Tai O

Tai O

12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
About
Lovely little fishing village with many shops and seafood. Take a boat ride for lovely scenery or take a walk up the mountain to see the White Chinese Dolhins swim.
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  • I Z
    Brussels, Belgium91 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Definitely worths a visit!
    It was the highlight of our Lantau Island day trip. We reached it by bus from the Big Buddha. Make sure to walk all the way to western edge of the promenade where the Tai O Heritage Hotel is located. There are many street food vendors in Tai O, but we fell for an old couple much further from the village's center and close to the Hung Shing temple, that were selling fishballs but also grilled dry fish! Exquisite!!!
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written February 16, 2024
  • mfilcol2014
    Lisbon, Portugal2,034 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting
    Typical Chinese fishing village. Interesting visit but nothing special. Opportunity to see the stilt houses and the huge number of dried fish stalls for sale. Can be reached by Bus 21 from Ngong Ping. If you want to see a different way of life than usual, you should visit, but don't expect any wonders
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written April 16, 2024
  • Caroline C
    16 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Magic
    Magic!!! Arriving just to spend the afternoon we were so charmed that we decided to spend the night in the village at the heritage hotel!!! The village is typical, calm and has preserved its authenticity!!! To do during the week because there are too many tourists at the weekend. A real change of scenery which contrasts with the very urban Hong Kong.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written April 16, 2024
  • stephane g
    France561 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    a typical lakeside fishing village
    after the climb to the giant Buddha, we take the bus and go back down to Tai O Fishing Village. A typical village of bricks and jugs on stilts. A mix of small, local restaurants working to the rhythm of the fisheries. We did not take the motorized boat ride, the walk in the village allows the same views
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written May 1, 2024
  • Fred
    Kloten, Switzerland285 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    To do after visiting the Big Buddha
    I recommend doing it after visiting the Big Buddha. We take the bus from the Big Buddha which takes us 30 minutes to drop us off at the entrance to the village. Pretty little typical fishing village, a few shops and small restaurants. Nice to walk around and a change of scenery. We took the boat tour, an activity that the children really enjoyed.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written June 12, 2024
  • Ug O
    17 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Explore the walkways over the river and the little passageways at your own pace.
    We visited this traditional fishing village in Tai O via bus, which we boarded at Big Buddha. This is a simple add-on to a vacation to Lantau Island and unquestionably a must see. This location blends historic structures on land with traditional stilt dwellings on the river.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written August 22, 2024
  • Krazz
    Melbourne, Australia213 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful little village, another side to Hong Kong
    I am glad I visited this place as it shows a different side to Hong Kong. We visited this place while visiting the Big Buddha as it was short bus ride away from Ngong Ping. The village is quite small so you can easily cover it on foot in half a day. There are boat tours you can take on the water. I simply walked around the village and tried different foods. It was nice to take some quiet time out here to relax. There is a pier here so you can take a ferry back to Tung Chung if you wish to return back to city on MTR.
    Visited September 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written September 12, 2024
  • Ben King
    London, United Kingdom348 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    To see the other side of HK
    Tai O is a small fishing village on Lantau Island. Most people visit the island to see the Buddha, so you may as well add Tai O onto your itinerary as it is only a 10 minute bus (number 21) journey away. You really see the other side of Hong Kong, the built up houses on the water, the fishing boats, and the markets selling dried out fish (and a lot of it at that). It also seemed like there were a few bars too, though we went on a Monday and a lot of places were closed. Last thing, I would recommend NOT doing the boat tours. When you get there, various stalls sell 20 minute or 45 boat tours, all through the same company. They advertise it as a chance to see pink dolphins, though sightings are incredibly rare. It’s basically just a drive round the island, which really wasn’t worth it.
    Visited September 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written September 16, 2024
  • James G
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Unique experience in HK
    Tai O was my amazing experience from my visit to Hong Kong. It was great to experience between the fishing village and modern city. It is a small village however it's unique and worth to spend a day at Tai O. Ferry is better option for sightseeing.
    Visited December 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written December 10, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles1,744 reviews
Excellent
752
Very good
700
Average
213
Poor
61
Terrible
18

Michael T
Singapore, Singapore3,137 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Couples
We'd visited Tai O recently on a Thursday afternoon. The same Thursday that parts of Hong Kong were badly affected by the heavy rain storm.

To get to Tai O, we took the MTR train to Tung Chung, then walked a short distance to the bus terminal to board bus 11.

It was probably the most scenic bus ride I had taken in Hong Kong, passing through narrow, rolling country roads with views out to the sea.

Weather wise it was a cloudy day, with slight drizzle as we arrived at Tai O. Surprisingly not crowded at all. A lot of the shops were closed that day.

One thing which impressed me the most was the public toilet at Tai O. It was so clean and looked like it had been recently renovated.

We took a boat ride out to the bay area and round the stilt houses in the fishing village. Weather was quite foggy. We didn't spot any dolphins.

The boat ride was HKD 50 per person. But when we crossed the short bridge another boat company quoted a little less at HKD 40 for the same boat ride. Based on my observation the first boat company got most of the business as they were at the right spot to capture the tourists attention.

After the boat ride we took a walk along the main street, passing the coast to the heritage hotel. It was a relaxing day at Tai O.
Written September 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brigette
Australia549 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023 • Family
Staycation at Auberge and wanted to visit Tai O since hadn’t been for a decade. Choice of spending 1.5hr on busses and transits, versus $270hkd via blue taxis one way. We picked taxi since there were a few of us and turned out to be great choice. After some very windy roads we reached Tai O. Avoid visiting on Wednesdays since most shops are closed. The place is a lot cleaner than a decade ago and they really cleaned up the waterways and streets. Roads are well marked and can wander around without getting lost. Must try the street foods, like giant fish balls, Chinese donuts, charcoaled toasted egg waffles and the milk custard / tofu desserts. Nice layback environment and nice locals. just be streetwise when in crowds (politely declined offers to take pics with my iPhone…maybe I am paranoid) . Do go up to Fu Shan Lookout at sunset and also to heritage hotel and see those bullet holes and enjoy the ghost stories…
Written January 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MsMkonnichiwa
Sydney, Australia270 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2021 • Couples
As many others have said, this is a very different place, well off the beaten path. We took the MTR to Tung Chung then the clearly marked and organised bus to Tai O. We went on a Sunday and didn’t have to wait for a bus in either direction. The bus ride is a bit twisty, but wasn’t too long, and the terminal had decent loos. the village was easy to get around, noting locals biking through the streets pretty regularly, and despite it being a Sunday, it wasn’t very crowded.
It also wasn’t nearly as smelly as we’d expected, and after a nice walk up the small hike to see the Macau bridge, we had a tasty and affordable meal at one of the restaurants. It was about $90 per dish of tasty and fresh meals, Wnglish menu and English speaking staff.
After lunch we waited in the queue at the Tai O bakery for their famous donuts hot out of the vat, bought some lovely cards make by a local artist in her gallery, and walked along the river through the “outskirts” I guess you’d call it.
The housing is super interesting, and each one is unique. I was both fascinated but mindful that these were people’s homes.
When we got back to the bus terminal, there was a long queue but it moved very quickly, as buses were back to back, taking people back to either Tung Chung, or via the gondola.
Overall, a very nice, affordable day out to see a unique part of HK.
Written February 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SoleDrifter
Hong Kong, China44 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Friends
Nestled in the western coast of Lantau Island, this is a must visit if you are in Hong Kong (travelling, living or otherwise visiting).
Getting there - we chose the ferry from Tung Chung Pier (HKD32.5 per Adult). Ferry is a great way to experience the scenic views of the island by sea. You can alternatively go via bus or taxi as well.
Things to Do - As soon as you land, I would recommend taking a walk around the pier, it has breath taking views of the sea and the surrounding hills.
Next head to the main market, where you will find a large selection of sea food both fresh and cooked into tasty snacks which are a must try while you explore the village.
Lunch @Fuk Moon Lam, it’s a Chinese restaurant with a wide selection of amazing mouth watering food. Try the shrimp and the fish (though there is plenty of red meat to choose from as well).
For a quick evening bite enjoy the local waffles and egg balls. Though everyone lines up @uncle’s for the egg balls (be prepared to stand for an hour in a queue). Trust me after the long wait they were not worth it. I would recommend the ones from a stall nearby which had a wider selection and was much quicker.
Now onward for some coffee admits the scenic views @solo cafe. The coffee here is amazing... ask for some Jameson (not on the menu, got to ask the nice gentleman who owns the joint, he is more than happy to accommodate) to make the experience a bit more Irish specially on a cold evening.
Recommend you sit at the tables facing the stretch of water flowing through the village. Alternatively, you an opt for @tripplelanterns cafe, spotted the cafe from across the river, couldn’t check it out as we were heading back)
There are also some wonderful temples and a lot of culture to see and absorb here so make sure you give yourself the day by starting early.
Heading Back - it’s time to go... if you want to take the last ferry (which is around six) make sure you take the ticket once you land as seats are limited and sell out quickly.
We took the bus back. It gave us a chance to stay a bit longer and experience to beautiful sunset views. The queue for the bus may seem long but is fast moving and you will be boarded sooner than you think (bus 11 dropped us back to the terminus adjacent to city gates mall)
P.S. if going in winter make sure to dress in warm clothes (the wind chill is nasty and you are sure to shiver as the wind gains momentum during the evening)
Hope you enjoy your visit as much as I did #soledrifter #hongkonglife
Written January 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Matthew
New York City, NY41 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
An interesting choice. I think if you're from Hong Kong, it's definitely worth a trip, but if you're visiting on a holiday and you have limited time, not sure it's worth the trip.

A lot of the value of coming here is to contextualize how far/different Hong Kong is now compared to its roots. There are a couple of nice things to buy here, including some traditional ingredients like seafood and shrimp paste. It is also connected to several hiking paths.

My suggestion would be to come in the winter.

BTW the most common way to get here is to go to the Tung Chung MTR station, then take the giant bus that everyone is lining up for.
Written June 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Shalli Ang
Singapore, Singapore757 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Family
we took bus 21 from Ngong Ping village to the Tai Po. Tried the 20mins dolphin sightseeing boat ride at HKD 40 and managed to catch a quick sight of the white dolphin.
We walked around the street near the canal and tried the many local snacks.
Going back to Hong Kong central was another long ride on the public bus and transfer onto MTR.
Written December 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Christine W
98 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Solo
Tai O was my favorite experience from my visit to Hong Kong. It was great to get out of the city center and see the contrast of architecture and history of the fishing village. It's a very small village, take your time walking through and take the 20 minute boat tour. To get there use the ferry from Tung Chung. I took a taxi there because I didn't check the ferry schedule in advance and didn't want to wait 2 hours for the next ferry, but I took the ferry back and would recommend the ferry both ways.
Written January 5, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Helen Barclay
Singapore, Singapore88 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Couples
We loved this little place although as independent travellers that like to avoid organised tours getting there and back took some planning. We went on a short boat trip that showed us some of the stilted village then out to sea to look for the dolphins. Unfortunately, they didn't come to play for us :(

We enjoyed wandering around the streets and unlike other similar places we've been to, we didn't feel targeted as tourists to buy things. Be prepared for the fishy smell - they sell a lot of dried fish and fish products, but then that's their way of life!

We did sit and have drinks in one cafe beside the river. The staff (all the same family) were very friendly and gave us books to look at that told us the story of the village. It felt like a privilege to see a little bit of their world.

We got the ferry back but luckily for us, a boatman told us to be at the pier 30 minutes before departure. The ferries run every 2 hours but are quite small and can be delayed or cancelled if the weather's bad. There must have been at least 30 people queuing that couldn't get onto our ferry, so it's probably wise to either turn up early and wait, or have a Plan B!
Written November 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

1968Monkey
Hobart, Australia67 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019
I have visited Tai O several times now, and it is always on my to-do list when visiting Hong Kong, especially if I am making my way over to Lantau Island, which I have done the last 3 times I have been there. My favourite eating place is the Crossing Boat Restaurant and I go there fairly exclusively so I cant recommend any other eateries in the village. I have stayed once at Espace Elastique and I can highly recommend this accommodation and their customer service was fabulous and I am so grateful for the time we turned up late but they were there waiting for us (we did call in advance to explain we would be late due to getting our hiking times wrong, we did think we would be there on time). Walking through the tiny streets is like going back in time, and Tai O has some river cruises that you can take if you want to explore further. If you are heading to Ngong Ping to see the Giant Buddha for the day, there are buses that can take you down to Tai O and back, doesn't take long, and it will worth your while to do.
Written March 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

crawford g
Aberdeen, UK1,831 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Couples
This is a truly amazing place for a day out on Lantau. The bus ride in is a true thrill itself and really makes a great start.
The heritage village is amazing and you feel it is genuine. The river houses on stilts reminded me of Sarawak, and the pace of life is a million miles from Hong-Kong city.
This is a wonderful day out.
Written February 4, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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