Tai O is just about as far away from the hassle and noise of Central Hong Kong and Kowloon as you can get!
Tai-O is about as far to the east as you can get in the Hong Kong territory - and it's so much east, that the border to China is just very close along the coastline - - - A few steps out in the water, - and you are in China - - -
Well, - now it is all China, but not so in 1996, when I explored Tai O, and enjoyed myself immensely by doing so - - -:-) :-) :-)
Tai O - far away from the tourist trail - keeps it safe from the bulk of the millions of Hong Kong tourists, who never get so far, - and that makes Tai O unspoiled,- and a truly great place to visit for the serious traveler.
It is a small island separated from Lantau island by a narrow stretch of water where the main village of Tai O is situated on both sides of the canal.
Tai O is a traditional fishing village, and most interesting is the houses on stilts on both sides of the canal, inhabited by the Tanka people,- fisher folks and decendants of Hong Kong's first settlers.
In this section, I have mostly concentrated on the village itself,- and not gone too much into details, simply because it would be too much. But there is a lot more - - -
Look at the surprise I have for you on the last page of the Tai O section!
It's "A Smugglers Tale" - and it was a very enjoyable experience for me to witness - - -
1996-06-055 - Houses on stilts - where the "Tanka" fishermen lives - - - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-068 - Tai O - the "Tanka" village - - (Photo and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-069 - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-070 - Heavy traffic in the sound that separates Tai O in two parts - one part on Lantau Island and the other half on a small island separated from Lentau - - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen) -
1996-06-070 - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-072 - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-073 - Flags up - - A celebration of some sort? (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-074 - Along the canal splitting Tai O - - - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-078 - Also there are land based houses and streets in Tai O - - Quite narrow streets though, - but with no cars - who cares? (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-080 - Here is a small altar - - - I think it serves to satisfy the local spirits, that live there from before the human beings decided to settle there - - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-081 - Canal life - - The most important "road" in the "Tanka" vilage of Tai O - - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-082 - Some sort of celebration??? - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-083 - The village of Tai O - also with modern stone and cement houses - - - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-084 - Here the hand drawn ferry that connects the two halves of Tai O - - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-085 - A view along the canal - - - Photographed from the ferry - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-086 - The hand oprated ferry - just before arrival to the other half of Tai O - - -(Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-087 - I think this is a water taxi - - - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-088 - Shopping in the main road of Tai O - - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-091 - View inside the village of Tai O - - - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-092 - A main road of Tai O - - A very small temple - - - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
This very small temple is the Tsan Lung She temple, - actually a Buddhist temple - and it's strange to find such a small Buddhist temple, - but Tai O is small - so why not?
1996-06-093 - A peep to the inside of the temple - - - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-094 - And here the doctor's office in village Tai O - - - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-095 - Here the end of the road and the canal through Tai O - - - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-096 - A look back into the canal and the village of Tai O - - - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-097 - A temple at the end of the path - - - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
This lovely, small temple is the Yeung Hau temple from 1699 - - - It does not look as if it is dedicated to the teachings of Buddha, but rather in honor of a person, that I do not know about - - -
1996-06-098 - The old Yeung Hau temple in a beautiful setting - - - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-099 - Looking back towards Tai O - from the temple - - - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
1996-06-100 - The Yeung Hau temple - - - (Photo- and copyright: Karsten Petersen)
Now please go tho the next page about Tai O - and see and experience more - - - Including a "Smugglers Tale" - - -
Enjoy - - -