Lamma Island: Ultimate guide

The caves in Sok Kwu Wan have a spooky backstory. The historic Kamikaze Caves were dug out by the Japanese military during World War II to conceal speedboats that could be used for suicide missions against the Allies’ warships. Thankfully, the explosive boats were never used. Dive into Hong Kong’s wartime history with a visit to these caves, found 10-15 minutes from the start of the Lamma Island Family Walk (Sok Kwu Wan side).

If you're departing from Central, there's a free boat ride that will ship hungry passengers to Lamma Island to feast at this outdoor, live seafood restaurant. Formerly known as 'Lamma Rainbow', the family-run Rainbow Seafood Restaurant’s roots on Lamma Island began in 1984. Steamed catch of the day and black bean clams are the usual suspects, but if they're in season, order up the 'pee-on' shrimps and ask for them to be fried with salt and pepper. A fun escape for an evening of island dining.

Home to a range of endlessly fun knick-knacks and paraphernalia, Lamma Corner is the place to go if you’re looking for a unique gift or souvenir to take home. Everything in this corner has cultural significance or an intriguing story, like upcycled Hong Kong Flour Mills tote bags, old stamps (circa 1972), soy candles in porcelain Chinese teacups and even a Vitasoy lemon tea coin pouch.

It’s time to face the music: in the digital age, vinyl records are a bit of a dying breed. Thankfully, stores like Lamma Vinyl are keeping the beat alive for analog lovers, and the massive array of vinyl records and cassette tapes in this store are sure to bring you down memory lane. Gems like the original movie soundtrack of Saturday Night Fever and The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl can be found here, but if you want to go even more old-school, vinyl records of classical music including Beethoven, Bach and Vivaldi are also displayed in abundance.

If you thought self-service stores were a thing of the future, think again. The second you walk into Mush, you’ll immediately notice the lack of a storekeeper. The straightforward layout here makes the process of window shopping and buying merchandise simple and clear. Instead of a salesperson, Mush relies on bright red walls, a neon store sign and tongue-in-cheek prints to pique your interest – the caps, tees and hoodies all pay homage to the island where Mush calls home, sporting logos like ‘Lamma Brand’ or ‘Lamma Cult’.

Easily recognisable by his long beard, Nick the Bookman has become something of a Lamma Island cult figure. Along with his apprentice Tim, Nick has found a home for his outdoor bookstore just off the Main Street where he sits three days a week with a lopsided but endearing display shelf of secondhand books. When he’s not selling, Nick moonlights as a local mover and occasional DJ. If you’re lucky enough to catch him, stop by and chat – both he and Tim are friendly as can be.

The cat’s out of the bag! Visitors come far and wide to this shop for its many cat-themed knick-knacks. Cat chopstick holders, cat ice cube trays, cat tote bags, tableware with cat printed all over it – you name it, they have it. Needless to say, this one is for all of our feline friends out there.