Ap Lei Chau
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Ap Lei Chau (鴨脷洲) is an island of Hong Kong, located south-west of Hong Kong Island, next to Aberdeen Harbour, with an area of 1.30 km². Administratively, it is part of Southern District.
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History
Ap Lei Chau serves as an excellent typhoon shelter, and was a fishing village before the First Opium War. As a consequence of the Treaty of Nanking, it was ceded to the British together with Hong Kong Island in 1841. Since then, little attention had been placed on this little island.
In 1968, the government started to build a power station on the island to provide electricity to the whole of Hong Kong Island. In 1980, a bridge was constructed to connect the island to the outisde and brought momentum for rapid economic development. Public housing estates were built to accommodate for the sufferers in a fire in the Aberdeen shelter.
In 1989, the power station was moved to Lamma Island. The old power station was then demolished and developed into South Horizons with land reclamation.
Geography and Demography
Ap Lei Chau was named after the shape of the island which looks like the tongue of a duck, Ap means duck, Lei means tongue, Chau means island . The northern part is of highest population while southern part of the island has minimal population.
The highest hill on the island is Yuk Kwai Shan (aka Mount Johnston).
It is comprised of four main residental estates — Lee Tung Estate, Ap Lei Chau Main Street, Ap Lei Chau Estate and South Horizons, each of which comprises several highrise towers. There is an industrial estate on the southern tip of the island.
The population of Ap Lei Chau is 90,000, with a population density of 60,000 people / km², making it the most densely populated island in the world [1] (http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/content_pages/record.asp?recordid=46200).
Place to visit
The Hung Shing Temple located on the Main Street is a notable site, dating back to 1900 and is one of the oldest of this kind.
The site of the temple was remotely opposite the former Aberdeen police station. Obviously chosen for its feng shui, the superior dragons were seen as being protection from the 'threat of the tiger's jaw' from the police station. Although the police station is now gone, the dragons are still seen as enduring feng shui guards.
Transportation
The connection between Ap Lei Chau and Hong Kong Island is by Ap Lei Chau bridge with four lanes. It opened in 1983 with only two lanes and was extended to four in 1994.
Bus is the main form of transport for the residents in Ap Lei Chau. There are five bus terminus in total on the island:
- Ap Lei Chau Estate
- Ap Lei Chau Depot (Main Street, Ap Lei Chau)
- Ap Lei Chau Industrial Estate
- Lei Tung Estate
- South Horizons
Minibus and taxi are also available. There is a regular ferry service running between Ap Lei Chau and Aberdeen. (Service hours: 6am-12am)
There are plans for the Mass Transit Railway Corp. Ltd. (MTR) to extend the planned South Island Line to Ap Lei Chau.