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Rachel Yeo

Kelly Le is convinced her quality of life improved after she moved to Hong Kong’s Lamma Island in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic last year.
The media industry employee used to share a small flat with two others in trendy Kennedy Town, on Hong Kong Island, paying about HK$4,500 (US$580) a month.
When her job became completely remote during the pandemic, she found it a challenge to work from her tiny bedroom.
“I had only a bed, table and wardrobe,” recalled the 26-year-old from mainland China. “When I worked at my desk, the bed was just right behind me. It made me less efficient.”

Last September, she moved to a village house on Lamma Island with two of her friends. For an additional HK$500 a month, she now has 700 sq ft of living space in her bedroom and the living room, and just as much on the rooftop, making it easy to separate her work and living zones.
Le said the change had helped her become more productive. The green and rustic island, a 25-minute ferry ride from Hong Kong Island, offers a stark contrast to the city’s skyscrapers and high-density living.
“I didn’t hear of many people wanting to move to Lamma Island before Covid-19, but now, many want to move here,” she said. “I think people have changed. Living in a convenient place is not as important as quality of life now,” she said.
How a French couple got the Hong Kong home they wanted
Property agents confirm that more Hong Kong residents have been keen to move to outlying areas during the pandemic, to have more space in a relaxing environment away from crowds.
While these places have long attracted a mix of expatriates and creative types seeking a more laid-back lifestyle, the new interest is from﻿ singles, young professionals and families, both Hongkongers and foreigners.
Homes in outlying areas also come cheaper. The rent for a 700 sq ft flat on Hong Kong Island is about HK$25,000 on average, but Le and her housemates now pay about HK$15,500 for their more spacious village house.

Emma Rick, 53, who works in compliance insurance and has lived in Hong Kong for more than a decade, moved to a 660 sq ft village house in Pui O San Wai Tsuen at South Lantau in April, paying about HK$10,000 a month in rent.
With social-distancing measures and other pandemic precautions in place, she appreciates the island’s open spaces and the flexibility of working from home or going to the office in Central, a 35- to 55-minute ferry ride away.
“I feel happier and much safer because there’s not the same volume of people. I’m not in lifts, lobbies, or communal areas with hundreds of people I don’t know,” said Rick, who is from Britain and lives alone.

She has started gardening, and enjoys having her cup of tea and breakfast outdoors. “Pottering around, tending to the plants, is incredibly therapeutic,” she said.
Property agencies leasing homes on Lamma Island and South Lantau say they have received more enquiries since the pandemic started.
Jacky Wan, an agent for Master Key Property Agency Limited which specialises in Lantau properties, said it was getting 20 to 30 enquiries per month, compared with five to 10 before the pandemic.

Kelly Merrick, an agent from HomeSolutions Real Estate Limited, which offers homes for rent in South Lantau, said: “Covid-19 really made people reflect on what‘s important to them.”
Describing the appeal of living on an outlying island, she said: “You can have a wonderful quality of life for a lot less per square foot than in almost any other area in Hong Kong. It comes with many benefits, with the beaches, private spaces and green space, and larger houses.”
It has also become more convenient, with grocery and restaurant deliveries that were not as common before.

Rentals typically ranged from HK$12,000 to HK$40,000 a month, depending on size and other factors, with some accommodation available for less, she added.
While rentals have remained stable at South Lantau, some tenants on Lamma Island are beginning to feel the squeeze from new arrivals.
A representative of Fok Ming Estate Agency, which specialises in village homes there, said the rising interest had driven up rentals by 10 to 15 per cent.

Norwegian leadership trainer Pia Muggerud, 50, who has lived on Lamma Island since 1995, said a big concern for long-term residents like herself was that newcomers were driving up rentals.
Some had gone on social media saying they were looking for a flat and were willing to pay a high rent, she said.
“People on Lamma Island get very angry that people are putting the price they are willing to pay publicly, which forces our rents to go up,” said Muggerud.
“So a lot of Lamma people are not particularly welcoming to new people because they just don’t have the sensitivity that is required in a small community.”


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Coronavirus pandemic

Coronavirus drives more in Hong Kong away from crowds to open spaces, quieter life on Lamma, Lantau islands

Many are enjoying the productivity gains – as well as the vistas – after moving to Lamma. Photo: Handout

Royalty-free stock photo ID: 1158845020Hong Kong - March 16, 2017 : Lamma island Sok Kwu Wan fishing village harbor view. Shutterstock Images

Emma Rick rented a village house in South Lantau for better quality of life, San Wai Tsuen at Pui O, 20MAY21. SCMP / Dickson Lee

Buffaloes foraging at Pui O, Lantau Island.   26JAN21  SCMP/Sam Tsang

Royalty-free stock photo ID: 498595969Hong Kong - January 25, 2016: Narrow but lively main street of Yung Shue Wan village on Lamma Island is lined with souvenir shops, fresh markets as well as a mixture of Eastern and Western eateries. Shutterstock Images

Emma Rick moved to South Lantau for a better quality of life. Photo: Dickson Lee

Dealing with depression: how following a daily routine can help manage emotional well-being

Vivian Cheng at her home in West Kowloon. Cheng suffers from depression but finds a healthy daily routine helps her manage her symptoms. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Spending time with her dog has a grounding, calming effect on Cheng.[FEATURES] Photo / Handout

Vivian Cheng plays a piano at her home in West Kowloon. Cheng suffers from depression but finds a daily routine such as walking her dog helps her to manage her symptoms. 30APR21 SCMP / Jonathan Wong

Cheng says that yoga and swimming have helped her manage her depression.[FEATURES] Photo / Handout

Vivian Cheng, walking her dog near her home in West Kowloon. Cheng suffers from depression but finds the daily routine of walking her dog helps her to manage her symptoms. 30APR21 SCMP / Jonathan Wong

Mahtani, a cognitive behaviour therapist, says that having a daily routine can help depression sufferers in their recovery.j[FEATURES] Photo / Handout

Vivian Cheng, writing at her home in West Kowloon. Cheng suffers from depression but finds a daily routine such as walking her dog helps her to manage her symptoms. 30APR21 SCMP / Jonathan Wong

Clinical psychologist Ee recommends a daily routine that adds meaning to your life[FEATURES] Photo / Handout

Hong Kong’s iconic Ngong Ping 360 cable car attraction suffers 82 per cent drop in visitors for 2020 amid coronavirus pandemic

The Ngong Ping 360 cable car takes visitors on a 5.7km ride from Tung Chung to the Big Buddha on Lantau Island. Photo: Sam Tsang

Ngong Ping 360 cable car operating in Tung Chung, during the long weekend celebrating National Day (Oct 1) and the day following the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival (Oct 2). 02OCT20 SCMP / Dickson Lee

A boy and his mother in the cable car at the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car as it re-opens to the public amid the coronavirus pandemic, Lantau Island. 11SEP20 SCMP / May Tse

1 hour of HIIT exercise a week is as effective as 5 hours of moderate activity, research shows

High-intensity interval training (HITT) workouts are becoming increasingly more popular as studies show as little as four minutes of exercise can improve your health. Photo: Shutterstock

Sommer Nisbet, with daughter Leila and husband Matthew, previously enjoyed going to the gym. She now completes two or three longer bouts of HIIT each week, with the aim of building strength whilst improving cardiovascular fitness. CREDIT:  Courtesy Sommer Nisbet

Hong Kong teacher Evie Ho says HIIT has been the perfect way to get fit and lose weight without spending hours in the gym. CREDIT: Courtesy Evie Ho

Stairs climbing running woman doing run up steps on staircase. Female runner athlete going up stairs in urban city doing cardio sport workout run outside during summer. Activewear leggings and shoes.CREDIT: Shutterstock

Handout image shows Western Sydney University researcher Dr Angelo Sabag testing  participants for the study. CREDIT:  Courtesy Dr Angelo Sabag

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Coronavirus


Singles, young professionals and families among those keen to rent village homes on islands
Long-time residents of Lamma Island unhappy that new arrivals are pushing up rents, disrupting community



Singles, young professionals and families among those keen to rent village homes on islands.


Coronavirus drives more in Hong Kong away from crowds to open spaces, quieter life on Lamma, Lantau islands

Singles, young professionals and families among those keen to rent village homes on islands Long-time residents of Lamma Island unhappy that new arrivals are pushing up rents, disrupting community

Singles, young professionals and families among those keen to rent village homes on islands

Long-time residents of Lamma Island unhappy that new arrivals are pushing up rents, disrupting community