Hotels

Concierge Chat

Sai Kung Big Wave Bay Beaches

Name: Thor Chan

Title: Chief Concierge, Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui

Hotel industry career: 18 years

About Me: My first job after finishing my hospitality diploma was with the Kowloon Shangri-la, starting out as a room attendant and then joining the concierge team because of my outgoing nature. I’ve stayed in concierge ever since – 7 years at Kowloon Shangri-la, 10 years at Langham before recently joining Hyatt Regency. I love my job -being able to talk to guests and enjoy the challenge of helping our guests with their requests and problems – that is quite satisfying. I still remember helping a guest with finding a pair of a specific brand of running shoes for his trail race the next morning just as the stores were closing. I had to call a store owner I know and asked him to stay over and accommodate him. The guest found the shoes, did the race and was happy. We remained in touch since!

Favourite Hong Kong activity: I love the outdoors and I regularly hike and participate in trail races, including the 100-km MacLehose Trail. I love to eat local foods- wonton noodles, egg tart and pineapple bun -they are all heavenly.

What I like about Hong Kong: The wonderful outdoors, for sure, and the food- such a wide range of choices, and with our public transport, everything is so easy to get to.

My Recommendation: Sai Kung Big Wave Bay Beaches. Absolutely the best beaches in Hong Kong – Expansive, smooth, white sandy beaches that quite shallow. You can take NR 29 bus from Sai Kung Town; it only runs a few times a day, so you need to watch the return schedule. It’s a 45-minute walk to get there. There is no lifeguard there, so swim with caution. There is a restaurant/store there for a quick meal and you can take a shower there. Be sure to enjoy a great seafood meal in Sai Kung.

Bonus Recommendation 1: Seafood Street in Sheung Wan and Sai Ying Pun. It’s uniquely Hong Kong, and probably the largest gathering of dried seafood stores in the world. If you like the smell of dried fish, scallops, etc. you are going to love it. The smell is not for everyone, of course.

Bonus Recommendation 2: Tai O village. Tai O still manages to retain its charm and way of life despite being a popular destination. Between stilted houses built on water, looking for Chinese pink dolphins and enjoying the sunset at the Fu Shan Viewing Point, there is a lot to do.

Extra Tip: Finally, before you go out, approach the concierge desk for the latest updates on Covid-19 restrictions.