Top Tips for Relocating to Lantau Island

Lantau Island is often referred to as the Lung of Hong Kong, and rightly so, as over 70% of the island is covered in thick, verdant forests with over 50% designated as a national park. Lantau's residential areas are split mainly between north and south, with the north far more built up and the south more laid back. Firstly, you’ll need to decide on which of these lines you sit. MTR but high-rises or buses and beaches. 

Probably the best pool in all of Hong Kong

Tung Chung is Lantau Island’s biggest town, with the New Town as it stands now being completed in the late 1990s. The most striking feature of Tung Chung is the lofty towers of the Caribbean Coast development, which consist of 15, 65-storey towers locked between the Lantau highway and the airport. Rents for a 3-bed Tung Chung Property in the Caribbean Coast estate currently sit around $24k per month, mostly due to the allowance provided by Cathay to their cabin crew of $8k each. Parking does not come with the rent, so expect to pay upwards of $4k a month for a space. 

Tung Chung has all the amenities you could hope for. There are world class hiking trails on your doorstep, easy access to the airport via bus and taxi–or foot if you’re feeling brave–a 7 storey outlet mall called Citygate which includes a cinema and lots of great restaurants, independent eateries, parks, a skatepark, and if you decide to live in Caribbean Coast, you also have access to the largest swimming pool by area in Hong Kong. 

Sister town to Tung Chung, and some say rivals, is Discovery Bay, which is a private community consisting of only about 20,000 residents, with over 50% of those being expats. Discovery Bay South has a plaza as a focal point surrounded by shops, a great bar called the Three Sheets, and a newly built mall which houses an ice rink. There is also an eye-waveringly expensive ferry from Discovery Bay to Hong Kong Island which runs approximately every 20 minutes.

Discovery Bay's North Plaza beach.

Discovery Bay North, or DB North for short, is quieter but has a better selection of restaurants and a non-government gazetted beach, which means you're allowed to have fun on it. Rental prices are now a little lower than those of Tung Chung but the cost of living in DB is higher due to it being private land and the owners taking a share of the revenue from the shops. 

South Lantau is beautiful. The towns are split into Mui Wo on the right, to Tai O on the left, with Pui O, Cheung Cha and Tong Fuk nestled in the middle. A move to South Lantau is only really viable if you have a driver’s license and access to a car. There are buses but tourists commonly use these to access Ngong Ping–The Big Buddha–so they are often full by the time they reach Cheung Sha and Tong Fuk. What you lose in convenience, you gain in a very relaxed way of life with stunning nature at your disposal. Property on South Lantau is mostly the standard 700sqft house, divided into apartments, with the top floor and the roof being the most popular and therefore the most expensive. You can also choose an area like Leyburn Villas, which is a popular choice amongst pilots. 

If you’re looking for beaches, buffalo and banks, Mui Wo is your best bet. There is a lively community with excellent bars (The China Beach Club and The China Bear) and great restaurants (The Kitchen, Southside and Baan Ro) to whet your gastronomic whistle.  Wherever you choose to make your home, I'm sure Lantau Island will make you very happy.

If you’re in need of a great property agent who lives on South Lantau and knows her stuff, consider Karen Wong from Aria Property. 

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