Coronavirus: Hong Kong’s Cheung Chau a scenic hotspot as visitors flock to island in first long weekend since early easing of pandemic curbs
- Iconic bun-scrambling festival cancelled for third time since 2020, however, and businesses say revenue still not at pre-pandemic levels
- Visitors hope other restrictions can be eased, while operators urge more relaxation of travel rules for tourists to return
Hong Kong’s Cheung Chau welcomed a wave of visitors on Saturday as thousands flocked to the scenic gem to enjoy the first long weekend since authorities further eased Covid-19 measures.
While shops and guest-house operators on the outlying island said business had improved, the flurry of activities was still not at pre-pandemic levels when people would throng the location for the annual bun-scrambling festival on Buddha’s Birthday, which falls on Sunday this year.
The iconic competition involving contestants scaling a tower affixed with thousands of plastic buns that they can grab to earn points, was cancelled for the third time since 2020 because of the coronavirus.
The government on Thursday eased some social-distancing measures ahead of a second phase of relaxations set to kick in later this month, reopening beaches and swimming pools, doubling the cap per table at restaurants to eight people, and allowing people to remove their masks at country park or while exercising outdoors.
Tung Wan Beach on Cheung Chau was one of the most popular destinations for visitors on Saturday, with many Hongkongers starved of seaside leisure activities since March 17 as the fifth wave of Covid-19 raged.
Among the revellers was Ng, who only wanted to be known by his surname, basking under the sun with his wife and two-year-old daughter. He said although his family had gone out less at the height of the fifth wave, he sometimes still took his child out for exercise to maintain good health.
“The government should continue to relax social-distancing measures so we can go to more places to have fun. We are considering going out for dinner to celebrate Mother’s Day on Sunday,” Ng said.
