Fancy a chill stroll, local delicacies, and kite flying over the holidays? Head over to Grass Island for a breath of fresh air! Known as Tap Mun in Cantonese, this tiny island off the coast of Sai Kung is famous for its scenic campsites.
You could take the ferry over from the Ma Liu Shui pier next to the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, which is within walking distance from the MTR University Station. There are very limited shuttles to and from Tap Mun every day, with each trip taking well over an hour, so you will need to plan your stay pretty well beforehand. Remember to turn off 3G once you board the ferry, since your phone might start fetching roaming data from China Telecom!
There is, interestingly, public housing estates in Tap Mun, with inhabitants running restaurants serving some mouth watering Chinese seafood cuisines, as well as selling some quaint snacks like roasted cuttlefish, preserved tangerines and sweet potatoes, which I promise you just can't stop chewing on. The douhua is absolutely refreshing, and you can even bring some soup making ingredients home and discover the domestic goddess within!
After a casual walk around the island, ogling at the churches and temples, you will see lots of campers as you hike up to the highest point of the island, which I assure you is a breeze to walk through. This campsite certainly has the best and cheapest harbour view in Hong Kong, and lots of people would come around during the day for kite flying. Kites are available for purchase in the wee shops on the island, but you can always flaunt your creativity by making your own!
On your way out, you can head back to the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Shatin, which is the Chinese University Hong Kong's Hotel and Tourism Department Training Centre situated right next to the MTR University Station, for the yummy dim sum buffet, which I heard is quite a good deal.