Cheung Chau Island

Cheung Chau is a small, dumb-bell shaped island an hour from Hong Kong by ferry. It has a land mass of just over one square mile. While the ends of the dumbbell are quite hilly; the stretch of land connecting the two is low-lying. On one side of this strip of land is the village and the harbor filled with fishing boats of various sizes and colors. On the other side, a three-minute walk from the village, is the public beach.

Cheung Chau has been a fishing village for hundreds of years. The evidence suggest that people have been living on this island for over 2000 years. Like Mackinac Island in Michigan, no cars are allowed on Cheung Chau Island except for a few emergency vehicles, which are abnormally small in order to fit down the narrow streets. The ambulance we saw was so small it looked as if you would have to bend your knees in order to lay down in it.

With the exception of the main avenue, the island is made up of narrow little streets and alleyways that are lined with three-story shops and residences. Some of the streets are so narrow that if you stood on the second story balcony, you could reach across the street and shake hands with your neighbor.

Bethany Mission started twenty-five years ago as a retreat destination for missionaries and full-time Christian workers. Bethany’s desire is to provide a respite for missionaries, pastors, and other Christians who are in need of relaxation and rejuvenation. While they have recommended amounts, they work on a donation basis. Not only do they provide a continental breakfast, but all the guests have dinner together each night. The place is quaint, quiet, and impeccably maintained. Bethany is located in the hills above the village. It is a fairly steep, twenty-five minute climb up the paved path to get from the ferry to Bethany, but definitely worth the effort.

Bethany is only one of many buildings in the hills above Cheung Chau. Most of them appear to have been built in the 1920s and 1930s. Sunday, on our way to the beach, we wandered past a house that had obviously been abandoned for many years. We couldn’t resist the temptation to explore. While not overly big, it was obvious that this building had been the residence of some well-to-do people in its prime. It had multiple bathrooms, a large round window, arched doorways, and mosaic tile floors throughout. The veranda would have overlooked the ocean if the trees weren’t overgrown.

Julie’s paternal grandparents were missionaries to inland China in the 1920s, but they would often come to the coast for rest and relaxation. Julie got nostalgic imagining her grandparents in a place like this.

Back in town, the girls each bought themselves a souvenir after a lot of perusing.

Sunday night, we caught the 8:30 p.m. ferry back to Hong Kong.

-Jack