Tai O: An Untold Story
Located on the west coast of Lantau Island, Tai O is one of the oldest fishing villages in Hong Kong, originating back to the Ming Dynasty. At its peak the village had a population of 30,000 due to the growth of traditional industries such as salted fish making and salt making. However, as these industries declined, the population of Tai O shrunk to around 2,000 people. Now only a few traditional industries, including shrimp paste and salted fish making, survive. Often referred to as the "Venice of the Orient”, Tai O is composed of traditional houses on stilts, providing a welcome contrast to the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.
From Tai O you can take a boat to the Pearl River Estuary to see the famous pink dolphins. These amazing and rare creatures are also known as Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins or Chinese white dolphins (Sousa chinensis). Due to fishing, shipping and coastal development their numbers have dwindled dramatically and it is thought that today they number less than 2,500. It was for exactly that reason that we designed and created a range of dolphin print shorts.
Tai O has two "graded buildings" designated by the Hong Kong Antiquities and Monuments Office. The first, the Yeung Hau Temple, was built in 1699 and is dedicated to the god Hau Wang, a general who defended the last Song Dynasty emperor who sought refuge in Kowloon. The second, the Old Tai O Police Station, was built in 1902 when the territory was a British colony and used to patrol the seas for criminals, pirates, and smugglers. If you are interested in architecture then you should definitely give these buildings a visit.
*If food is more your forte then you must try some of the fish delicacies from the local market. Make sure you sample the charbroiled egg puffs, Tai O donuts, and jumbo fishballs.