Did you know that there are 42 public beaches in Hong Kong that are maintained by local authorities, with services and facilities for you to use?
The options over the estuary are shockingly superior to Macao’s two humble beaches – Hac Sa and Cheoc Van. Although our beaches are great spots for barbecue, Portuguese food and the annual Hush! music festival, they’re not exactly known for pristine water and sparkling sand.
[See more: Ready for the beach? Special bus route 15T to resume summer operations]
Now imagine clear water, fine golden sand, watersports and restaurants by the sea. Beaches you can hike to, beaches great for kids, beaches right on the metropolitan doorstep. You can even camp on some beaches in Hong Kong!
Here are some picks of Hong Kong beaches you can get to on a day trip from Macao.
Tai Pak
Known colloquially as “Discovery Bay beach” after the resort town that it fronts, Tai Pak on Lantau Island is a great place for families with kids. The water is calm, and the 400-metre long beach is spacious, flat and wide. The beach boasts the city’s largest beach playground, with swings, climbing frames and zip line, so children can play to their heart’s content and adults can be reassured that any falls from equipment will be softened by the sand. For adults who want to play, Tai Pak is a hotspot for beach volleyball too.
Another huge plus about Tai Pak is that it’s just a stone’s throw away from the gorgeous waterfront DB Plaza, which has plenty of shops for you to check out, as well as an ice rink, alfresco bars and restaurants ranging from Chinese, Thai and Italian to Turkish, Spanish and Mexican, many offering stunning views of the sea. DB Plaza also hosts a monthly Sunday market selling arts, crafts and artisanal food (although the market goes on summer break in July and August).
[See more: Where are the best travel destinations in Asia for a summer coolcation?]
There are plenty of other sights around Discovery Bay so you can make the most of your day out. Try heading up to the Discovery Bay Lookout or – if you’re an experienced hiker and the weather is cool enough – the impressive Tiger’s Head for sweeping views of Hong Kong. If designer shopping is more your thing, the Citygate mall and its discount outlets are a mere 20-minute bus ride away. Staying the night in Discovery Bay? Check out the Auberge hotel.
How to get there: Take the ferry from Macao to Sheung Wan, then head to Central Pier 3 for a direct 25-minute ferry ride to Discovery Bay.
Tung Wan
This beach is located on Ma Wan Island and is another great family day out. There are stunning views of Tsing Ma Bridge and Ting Kau Bridge, and it is home to one of Hong Kong’s more quirky attractions – an allegedly biblically accurate “life-sized” Noah’s Ark, which offers lots of interactive activities for children, and doubles up as a themed hotel and resort, if you’re planning an overnight break.
Ma Wan was once home to a fishing village with centuries of history. Now, the fishing village has been transformed into an area known as Ma Wan 1868, an arts and cultural hub characterised by rainbow-coloured houses. Here you can find plenty of craft shops, a cafe, street art and great views of the sea. The nearby Park Island residential development has plenty of restaurants and a large supermarket.
[See more: What summer music festivals are in Asia in 2025?]
If you want to understand more of the island’s history, check out the Heritage Centre, along with ancient kilns, old imperial customs inscriptions and a Tin Hau Temple. And do note: there is another Tung Wan beach on Cheung Chau island. Don’t confuse the two.
How to get there: Get to Hong Kong via the HZMB port, then catch the NR334 bus for a 15-minute ride to the beach. The bus runs daily, once every half an hour and you get off at the first stop after HZMB. You can also get a ferry from Central Pier 2.
Shek O
Often spotted glimmering tantalisingly in the distance by sweaty hikers on the Dragon’s Back trail, Shek O is a classic destination for Hong Kongers. It’s tucked away at a remote southern corner of Hong Kong Island. It boasts a lovely, wide beach. And you can eat to your heart’s content at nostalgic, old-school and tasty Chinese and Thai restaurants – the kind with plastic chairs, cheap beer, ceiling fans and badly torn wall calendars.
A word of warning though, Shek O can be a thoroughfare on weekends or public holidays, so give it a miss at those times and go off peak, if you can – unless being on a horrendously crowded beach on your day off is your idea of fun.
[See more: Here are China’s best travel destinations for beating the heat this summer]
Looking for an Instagrammable spot? Don’t miss the iconic Shek O bus terminal, a pale yellow modernist building dating back to 1955 that was restored just a few years ago.
How to get there: Take the ferry from Macao to Sheung Wan, then get on the MTR’s Island Line towards Chai Wan. Get off at Shau Kei Wan station and get the 9 bus to Shek O. The journey will take just over an hour.
Big Wave Bay
The name might seem a misnomer for anybody used to the huge, pounding surf of beaches in Australia or Portugal’s Nazaré, but the waves at Hong Kong’s bijoux Big Wave Bay are big in local terms.
That has made this a magnet for surfers in the past, but local authorities have recently (and controversially) cracked down on the sport in a bid to protect swimmers, with whom the beach is also popular – and officials are refusing to budge on enforcing the ban. Surfers have tried flouting the ban, but several have been caught and fined.
[See more: Hengqin’s Chimelong resort launches a direct ferry transfer from Hong Kong airport]
For non-surfers though, the fundamentals are unchanged: a remote and scenically beautiful location, the absence of crowds, and a very laid back vibe. There are even some prehistoric rock carvings that were first discovered in 1970. Foodwise, there isn’t much beyond some local convenience stores offering instant noodles and the like, so make sure you pack snacks or buy some along the way.
How to get there: Take the ferry from Macao to Sheung Wan, then get on the MTR’s Island Line towards Chai Wan. Get off at Shau Kei Wan station, then get the 9 bus heading towards Shek O and get off at Big Wave Bay. The journey will take just over an hour.
Tai Long Wan
This is a sneaky 4-in-1 recommendation, as Tai Long Wan is actually a quartet of beaches adorning the east coast of the Sai Kung Peninsula in a 3-kilometre golden ribbon of sand. Truthfully, it’s not actually a very viable day trip from Macao. Its remote location means it’s best saved for when you’re spending, say, the weekend in Hong Kong and can give it more time. Bear with us however, because Tai Long Wan (which translates to “Big Wave Bay,” and is not to be confused with Big Wave Bay above) is worth it.
The four beaches at Tai Long Wan are Sai Wan, Ham Tin, Tai Wan, and Tung Wan, and – if you’re going on foot – are accessible from the Sai Wan Pavilion. Walking to Sai Wan from its namesake pavilion will take roughly 40 minutes. From there, it’s another 1.5 kilometres to Ham Tin. Going from Ham Tin to Tai Wan is another 550 meters. Lastly, the walk from Tai Wan to Tung Wan is 1.5 kilometres. (Don’t try hiking in very hot weather, and do bear in mind that these are unpatrolled beaches, with no lifeguards or shark nets, so enjoy yourself responsibly.)
[See more: Escaping the city for summer? Here’s where you can fly to, directly from Macao]
You can get a speedboat from Sai Kung Pier directly to Sai Wan or Ham Tin, if you want to skip the hike. If you’re only making an afternoon of it, make sure to check with boat providers the time of the last journey back – but the great joy of Tai Long Wan for many people is staying the night in a tent and stargazing.
There is an official camping site at Ham Tin, where basic facilities like flushing toilets and cooking pits are available. There are also a few shops that offer tents and other camping equipment for rent, which is especially convenient for if you’re coming over from Macao. Make sure you find a secluded spot: in equal measure, Tai Long Wan attracts those seeking silence and serenity, and giddy groups who want to stay up all night with their music on full blast.
How to get there: Get a taxi from the Sheung Wan ferry terminal to Sai Kung, which will take around 35 minutes. From Sai Kung Pier, you can then take a speedboat to Sai Wan or Ham Tin. Alternatively, you can get on the NR29 bus to Sai Wan Pavilion, which will take around 30 to 40 minutes. Hardy trekkers might also like to hike there instead – but do so when the weather is cooler.
