Ma Wan a fantastic place to watch an amazing sunset
Ma Wan 1868 connected and alive with creativity
Ma Wan quiet island home
Ma Wan sits quietly between Tsing Yi and Lantau Island, a small island of less than three square kilometres now home to more than 14,000 residents.
Yet few visitors realise how close the island came to fading from the map and into oblivion.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Hong Kong government unveiled the ambitious Lantau Link project to better connect the territory to its new airport.
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Its gleaming bridges were set to soar over Ma Wan without an off-ramp to this tiny island.
The island’s residents, numbering around 2,000, pushed back against these original plans, knowing that without direct road access, Ma Wan’s economy and population would decline.
For a time, the future looked bleak, and development seemed improbable, with the government branding a connection as “physically impossible” and many islanders bracing for further isolation.
By the early 1990s, many traditional fishing families had left as their livelihoods faded, while those who remained watched their narrow streets and old houses grow quieter each year.
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The breakthrough arrived in 1994, when years of community advocacy led to the government’s decision to build a dedicated off-ramp and access road.
The pivotal change unlocked the resort-style Park Island development and revitalisation projects now transforming Ma Wan.
Ma Wan 1868
This near miss with oblivion sets the tone for every step visitors take through Ma Wan 1868, a place shaped not just by its storied fishing past and village traditions, but by the determination of its community to remain connected, creative, and alive in Hong Kong’s modern age.
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Getting there still takes effort – there’s no private car access, and everyone arrives by ferry or bus.
But for those craving something less ordinary, Ma Wan 1868 rewards curiosity with a playful mix of past and present, splashes of colour, stretches of coastline, and a spirit of experimentation that welcomes visitors to explore.
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On weekdays, the island remains largely free of crowds, allowing for a tranquil, meandering visit.
You’ll find plenty of quiet laneways and open space to explore at your own pace.
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Weekends, however, can draw a surge of families, pet owners, and curious day-trippers, making popular spots like the beach and village centre happily busy and bustling.
Modern reinvention with vibe and ambience
It pays to plan your visit in advance with your preferred vibe and ambience in mind.
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The most recent chapter in Ma Wan’s story centres on deliberate reinvention.
With guidance from Sun Hung Kai Properties, who masterminded the Park Island estate, an unusual partnership oversees Ma Wan Park as a “community project without commercial gain.”
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The promise is refreshing: any profit cycles back into keeping the island vibrant, lively, and sustainable, for both locals and visitors.
The latest phase focuses on the old Ma Wan Village; the original homes, once emptied and fenced off, have been revitalised.
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Artists now set up workshops in the skeletons of abandoned houses. Yoga teachers, craftspeople, café owners, and small shopkeepers are moving in, layering gentle chaos on top of historic streets that were being quietly forgotten.
It is easy to forget, while trailing a friendly dog along freshly painted laneways, that Ma Wan played a role in far older dramas.
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In 1868, concerned about smuggling, the Chinese viceroy’s men set up a customs post on the island.
That operation flickered out in 1899, after Britain leased the New Territories, but you’ll still find subtle echoes of these times: ancient stone inscriptions, gravestones, and shrines clinging to the edges of forest and shore.
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The Tin Hau temples, dedicated to the sea goddess, offer their gentle calm, a nod to Ma Wan’s fishing heritage.
But no one comes only for the history. What draws so many, especially photographers and those with exuberant pets, is the pleasure of discovery.
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Bright murals leap off the village walls; narrow alleys bloom with street art and wildflowers.
The air often rings with laughter, chatter, and the shuffling paws of dogs out enjoying their day. Outdoor café tables wait under awnings painted in unlikely colours.
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Few places in Hong Kong feel as openly inviting for animals, but here leashes and a sense of humour are all you need.
A pet-friendly place
If you’re planning to bring your pet, be aware that dogs and other animals are only allowed on the ferries – not the buses – so you’ll need to plan your journey accordingly.
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Pet owners gather along the promenade, beaches, and outside the many animal-friendly cafés, making it a social experience for both humans and their companions.
For those itching to do more, Ma Wan 1868 offers a changing menu of workshops – sometimes pottery, sometimes weaving, occasionally yoga or even glamping demonstrations out on the lawns.
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No visit feels quite the same as the last, since the events and installations shift with the seasons and the imaginations of the artists who now call these streets their canvas.
Families wander towards Tung Wan Beach for sand and afternoon sun, often stopping for photos as the Tsing Ma Bridge glows in late light.
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Others drift through the Nature Garden or scout for birds along wooden trails that thread through mangroves and shade.
There’s the unmistakable shape of Noah’s Ark, a life-sized ship of curiosity and play, ringed by exhibitions, with a hotel for those wanting to linger longer.
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Visiting Ma Wan requires some planning, given the limited late-night transportation options. Ferries run from Central or Tsuen Wan, and buses connect with Tsing Yi.
It’s best to check schedules, especially if you’re travelling with a dog or hope to catch the sunset before heading back. The pace is relaxed and, with almost no cars on the island, walking feels delightfully safe.
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What Ma Wan delivers is a rare blend: not quite urban, never fully rural, always balancing gentle order with flashes of creativity.
Here, you come to wander without purpose, to snap photos without crowds (at least on weekdays), to sip coffee and let your dog roll in the grass.
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Bright houses and sleepy temples remind you that lives overlapped here for generations, and now, for a day or an afternoon, you get to add your own impressions to the story.
Bring a fully charged camera battery, an open mind, and perhaps an extra treat for your furry companion.
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Just watch the clock, or you might find yourself racing for the last ferry home, wishing the day in Ma Wan had lasted a little longer.
Text and photos Martin Wray
