Where I stayed in Hong Kong was just a stone's throw away from Lamma Island, which I could see every day across a small sea channel. I've heard that it is a good hiking location and I've been itching to try it for myself.
在香港住的地方，與南丫島祇是隔了個小小的海峽，每天進出都看到，而且聽說那裡遠足還不錯，令我心癢想到那裡逛逛。
When I found out that I could take a small boat (called Kaito in Hong Kong) from the district of Aberdeen nearby to the two largest villages on Lamma Island, I decided to make use of it and spend an afternoon there.
當我發現從香港仔可以坐街渡（渡海小艇）到南丫島的兩大灣——索罟灣和榕樹灣時，我便決定找機會一試，到南丫島郊遊一個下午。
The East Lamma Channel that the Kaito crosses is a busy shipping channel heavily utilised by container ships into and out of Hong Kong's container ports. Shortly into the voyage we encountered a supertanker which pushed out a tube of waves along its path. It looked innocuous from afar, but I realised that it was actually something far more treacherous when the boat stopped momentarily. I grabbed hold of the metal fencing of the boat and before long the boat was tossed up and down twice. My body was given a good shake-up inside and out!
街渡橫越的東博寮海峽，平時船來船往，特別多大型貨櫃船駛過，是繁忙的航道。街渡進入海峽不久，便遇上一艘巨型滿載貨櫃的船，離遠便看到貨船捲起的一層白浪，起初還不以為意，但街渡停下來的一刻，我才意識到那不是開玩笑的：我坐在船邊，馬上抓緊船沿的鐵枝，那層浪湧到時，街渡上下顛簸了兩下，雖然有心理準備，但我的心好像差點跌了出來！
A few of the many container ships traversing the East Lamma Channel
駛經東博寮海峽的貨櫃船眾多
Hong Kong likes to boost of how the depth of its waters facilitates movement of container ships, but if a supertanker can produce such waves, one has to surmise that it's not so deep after all.
常言道香港「港闊水深」，但大型貨輪駛過便湧起如此大浪，可想而知水並不是那麼深！
Everything returned to normal after the waves have swept by, and the boat continued to the first stop, Mo Dat Wan, a rather seclusive bay.
經過那驚濤駭浪後，一切又回復平靜，街渡繼績駛向第一站模達灣。
Right: lying in a floating bed and letting the boat do all the work!
右：躺在浮床上，自有艇代勞！
Shortly afterwards the Kaito reached its destination, Sok Kwu Wan (Picnic Bay). The fish farms and the seafood stores still looked the same they were as I last visited 3 years ago.
不久街渡便駛到目的地索罟灣，那裡的養魚排和海鮮攤檔，跟我三年前吃海鮮時一模一樣。
Left: Tin Hau Temple (goddess for seafarers); right: near the Sok Kwu Wan Pier
左：天后廟、右：索罟灣碼頭附近
I looked up a map and found a signpost that pointed me to a trail towards the other village of Yung Shue Wan. From then on I embarked on a ramble along this trail. Fortunately it wasn't overly arduous as the weather wasn't too hot and many parts of the trail was shady under the trees.
下船後查看一下地圖，找到了指示牌後，我便向榕樹灣進發。那天天氣幸好不算太熱，而且路徑不少地方也有樹蔭，所以走起來不太辛苦。
The mud flats just outside Sok Kwu Wan
離索罟灣不遠的泥灘
Kamikaze Cave, where the Japanese stored their boats for kamikaze attacks against the Allies during World War II 神風洞，第二次世界大戰日軍「神風敢死隊」占據香港時，在洞內收藏突擊快艇，對盟軍的艦隻進行自殺式襲擊之用
A local school (left) and a small village (right) along the trail
沿途一所鄉村學校（左）和小村落（右）
A pavilion half-way up the hill provided a perfect spot both for a respite and for looking back on Sok Kwu Wan.
山腰有個涼亭，除了可飽覽整個索罟灣的景色外，也是中途納涼的好地方。
After reaching a small peak, the view along the track suddenly opened up to rolling green hills that ran all the way to the coast and surrounded a few secluded bays. The scenery somehow reminded me of Cinque Terre in Italy that I visited in 2005. This walk is like a mini version of the hike between the five villages, save that they were real mountains in Italy and the slopes were a lot steeper.
翻過一個小峰後，小徑突然變得開揚，環顧四周，盡是一片綠色的山巒，一直伸展至海邊，環抱著一個又一個恬靜的海灣，風光不知怎樣令我想起五年前曾踏足過的意大利五漁村Cinque Terre，有點像五條村之間的山路的縮影，當然意大利那裡山高得多、崖也陡得多。
Although Lamma Island is quite a distance away from the heart of Hong Kong, it is not totally insulated from intrusions of modern urban life. This hiking trail is not particularly demanding and is totally paved with concrete. That's probably why I could actually see people walking in their flip-flops along the way! Another rare sight (to me, anyway) is police patrol along the trail as it passes through a few small villages en route. In many parts of the Western world, one doesn't even see the police patrolling normal streets so often! But the most distinctive sight of all has to be the electricity plant which is easily visible on the west coast of Lamma Island. It is indeed quite unusual to have the big chimneys of the plant as the backdrop to the many beaches on the island!
雖說南丫島遠離市區的繁囂，但香港畢竟是香港，郊外總仍看到現代文明的蹤跡。小徑全程以混凝土鋪好，而且不算特別崎嶇，怪不得偶而也有人祇是穿拖鞋走這條小徑！小徑沿途有數條小村落，剛從索罟灣出發時便見小徑有警察巡邏，在外國郊遊路徑甚少會看到警察的縱影啊。但最獨特的景觀，要算是港燈發電廠，無論到南丫島西岸任可海灘，總逃離不過那幾根大煙囪，彷彿在告訴大家，無論你到那裡，也躲不過我！
Yet another sign of intrusion by urban life: a cement plant seen from the pavilion
又一文明蹤影：從涼亭俯瞰水泥廠
The omnipresent chimneys 活在煙囪的陰影中！
The highest point of the island stands a wind turbine, and it is also a good vantage point for the Hong Kong Island. (The turbine can be seen quite easily from where I stayed as well.) From there, it was almost another hour of walk before arriving at the other end of the trail, Yung Shue Wan. It is a far bigger village than Sok Kwu Wan with a greater variety of shops and eating places (apart from seafood restaurants). Had I knew that it would be a long wait for my ferry back to Aberdeen, I would have paid a visit to some of those popular ones a bit farther away from the pier.
全島的最高點有一座發電風車，在那裡可遠望香港島的景色（其實從我住的地方也可望到這台風車）。從這個小山頂走下來，再走大半小時，便來到榕樹灣。榕樹灣村落的規模遠比索罟灣大，各式商店和食肆都較多（海鮮酒家除外），如果一早知道在榕樹灣等街渡回香港仔要等那麼久，我早就光顧一下離碼頭遠一點較多人光顧的小食店了。
The turbine at the Lamma Winds power station
風采發電站的風車
A village blended into the natural environment at the foot of the wind power station
風力發電站山腳下的小村莊，與大自然融為一體
Yung Shue Wan and its pier
榕樹灣及其碼頭
I decided to kill time by walking to a nearby village and the next stop for the Kaito ferry, Pak Kok Tsuen (literally northern tip village). The village wasn't particularly well-known and there was hardly anyone to be seen walking along this route. Then I realised why as soon as I reached the village: the view en route wasn't much to speak of, and that tranquil dormitory village had only one store that took me a while to find!
既然時間尚多，我便走到附近另一條村落和街渡的下一站——北角村（各位香港讀者可勿與北角混淆！）其實北角村不甚出名，路徑沿途全無人煙，走畢全程後方知為何：途中風景沒啥特別，而北角村基本上祇有民居，想買罐汽水解渴也不易！
A glimpse of the Victoria Harbour and the suspension bridges on the hills near Pak Kok Tsuen.
從北角村附近的山頭遠望維多利亞港和多道懸索吊橋
But at this northern tip of the island, the pier offers an unobstructed view of the sea and a quiet fishing spot.
不過北角村位處南丫島最北端，在那裡的碼頭等船時，四週的海景全屬於等船的和在碼頭垂釣的人。
The boat back to Aberdeen finally turned up. The evening sun made a re-appearance from the veils of clouds as the boat slowly sailed to its destination, and showed its most glorious facet when we entered the typhoon shelter of Aberdeen. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect ending to this little adventure that I've longed for!
街渡終於來了，坐在船上，看著夕陽撥開雲霞緩緩低垂，街渡駛回香港仔避風塘的一刻，正是夕陽最燦爛的時候，為這一天寫上完美的結局。這次終於還了我一個心願，能夠在香港的郊野走一趟了！
在香港住的地方，與南丫島祇是隔了個小小的海峽，每天進出都看到，而且聽說那裡遠足還不錯，令我心癢想到那裡逛逛。
When I found out that I could take a small boat (called Kaito in Hong Kong) from the district of Aberdeen nearby to the two largest villages on Lamma Island, I decided to make use of it and spend an afternoon there.當我發現從香港仔可以坐街渡（渡海小艇）到南丫島的兩大灣——索罟灣和榕樹灣時，我便決定找機會一試，到南丫島郊遊一個下午。
The East Lamma Channel that the Kaito crosses is a busy shipping channel heavily utilised by container ships into and out of Hong Kong's container ports. Shortly into the voyage we encountered a supertanker which pushed out a tube of waves along its path. It looked innocuous from afar, but I realised that it was actually something far more treacherous when the boat stopped momentarily. I grabbed hold of the metal fencing of the boat and before long the boat was tossed up and down twice. My body was given a good shake-up inside and out!
街渡橫越的東博寮海峽，平時船來船往，特別多大型貨櫃船駛過，是繁忙的航道。街渡進入海峽不久，便遇上一艘巨型滿載貨櫃的船，離遠便看到貨船捲起的一層白浪，起初還不以為意，但街渡停下來的一刻，我才意識到那不是開玩笑的：我坐在船邊，馬上抓緊船沿的鐵枝，那層浪湧到時，街渡上下顛簸了兩下，雖然有心理準備，但我的心好像差點跌了出來！
A few of the many container ships traversing the East Lamma Channel
駛經東博寮海峽的貨櫃船眾多
Hong Kong likes to boost of how the depth of its waters facilitates movement of container ships, but if a supertanker can produce such waves, one has to surmise that it's not so deep after all.
常言道香港「港闊水深」，但大型貨輪駛過便湧起如此大浪，可想而知水並不是那麼深！
Everything returned to normal after the waves have swept by, and the boat continued to the first stop, Mo Dat Wan, a rather seclusive bay.
經過那驚濤駭浪後，一切又回復平靜，街渡繼績駛向第一站模達灣。
Right: lying in a floating bed and letting the boat do all the work!
右：躺在浮床上，自有艇代勞！
Shortly afterwards the Kaito reached its destination, Sok Kwu Wan (Picnic Bay). The fish farms and the seafood stores still looked the same they were as I last visited 3 years ago.
不久街渡便駛到目的地索罟灣，那裡的養魚排和海鮮攤檔，跟我三年前吃海鮮時一模一樣。
Left: Tin Hau Temple (goddess for seafarers); right: near the Sok Kwu Wan Pier
左：天后廟、右：索罟灣碼頭附近
I looked up a map and found a signpost that pointed me to a trail towards the other village of Yung Shue Wan. From then on I embarked on a ramble along this trail. Fortunately it wasn't overly arduous as the weather wasn't too hot and many parts of the trail was shady under the trees.
下船後查看一下地圖，找到了指示牌後，我便向榕樹灣進發。那天天氣幸好不算太熱，而且路徑不少地方也有樹蔭，所以走起來不太辛苦。
The mud flats just outside Sok Kwu Wan
離索罟灣不遠的泥灘
Kamikaze Cave, where the Japanese stored their boats for kamikaze attacks against the Allies during World War II 神風洞，第二次世界大戰日軍「神風敢死隊」占據香港時，在洞內收藏突擊快艇，對盟軍的艦隻進行自殺式襲擊之用
A local school (left) and a small village (right) along the trail
沿途一所鄉村學校（左）和小村落（右）
A pavilion half-way up the hill provided a perfect spot both for a respite and for looking back on Sok Kwu Wan.
山腰有個涼亭，除了可飽覽整個索罟灣的景色外，也是中途納涼的好地方。
After reaching a small peak, the view along the track suddenly opened up to rolling green hills that ran all the way to the coast and surrounded a few secluded bays. The scenery somehow reminded me of Cinque Terre in Italy that I visited in 2005. This walk is like a mini version of the hike between the five villages, save that they were real mountains in Italy and the slopes were a lot steeper.
翻過一個小峰後，小徑突然變得開揚，環顧四周，盡是一片綠色的山巒，一直伸展至海邊，環抱著一個又一個恬靜的海灣，風光不知怎樣令我想起五年前曾踏足過的意大利五漁村Cinque Terre，有點像五條村之間的山路的縮影，當然意大利那裡山高得多、崖也陡得多。
Although Lamma Island is quite a distance away from the heart of Hong Kong, it is not totally insulated from intrusions of modern urban life. This hiking trail is not particularly demanding and is totally paved with concrete. That's probably why I could actually see people walking in their flip-flops along the way! Another rare sight (to me, anyway) is police patrol along the trail as it passes through a few small villages en route. In many parts of the Western world, one doesn't even see the police patrolling normal streets so often! But the most distinctive sight of all has to be the electricity plant which is easily visible on the west coast of Lamma Island. It is indeed quite unusual to have the big chimneys of the plant as the backdrop to the many beaches on the island!
雖說南丫島遠離市區的繁囂，但香港畢竟是香港，郊外總仍看到現代文明的蹤跡。小徑全程以混凝土鋪好，而且不算特別崎嶇，怪不得偶而也有人祇是穿拖鞋走這條小徑！小徑沿途有數條小村落，剛從索罟灣出發時便見小徑有警察巡邏，在外國郊遊路徑甚少會看到警察的縱影啊。但最獨特的景觀，要算是港燈發電廠，無論到南丫島西岸任可海灘，總逃離不過那幾根大煙囪，彷彿在告訴大家，無論你到那裡，也躲不過我！
Yet another sign of intrusion by urban life: a cement plant seen from the pavilion
又一文明蹤影：從涼亭俯瞰水泥廠
The omnipresent chimneys 活在煙囪的陰影中！
The highest point of the island stands a wind turbine, and it is also a good vantage point for the Hong Kong Island. (The turbine can be seen quite easily from where I stayed as well.) From there, it was almost another hour of walk before arriving at the other end of the trail, Yung Shue Wan. It is a far bigger village than Sok Kwu Wan with a greater variety of shops and eating places (apart from seafood restaurants). Had I knew that it would be a long wait for my ferry back to Aberdeen, I would have paid a visit to some of those popular ones a bit farther away from the pier.
全島的最高點有一座發電風車，在那裡可遠望香港島的景色（其實從我住的地方也可望到這台風車）。從這個小山頂走下來，再走大半小時，便來到榕樹灣。榕樹灣村落的規模遠比索罟灣大，各式商店和食肆都較多（海鮮酒家除外），如果一早知道在榕樹灣等街渡回香港仔要等那麼久，我早就光顧一下離碼頭遠一點較多人光顧的小食店了。
The turbine at the Lamma Winds power station
風采發電站的風車
A village blended into the natural environment at the foot of the wind power station
風力發電站山腳下的小村莊，與大自然融為一體
Yung Shue Wan and its pier
榕樹灣及其碼頭
I decided to kill time by walking to a nearby village and the next stop for the Kaito ferry, Pak Kok Tsuen (literally northern tip village). The village wasn't particularly well-known and there was hardly anyone to be seen walking along this route. Then I realised why as soon as I reached the village: the view en route wasn't much to speak of, and that tranquil dormitory village had only one store that took me a while to find!
既然時間尚多，我便走到附近另一條村落和街渡的下一站——北角村（各位香港讀者可勿與北角混淆！）其實北角村不甚出名，路徑沿途全無人煙，走畢全程後方知為何：途中風景沒啥特別，而北角村基本上祇有民居，想買罐汽水解渴也不易！
A glimpse of the Victoria Harbour and the suspension bridges on the hills near Pak Kok Tsuen.
從北角村附近的山頭遠望維多利亞港和多道懸索吊橋
But at this northern tip of the island, the pier offers an unobstructed view of the sea and a quiet fishing spot.
不過北角村位處南丫島最北端，在那裡的碼頭等船時，四週的海景全屬於等船的和在碼頭垂釣的人。
The boat back to Aberdeen finally turned up. The evening sun made a re-appearance from the veils of clouds as the boat slowly sailed to its destination, and showed its most glorious facet when we entered the typhoon shelter of Aberdeen. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect ending to this little adventure that I've longed for!街渡終於來了，坐在船上，看著夕陽撥開雲霞緩緩低垂，街渡駛回香港仔避風塘的一刻，正是夕陽最燦爛的時候，為這一天寫上完美的結局。這次終於還了我一個心願，能夠在香港的郊野走一趟了！
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