of the HKUST campus, Clear Water Bay, and the on-site facilities, including (thankfully) a refreshment kiosk.

How to get here:

1. Hop on bus 792M to Sai Kung from Tseung Kwan O Station.
2. Alight at Tai Chung Hau bus stop.
3. Walk straight ahead until you reach Che Keng Tuk Road.
4. Keep heading towards Sai Kung International Pre-School.
5. Stay on the trail beside the school for 45 minutes until you see signs for Trio Beach.
6. Follow the signs until you reach the beach.
7. Alternatively, hire a sampan from the Hebe Haven pier.

Po Toi Island is by far the most inaccessible of the beaches on this list, with kaitos running only on specific days of the week and not at all frequently. It was once home to more than 1,000 fishermen, but now, only the unique rock carvings and a scattering of folks inhabit the island, as the younger generation abandoned the city for better job opportunities.

Po Toi Island is popular with junk partiers looking to grab a bite at the famous Ming Kee Seafood Restaurant, which also overlooks an idyllic stretch of sand where you can lay your towel down and sunbathe. Click here for our full guide to things to do on Po Toi.

How to get here:

1. Catch a ferry from Aberdeen on Tuesdays, Thursdays, weekends, and public holidays.
2. Alternatively, catch a ferry from Stanley on Sundays and public holidays.