Things to Do in Asia

The fishing village of Tai O, located on the western coast of Lantau Island, is known for its traditional culture and seafaring way of life. Once a bustling trade port, the village features stilt houses, seafood markets, and graded buildings that provide insight into a Hong Kong of the past, while its street food, cafes, and wildlife-watching boat tours keep it a popular destination  today.

The Basics

Gain comprehensive insight into Lantau on a tour that visits Tai O alongside other island attractions, including the Big Buddha and Ngong Ping 360. To really keep things hassle free, opt for a coach or private driver; you can also explore the scenic trails of Tai O and beyond on a hiking or walking tour. Optimize your chances of seeing wildlife, including this area’s famous Chinese white dolphins, on a tour that includes a boat trip from Tai O.

Things to Know Before You Go

• Tai O’s unique architecture, culture, and wildlife make it a must for wildlife lovers, photographers, and anyone interested in the territory’s history.
  
• Tours that offer round-trip transfers are the best bet for wheelchair-users, as the accessibility of public transport in the area can’t be guaranteed. Most local boat tours, for instance, aren’t wheelchair-accessible.
  
• Remember to bring cash and small change for the markets and street food stalls.
  

How to Get There

Tours that offer round-trip transfer are typically the most time-efficient way to visit the village. Bus no. 11 serves Tai O from Tung Chung, but that can take well over an hour. Visitors visiting by ferry can take bus no. 1 from Mui Wo Pier on the east side of the island, though this can take up to two hours. Bus no. 21 from Ngong Ping, which takes around 20 minutes, is the preferred route of most tours.

When to Get There

Tai O’s shops and stalls tend to close on rainy days. Weekends, meanwhile, can get very crowded in the village as locals and tourists pack the streets, so aim to visit on a clear weekday. Additionally, Tai O’s sunset views are considered some of the best on the island. Take advantage of tours that offer dinner by dusk—it’s a thoroughly relaxing experience.

Overnight in Tai O

Most people visit Tai O for just a few hours, but nightfall tends to bring an even deeper sense of calm to the picturesque village. For a relatively small area, Tai O is home to a fair range of hotels, hostels, and B&Bs; far from the skyscrapers and city traffic, overnight visitors can gain an entirely different perspective of life in Hong Kong.

Rabindranath Tagore, India’s most celebrated poet and the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in literature, was born and raised in a yellow mansion in the north of Kolkata (Calcutta) in 1861. His family mansion, built in 1784, now serves as a memorial of his life and work. The university surrounding the Tagore House is now the epicenter for classical Indian fine arts.

The Tagore House, now part of the Rabindra Bharati University Campus, is filled with photographs of the poet, including one with Albert Einstein, as well as paintings by his family members and memorabilia from his life. Quotations from some of Tagore’s most inspiring works adorn the walls. While the maintenance on the home leaves something to be desired, it’s still well worth a visit to gain a better understanding of one of India’s most influential cultural figures.

Be prepared to remove your shoes before entering the home, and keep your cameras tucked away; photography isn’t allowed.

Modeled after the oldest and largest Confucius temple in the philosopher’s hometown in Shangdong, China, the Taipei Confucius Temple displays all the characteristics of traditional Chinese temple architecture, including intricately carved wooden pillars, brightly painted roof tiles and sculptures. Unlike other Chinese temples, the Taipei Confucius Temple houses no likenesses of Confucius and bears no inscriptions. According to local legend, no one can match the literary prowess of Confucius, making inscriptions inauspicious.

The temple was originally built during the Qing Dynasty but was subsequently demolished during the Japanese occupation. The temple as it stands today was erected in 1930, though it briefly served as a Shinto shrine during World War II until Taiwan was given back to the Republic of China government in 1945.

Each year on September 28, the temple hosts a festival commemorating Confucius’ birthday with music, chanting, burning of incense and a large feast. If you’re interested in attending the event, buy your tickets early as they always sell out.

The historic monuments of Taiwan’s oldest city, Tainan, make a great alternative to the skyscrapers of Taipei. Settled by the Chinese in 1590, Tainan was used by the Dutch as a trading center in the mid-17th century before being taken by the Chinese again, who long used it as the island’s capital.

Traces of all these phases are evident throughout the city. Must-see sites include Anping Fort and Chikan Towers, both originally Dutch fortresses, and the Eternal Golden Castle, built by the Chinese for the same purpose.

Tainan is also renowned for its elegant temples, including the extensive Zhuxi complex with its serene pagodas and sentry elephants, and the calm oasis of the Confucius Temple.