Lei Yue Mun 鯉魚門

On a quiet week end, why not go to eat fresh seafood. In Hong Kong, the choice is vast, from outlying islands to Sai Kung to countless restaurants in town, seafood is not missed. But this time we went to Lei Yue Mun, just some minutes away from Hong Kong, on Kowloon side. Who said you needed to go very far away from the city center to enjoy fresh seafood ?

History

Lei Yue Mun (鯉魚門) is a short channel in Hong Kong, between Junk Bay and Victoria Harbour, separating Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. On Kowloon side, it is famous for its seafood market and restaurants in the fishing villages. On the Hong Kong Island side, it has former military defence facilities.

Going There

Take a taxi from Yau Tong 油塘 station or a ferry from Sai Wan Ho 西灣河 station. We took the latest for this trip to enjoy a ferry ride.

From Sai Wan Ho 西 灣河 MTR station,  you can walk to the ferry terminal, it is quite small but there are signs indicating it and asking locals can also help finding it. There are ferries every 15 minutes on the hour and the ride itself lasts about 10 minutes, just long enough to admire the view and breathe the sea air.
 

Sam Ka Tsuen (三家村)

The fishing village of Lei Yue Mun is a slice of old Hong Kong alive and well in the modern metropolis. About 150 years ago, this village was dominated by fishing, farming and mining. From the 1960s, it began to gain a reputation as a good spot for alfresco seafood dining.The ordering method is quite unusual : first you buy your fish from a tank in a market stall, then you take it to one of the nearby restaurants, which will prepare it for a fee. Overall, the price is reasonable and the seafood is very fresh.


When you alight from the ferry, on the right hand side, there is a small park, more like a fishing area if you ask me, since there are only 4 trees and no grass ... But there are a lot of people fishing and having a quiet time enjoying the breeze.

Continuing further straight from the ferry terminal, along the quay, you can see fishing boats and their inhabitants. A big Chinese door will let you know when you arrive at the fish market and restaurants area. Starting from here, it is a one-way entry into the seafood paradise. There are so many stalls and so many types of fishes, and most of all, they all look so fresh and big, still playing in their tanks. Of course you will be accosted every 5 steps either by fishers or by restaurants.

At the end of the path, there is a small lighthouse. On lower tide, you can actually cross the small path to it and climb it. The view at the place is quite spectacular ! Hong Kong island looks so pretty, especially since we went there quite late with all the lights already on.