Wonder how Tung Ping Chau got its unique look? This crescent-shaped island has a fascinating history. It boasts unique land formations. It will make you question if you are still in Hong Kong.
Welcome to Ping Chau Hoi. The eastern inner shore of this island hugs Ping Chau Hoi. “Ping Chau” means “flat island” in Chinese. The island is part of the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark.
Aeons ago, a volcanic super-eruption occurred. Deposits thickened and compressed. This formed the geological wonder we see today. That eruption was one of about 50 supervolcanoes. Now, Tung Ping Chau is home to scenic landscapes.
Once, Tung Ping Chau was a thriving fishing community. But since the early 1970s, it has been mostly abandoned. Only a couple of restaurants are open for tourists on weekends.
During the Cultural Revolution, people from mainland China swam here. They hoped to escape turmoil. Smugglers also used it as an enclave. Guns and opium found their way into China. This happened when commercial ties were cut off.
Ping Chau has villages like Sha Tau. It is something of a ghost town now. Many cottages are boarded up. Nature reclaims them slowly. A large part of the island is country parkland. Footpaths are overgrown with orchids.
Ping Chau is unique. It is the only sizeable island in Hong Kong made of sedimentary rock. Hong Kong is mostly formed of extrusive igneous rocks. Major volcanoes erupted during the Jurassic Period. Following volcanic activity, a basin formed. This created the siltstones and chert of Tung Ping Chau.
Cham Keng Chau is in the northwest. It is a chunk of land broken away from the island. The Chinese say it represents a dragon’s head. Lung Lok Shui is on the southwestern coast. It resembles a dragon’s spine entering the sea. At the island’s southeastern end are the Drum Rocks. They are 7-to-8-metre sea stacks.
In the 1950s and 1960s, about 2,000 people lived on the island. Over the years, the number of residents dwindled. Many early residents were from Shantou. They kept the tradition of worshiping Tam Kung. The island even had its own dialect.
The island has a temple dedicated to Tin Hau. It was built in 1765. There is also a temple dedicated to Tam Kung. It was built before 1877.
On one side of the island, there are steep cliffs. Below is an amazing wave-cut platform. Jagged rocks are set at a 30-degree angle. It looks like a staircase. Many rock pools contain marine life.
Tung Ping Chau is closer to Shenzhen than Hong Kong mainland. You don’t need much on your expedition. It’s a tropical paradise. Its fascinating history and rock structures are unforgettable. You’ll appreciate the diversity of Hong Kong.