Where's best for a 18 month old? Sai Kung, Lamma, Lantau, Cheung Chau?

C

Coby'smum

Registered User
Hi all,

We're thinking of moving out to Hong Kong for 6 months when my son will be about 18 months old and are wondering where the best place to live will be...

We've got a budget of HK$15,000 a month for rental so it needs to be somewhere cheap ish.

We love the idea of living centrally (Kowloon is our ideal) BUT we're thinking it'll be best to live somewhere quieter /with more space for our son - people have suggested Sai Kung, Lamma, Lantau or Cheung Chau? Does anyone know what sort of facilities there are for small kids in these areas? Or any advice about where to find details of rental properties in these areas?

Thanks in advance!

Helen
 
Discovery Bay on Lantau. Lots of activites for little kids and space to run around (no personal cars allowed - only golf carts). Only a 25 minute ferry ride into the heart of HK Island! I loved it.
 
I lived on Lamma for 7 years. If you're only staying for 6 months, I'd say it'd be a good choice since your son won't be ferried to and from the island for school.
No traffic on Lamma, no roads. Great beaches - one is gazetted. Loads of families with kids the same age and you'd not need to spend your entire budget to rent a 700sq ft flat there.
Hope this helps.
 
Discovery Bay on Lantau gets my vote (because it's where we live with our toddler and baby),

For little ones you have-
Lots of playgrounds
Lake with fish and turtles that you can feed
Beach
Residents clubs with indoor playrooms and swimming pools
Real grass that little ones can run around and kick a ball on
Lots of playgroups, activity classes for little ones
Lots and lots of other little ones to play with (and lots of other Mummy's to chat with)

Db is very accessible to central, as vegmitekid said- the ferry runs 24 hrs; we also have buses (every 20 mins) to the MTR (15 min bus ride) and airport.
We are also very, very close to Disneyland.

Plus in DB itself there is everything you need for day to day living- supermarket, bank, post office, restaurants, doctor etc.

DB is cheaper, rent wise, than HK Island but not as cheap as Lamma, or the other side of Lantau.
You would find something for 15k here though- if you don't mind living in an apartment in a relatively high rise apartment.


Sai Kung is nice but I really think you need a car if you live there. Public transport in HK is generally excellent but there aren't a lot of public transport links in Sai Kung and getting there by public transport from anywhere central takes an age!

Cheung Chau I think would be the cheapest place to live but the ferry there takes approx. an hour(possibly longer) and doesn't run all night.
 
Last edited:
Lamma

Lamma Island:yeah2

we moved here when our baby was 4 months old, baby friendly island and most of the Lamma folks are nice.
 
Great - thanks so much!

One other question - someone just advised us on Harbourfront Horizon... obviously completely different from Lamma etc as so central but we are a little bit tempted by the whole metropolis living!

Anyone had experience of living in high rise centrally with baby?

Going to look more into Lamma now as does sound great... where's the best place to look for rentals?

Thanks again!
 
Best place is http://www.lamma.com.hk

if u r lucky and got a place directly from the owner, then no commission required.

Otherwise there are a few property agencies along the main street, it's quite easy to find short term rental here.

Good luck and hope to see you here!
 
By the way, my little one and her international friends are more or less same age as yours. Let us know if you choose Lamma, then we can go to Hung Shing Yeh beach to have a splash together!
 
Thanks - will let you know if we do indeed end up on Lamma!

Are there many organised things going on for toddlers... Coby's a very social little lad he loves his nursery and would miss going to toddler groups and things...

Helen
 
Here we got a few choices for toddlers-

i. we take turn to hold the playgroup in our houses every week, free of charge of course. Just talk to any parents or helpers if you meet them either at the playground or on the beach or in the village, so far they're all nice to us and I'm sure it'll be easy for Coby to make friends in Lamma.

ii. here only got a few organized things on for toddlers. The Hangout is cantonese speaking but quite international, only hkd600/month, twice a week.

Banyan House kindergarten is a new ENglish speaking one and people told me it's kind of Montessori style, they do classes for toddlers, hkd4000/month, mon-fri.

And there is one called Sandcastle, I don't know the details but I've been told it's good as well.
 
Last edited:
Thanks asdasd! Will let you know and hopefully join you for a splash :)

Current plan (though don't tell the mother in law!) is to make the trip in April and spend a month or so hotelling it while we trek around and see where we'd like to base ourselves...

We have a home on a tiny island in Thailand but are favouring Hong Kong over that because it'd take 2 hours minimum via speedboat to get to a hospital if something went horribly wrong.

If Coby split his head open or something what are the medical facilities like on Lamma?

Thanks do much for your advice so far, Helen
 
it's a government clinic here, they'll send u to the closest hospital by helicopter if it's emergency. Few friends of mine tried it before given birth, they said it was cool.

my experience with the govt dr wasn't very good, so we won't go there if there is anything wrong with us during the day, either go to Central or Kennedy Town.
 
Brilliant - good to know there's emergency provision if we need it. I think that's all for now - thanks again , Helen
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top