Tai O, Fishing village with stilt houses in Lantau Island, Hong Kong

Tai O is a settlement on the western coast of Lantau Island where traditional wooden houses rest on stilts above a network of canals. The structures are tightly clustered, and boats serve many residents as their daily transport through the narrow waterways.

Tai O is one of five Lantau villages resettled after the Great Clearance was lifted in 1669. Salt production began under the Song dynasty, and in 1938 the salt marshes still covered 70 acres, yielding 25,000 piculs. In the early 16th century the Portuguese briefly held the area during the Battle of Tamão, leaving the name Fan Kwai Tong.

Daily life here revolves around fishing and water-based work, with residents drying fish on rooftops and repairing boats in narrow lanes between houses. These ordinary activities show how deeply the community's identity remains tied to the sea and its resources.

The area is accessible by public bus, and weekdays offer a more relaxed experience than weekends. Wear comfortable shoes since the paths cross wooden bridges and boardwalks that become slippery in wet weather.

The cable ferry that once carried passengers across the creek was pulled by hand along a rope and run by local women, earning it the name "rope bridge". It was replaced in September 1996 by the steel Tai O Creek pedestrian bridge.