400 Years Of Hakka: Inside Lai Chi Wo Village

Long before Hong Kong was a cosmopolitan playground, it was little more than a cluster of islands and humble fishing villages. Today, one of the last standing reminders of this is Lai Chi Wo, a 400-year-old Hakka walled village.The village was almost completely abandoned in the ‘60s, and while the derelict town is fascinating (and totally Insta-worthy), most visitors come for the nature; in particular, the village’s surrounding feng shui forest that once upon a time provided food, shelter and protection from the elements and from the village’s enemies.These days, the quaint seaside village is seeing something of a revival. With its eyes set on eco-tourism, Lai Chi Wo is now home to one of Hong Kong’s most buzzworthy  agriculture projects, and rumor has it that a dozen of the empty buildings will be converted into chic guest houses.Until then, make a day trip of sailing out to Lai Chi Wo, enjoying some Hakka food and exploring one of the oldest corners of Hong Kong history.