Taipa is a whole other island, gained later by Portugal similar to the New Territories in Hong Kong by Britain. So much is crammed into so small a space that somehow just manages to fit, especially with regards to the Rua do Cunha and surrounding Taipa Village. It looks like a small area on a map, but the attractions within and around it can quickly eat up an afternoon. Again, I have Daisy to thank for helping me see more of the city than I ever would have by myself, and for

My understanding of Macau before I arrived was that it was a former Portuguese colony and a gambling destination. On arrival, one of these seemed to vastly outstrip the other. On reflection, I would argue that preservation is a quieter activity that is easily overshadowed. Before I even discuss the city, I must advise you not to take the ferry to Macau. I was recommended it because the bridge was meant to be boring, but all I saw through the frosted windows was a choppy sea t

On Lamma Island, things take a long time to change. People are content with the equilibrium between expat and local, land and sea, and as such there is little appetite for change. In fact, it is likely the reason the island remains as popular as it is for people – particularly westerners – looking to escape the city. I first wrote about Lamma Island in my very first travel diary, all the way back in 2017. I was almost out of money after the aborted six month stay in the Car

Wherever you go in Hong Kong, you will see shrines. Small, squeezed into corners of the city of tucked against walls so people don’t trip over them; in shops and backrooms, in the houses of particularly pious people. The dedicated monasteries and temples of course require more space than retrofitting will allow, and so you must make a greater effort to visit places further afield. Up near Tsuen Wan, tucked away in a valley at the foothills of Tai Mo Shan, the tallest mountain

There’s a saying about how the journey, not the destination, is the most valuable part of the experience. It makes sense in some cases more than others: nobody enjoys sitting in a cramped aeroplane seat for 12 hours. In this case, the journey was entirely the point. I had intended to do the walk in reverse - Mui Wo to Discovery Bay – but the ferry to the latter was leaving earlier, so I started there instead. From the moment you see the pier at Central with its own 7/11 and

I was looking for an urban location I hadn’t visited before and settled on Tai Po. For those of you who are unaware or don’t remember, there was a tragic fire at a residential building a few months ago. More than a hundred people died, from the very young to the very old. One of my dance partners who lives in Tai Po had an exhausting week volunteering to help those affected. She broke into tears during a rehearsal after receiving a message, although I didn’t pry further to fi