Lantau Island facts for kids
Lantau Island (sometimes called Lantao Island or Lan Tau) is the biggest island in Hong Kong. It's located west of Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula, and it's part of the New Territories. Most of Lantau Island belongs to the Islands District of Hong Kong, with a small part in the northeast belonging to the Tsuen Wan District.
Lantau Island used to be home to quiet fishing villages. But since the late 1900s, it has grown a lot! Major projects like the Lantau Link (1997), Hong Kong International Airport (1998), Hong Kong Disneyland (2005), and Ngong Ping 360 (2006) have transformed it. A new town called Tung Chung was also built on its northwestern coast.
Geography of Lantau Island
Lantau is the largest island in Hong Kong, covering about 147 square kilometers. That's almost twice the size of Hong Kong Island!
Most of Lantau Island is covered in mountains. The highest point on the island is Lantau Peak, which stands at 934 meters. It's the second-highest mountain in all of Hong Kong, right after Tai Mo Shan. Other tall mountains include Sunset Peak (869 meters), Lin Fa Shan (766 meters), Nei Lak Shan (751 meters), and Yi Tung Shan (747 meters).
People often call Lantau Island "the lungs of Hong Kong." This is because it has lots of natural forests and not many tall buildings, unlike Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. The island is home to Hong Kong's largest country park, Lantau South Country Park, along with two other parks: Lantau North Country Park and its extension. These parks cover more than half of Lantau Island!
The Shek Pik Reservoir is the third-largest freshwater reservoir in Hong Kong. It was finished in 1963 and can hold a huge amount of water – about 24.5 million cubic meters.
The very southwestern tip of Hong Kong's land territory is called Fan Lau Kok, located at the end of the Fan Lau Peninsula. A small island nearby, called Peaked Hill, marks the westernmost point of Hong Kong's land.
People and Communities
Lantau Island doesn't have a very high population compared to other parts of Hong Kong. People live in different communities spread across the island, each with its own unique feel.
When the Hong Kong International Airport opened in 1998 at Chek Lap Kok (an island connected to Lantau), it brought a lot of growth to northwestern Lantau. The quiet village of Tung Chung became a new town. Now, it's home to over 45,000 people living in tall apartment buildings near the airport. The nearby Yat Tung Estate houses many more people, mostly in public housing. In the future, the population of the North Lantau New Town is expected to grow to over 200,000 people on reclaimed land stretching from Tung Chung to Tai Ho Wan.
Discovery Bay
Discovery Bay is a private residential area on the southeastern coast of Lantau. It's known for having residents from over 30 different countries, making it a diverse community.
Villages
Other communities on Lantau Island include Mui Wo, Tai O, Tong Fuk, Sha Lo Wan, Pui O, Luk Keng Village, Nim Shue Wan Village, Pak Mong, San Shek Wan, and The Sea Ranch.
What's in a Name?
The name Lantau Island comes from the old local name for Lantau Peak, which was 爛頭 (Laahn tàuh), meaning "Rotten Head." The island's Chinese name, 大嶼山 (Dà yǔ shān), is sometimes written as Tai Yu Shan. In the past, the island was also known by names like Tai Hai Shan, Tai Kai Shan, Tai Yi Shan, and Tuen Mun Island.
Island History
People have lived on Lantau Island for a very long time! Ancient artifacts have been found here, including rock carvings at Shek Pik from the Bronze Age, and a stone circle at Fan Lau likely from the Neolithic Age. Both of these old sites are on the southwestern coast of the island.
Lantau Island was often shown on old maps because it was close to an important sea route in South China.
In 1276, the Southern Song dynasty royal family fled to Guangdong by boat to escape Mongol invaders. The resistance was led by two young princes. The older prince, Zhao Shi, became Emperor Duanzong at age nine. In 1277, the royal court found safety first in Silvermine Bay (Mui Wo) on Lantau Island, and later in Kowloon City. The older brother got sick and died, and his younger brother Zhao Bing became emperor at age seven. He died in 1279, which marked the end of the Song dynasty. It's believed these emperors also stayed in the Tung Chung valley, which is named after a local hero who sacrificed his life for the emperor.
Lantau Island and Tuen Mun were among the first places where European traders, specifically the Portuguese, set up settlements in the Pearl River area in the 1510s. The Portuguese left these settlements around 1517 after battles with Chinese troops. Later, the island became an important trading spot for the British, even before they became interested in Hong Kong Island.
In the early 16th century, there were nine settlements on the island. The island was emptied for about ten years due to the "Great Clearance" policy, but people were allowed to return in 1669. Five villages were resettled: Tai O, Tung Sai Chung, Lo Pui O, Shek Pik, and Mui Wo.
Salt was illegally made on Lantau Island. When Chinese rulers found out in the 16th century, many islanders were put to death.
Lantau was once a hideout for pirates and smugglers, including the famous pirate Cheung Po Tsai in the 19th century. A mineral called galena (which contains lead and silver) was mined in Mui Wo until the 19th century.
During World War II, Lantau Island was a key place for resistance against the Japanese. The resistance fighters used the island's forests and deep valleys to set up ambushes and move supplies. They continued fighting until the Japanese occupation ended in 1945.
In 2000, Lantau Island became an important base for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe project and the Asia-Pacific Cable Network. These projects help connect Hong Kong to the rest of the world through the internet.
Fun Places to Visit
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Ngong Ping
The Ngong Ping Plateau is home to the Po Lin Monastery and its vegetarian restaurant. You can also see the huge 26-meter-tall bronze Tian Tan Buddha statue, also known as the "Giant Buddha." It used to be the world's largest outdoor seated bronze Buddha statue! You can hike up to the monastery from Tung Chung in about two hours. Or, you can take a fun 25-minute ride on the Ngong Ping 360 cable car from Tung Chung to the Ngong Ping Plateau. Ngong Ping 360 is a whole experience, combining the 5.7-kilometer cable car journey with a cultural village and easy access to the Giant Buddha.
Tai O Fishing Village
Tai O is a fishing village in northwestern Lantau that is more than 300 years old. Visitors love to see its unique stilt houses, called pang uk. Some of these houses have been repaired after a fire in 2000 and damage from strong typhoons. Even with these changes, Tai O still feels very historic with its waterways, stilt houses, and fishing boats, all set against a beautiful mountainous background. You can find traditional Chinese foods here like salted fish and local shrimp paste.
Tung Chung Fort
Tung Chung Fort was built in 1817 to protect the coast from pirates. It has six old cannons and walls made of granite. During World War II, the Japanese army took over the fort. In 1979, it was recognized as a historical monument of Hong Kong and was fixed up in 1988. The ruins of the Tung Chung Battery, another historical monument, are also nearby.
Trappist Haven Monastery
The Trappist Haven Monastery is located at Tai Shui Hang on the east coast of Lantau Island. It's home to Roman Catholic monks and is about halfway between Mui Wo and Discovery Bay. The Trappist monks came to Hong Kong from Beijing in the 1800s.
Hong Kong Disneyland
Hong Kong Disneyland is on the northeastern part of the island, about two kilometers from Discovery Bay. It opened on September 12, 2005, on a huge area of reclaimed land in Penny's Bay. This big project includes a Disney theme park, three hotels, and places to shop, eat, and have fun. It even has its own train line that connects to the Sunny Bay MTR station.
Exploring Nature
More than half of Lantau Island is made up of national parks, with many well-marked hiking trails. The most famous is the Lantau Trail, which is 70 kilometers long and has 12 sections. Section 11 of the Lantau Trail starts near Ngong Ping 360 and goes to South Lantau Road at Pui O. Along this 3-kilometer path, hikers can enjoy beautiful stone steps and thick woodlands. The national parks also have campsites and youth hostels. Lantau's longest beach is Cheung Sha, and one of its most popular hikes is to Sunset Peak, which is the third-highest peak in Hong Kong.
Animals and Plants
You might be able to spot Chinese white dolphins, often called pink dolphins, off the coast of Lantau. A marine park, the Southwest Lantau Marine Park, is being planned to help protect these special dolphins. In the southern parts of Lantau Island, local people use oyster fields and grow lemon and tangerine trees to make preserved fruits. There are also wild water buffaloes living in Mui Wo and Pui O. The entire southern part of Lantau Island has a healthy and diverse natural environment.
Correctional Facilities
There are several correctional facilities (prisons) on Lantau Island, including Chi Ma Wan Correctional Institution, Chi Sun Correctional Institution, Ma Mo Ping Prison, Tong Fuk centre, Sha Tsui Detention Centre, and the maximum security Shek Pik Prison.
Getting Around Lantau
Airport
The Hong Kong International Airport (HKG/HKIA) opened in July 1998 on Chek Lap Kok island, which is connected to Lantau. It's located off the north coast of Lantau, near the new town of Tung Chung. The airport is connected to Hong Kong's main urban areas by the Lantau Link, which includes the Kap Shui Mun Bridge, the Ma Wan Viaduct, and the Tsing Ma Bridge.
Trains
The airport also has a fast train connection to the rest of Hong Kong called the Airport Express. This was built in the 1990s when the new airport was being constructed. The journey from Central, Hong Kong's business district, to the airport takes about 23 minutes. You can also reach Tung Chung by train on the Tung Chung line of the MTR. The Disneyland Resort line branches off the Tung Chung line at Sunny Bay station, taking you directly to Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.
Boats and Ferries
You can get to Lantau using ferry services provided by Sun Ferry. Ferries travel between Mui Wo and Central, taking about 30 to 50 minutes. There's also a 24-hour ferry service that connects Pier 3 in Central to Discovery Bay in about 25 minutes.
There are also smaller ferry services that link Lantau to nearby islands and the mainland. These ferries, called kai-tos, offer scheduled trips. For example, they connect Nim Shue Wan (near Discovery Bay) and Mui Wo on Lantau to Peng Chau Island, with a stop at the Trappist Haven Monastery. Other services link Peng Chau, Mui Wo, Chi Ma Wan, and Cheung Chau Island. Another route connects Tuen Mun, Tung Chung, Sha Lo Wan, and Tai O.
You can also travel between islands by walla walla, which are traditional water taxis, often from nearby Cheung Chau Island.
Road Travel
On Lantau Island, you can travel by taxi or bus. The New Lantao Bus company provides most of the bus services on the island. You can take a bus from Mui Wo pier to places like Tai O and Po Lin Monastery. Some of the roads and bridges were built in the 1990s during the airport construction.
In Hong Kong, there are three types of taxis. Red taxis serve city areas, green taxis serve the New Territories, and taxis on Lantau Island are blue! All three types of taxis can pick up passengers at the Airport and Tung Chung. However, only the blue taxis can take passengers to other places on Lantau Island. There are 75 blue taxis serving the Lantau Island area.
The roads in the southern part of Lantau Island can be quite challenging because they are narrow, hilly, and sometimes don't have safety barriers. Since February 2016, private car owners who want to drive on these roads need a special temporary permit. These permits are limited and only available on weekdays, from 8 AM to 7 PM. Residents of these areas can get a permanent permit.
Cable Car
The Ngong Ping 360 is a gondola lift located on Lantau, operated by the MTR. It opened on September 18, 2006, and offers a 5.7-kilometer, 20-minute cable car ride between Tung Chung and Ngong Ping.
Learning on Lantau
Most of Lantau Island is part of Primary One Admission (POA) School Net 98. This net includes several government-aided primary schools on Lantau, with two in Tung Chung. There are no government primary schools in this net.
Northeast Lantau Island is in POA School Net 62, which covers schools in Tsuen Wan and nearby areas. This net has many aided schools and one government school, Hoi Pa Street Government Primary School.
Discovery Bay, Nim Shue Wan, and Tai Pak Wan are in POA School Net 99. This net includes two aided schools: SKH Wei Lun Primary School in Discovery Bay and Holy Family School in Peng Chau. There are no government primary schools in this net.
Discovery Bay International School and Discovery College are private schools in Discovery Bay that teach both boys and girls.
Future Plans for Lantau
The government has plans to develop Lantau Island further. A group called the Lantau Development Advisory Committee (LanDAC) was formed to give advice on how the island could grow. Their first report, called "Space for All," suggested turning Lantau Island into a "metropolis" that could house between 700,000 and 1,000,000 people. It also proposed creating a new business center and a tourism hub. The plans include building new land by reclaiming it from the sea on the north shore of the island, and adding new highways and railways. In 2018, the "Lantau Tomorrow Vision" was announced, which aims to create even more islands on the east coast of Lantau.
Images for kids
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Overall view of Lantau Island, seen from the southeast
See also
In Spanish: Isla Lantau para niños
