‘Tired of the indoors and nowhere to go’: thousands throng Hong Kong’s outlying islands and nature gems on final day of Easter break
- Many headed to Sharp Island during long weekend, according to ticket sellers at Sai Kung’s public pier
- With public beaches and playgrounds closed under city’s social-distancing curbs, residents packed onto ferries to reach outlying destinations
Thousands of residents flocked to Hong Kong’s outlying destinations and a geopark in Sai Kung, with Sharp Island a hot spot for some fresh air on the final day of the Easter break.
Ticket sellers at booths lining Sai Kung’s public pier offering boat tours to nearby islands said about 1,000 visitors had bought passes for Sharp Island each day during the long weekend.
About 500 people, some having camped overnight, could be seen at lunchtime on Monday on the island, named after its angular shape. More were seen arriving in boats at 2.30pm to appreciate the tombolo emerging at low tide.
The island, which is one of Hong Kong Geopark’s volcanic rock formations, is popular among visitors due to its beaches.
Louis Chan, 41, brought his wife and two children to the beach. He said they were not worried about getting infected with Covid-19 as the family had recovered from the virus last month.
“People have nowhere to go under the toughest social-distancing rules. I am not surprised to see the crowds on the islands during the public holidays at all,” the teacher said.
