At a glance

  • From Exit A1 at Lei Tung Station, follow Wah Ting Street to the waterfront, then visit Hung Shing Temple and the Ap Lei Chau Promenade. Decide whether to walk as far as the Wind Tower Park based on the heat and your energy, and stay along the same waterfront.
  • The crossing from the ferry pier outside Marina Habitat to Aberdeen Promenade takes about 4 minutes. Check the destination on the sign before boarding. Tourist sampan tours around the harbor are separate services with their own fares and operating hours.
  • In Aberdeen, watch the boats along the promenade and eat near the market. Don’t treat the fish market work areas, moored boats, or residents’ living spaces as tourist attractions you can freely enter. Don’t book on the assumption that the former Jumbo Floating Restaurant is open.

Day by day

Suggested itinerary

See each day's route, highlights, background and stay together in one place.

Ap Lei Chau morning

Lei Tung Station Exit A1 → area around Hung Shing Temple → waterfront promenade

Crossing the harbor

Marina Habitat ferry pier → Aberdeen Promenade

Return after lunch

Meal near the market → connecting bus or ferry to a station → MTR

How to fit it in

Take the South Island Line from Admiralty to Lei Tung, then visit the Ap Lei Chau waterfront promenade, cross by ferry, and continue to Aberdeen Promenade. After lunch, take a bus or taxi to a station and return to central Hong Kong.

Reality check

Transport

Lei Tung MTR Station Exit A1 is a convenient starting point. The Ap Lei Chau ferry runs from the pier outside Marina Habitat to Aberdeen Promenade. For the return, choose either a bus from Aberdeen connecting to Wong Chuk Hang Station or the ferry back to Ap Lei Chau, followed by a walk to Lei Tung Station.

Time

Allow 1–1 hour 30 minutes for the round trip from central Hong Kong, 60–90 minutes for walking both waterfronts, and 1 hour for the ferry wait and a meal, for a total of 3–4 hours. If you add a tourist sampan ride, shorten the other waterfront walk so you don’t push back your afternoon plans.

Cost

The waterfront walks are free and don’t require advance booking. Add up the passenger ferry, MTR, and bus fares first. Buy a tourist sampan ride separately after checking the price, duration, and life jackets. HK$70–120 for a meal is a planning estimate that varies with your choices.

Safety

At the pier, board only after the boat has stopped and follow the crew’s instructions. Hold children’s hands and check their life jackets. Don’t take small boats in heavy rain or strong winds, and shorten your walk. Watch for work vehicles and wet ground at the fish market.

If plans change

Aberdeen is best for seeing the harbor by day, rather than dining on a floating restaurant: if boarding the boat is difficult

If boarding the S1 is difficult, visit only Aberdeen Promenade and the market, then return to downtown by bus or taxi.

Aberdeen is best for seeing the harbor by day, rather than dining on a floating restaurant: if there is heavy rain

Skip the south coast and switch to an indoor activity downtown.

If the ferry is suspended

Walk around Ap Lei Chau and have a meal, then return to Lei Tung Station. Don’t take a long road detour just to see both sides of the harbor.

If it’s too hot to walk

Skip the round trip to Wind Tower Park and stay near the waterfront and restaurants close to Lei Tung Station. Unless you have a sampan tour booked, there’s no need to extend your midday stay in the hope of a sea breeze.

Small tip

Check the boarding locations and fares for the official S1 service from Hong Kong’s Transport Department. Other boat services may differ in route coverage, end points, and prices, so don’t confuse them with the official service or decide based on on-the-spot touts.

Final check before departure

  • Save the locations of Lei Tung Station Exit A1 and the Marina Habitat ferry pier.
  • Check the passenger ferry’s operating hours and your return route.
  • If you want a sampan ride, ask about the total price, duration, and weather cancellation policy.

Check both the Tourism Board’s directions to the ferry pier and the Transport Department’s actual service and fares. Don’t assume the passenger ferry’s operating hours are the same as the booking times for paid tourist sampan tours.

Information checked: 2026-10-03

Google Maps

Check the location on the map

Use Google Maps to review the location and nearby route. Recheck opening hours and prices with the official source before visiting.

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