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Small island off Hong Kong offers haven from stress of living
The island offers valuable middle ground for some like Chan, who seek to leave behind the stress accumulated from events such as pro-democracy protests in 2019, a national security crackdown that followed, and more recently, strict curbs against COVID-19.
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Craftsman Jesse Yu, 32, and yoga teacher Zero Chan, 36, move a canoe onto the beach, on Peng Chau island, China September 4, 2022. Newcomers drawn by an idyllic lifestyle and low rents in one of the world's priciest property markets are rejuvenating Peng Chau, reversing an exodus in the 1970s as fortunes waned in the area, once home to Hong Kong's biggest matchstick factory (Reuters/Tyrone Siu)
S
omething clicked instantly for Zero Chan when she first set foot on the island of Peng Chau, a short ferry ride from Hong Kong's central business district, at a time when she was feeling burnt out and recovering from illness.
"When I take the ferry back, it's like a cleansing ritual," the former film producer told Reuters. "I can fall asleep, read or do my own thing on the ferry. I already feel recharged."
The island offers valuable middle ground for some like Chan, who seek to leave behind the stress accumulated from events such as pro-democracy protests in 2019, a national security crackdown that followed, and more recently, strict curbs against COVID-19.
These changes have reshaped life in the global financial hub, driving hundreds of thousands to leave for Britain, Canada and Taiwan, but Chan has stayed on.
"At a time when many say Hong Kong is no longer the same as before, the more I feel a need to stay, to see what I can do," said Chan, who runs a yoga and meditation studio in her home on the island, following that first visit in 2020.
Her customers are a sprinkling of housewives, office workers and retired people. Each morning, she eats breakfast and drinks tea at a white cast-iron table facing the sea, collecting her thoughts for the day.
"People need space, but there's so much noise in the city," added the 36-year-old devotee of Buddhism and Zen. "I'm very happy now."
