LAI CHI WO

Lai Chi Wo was one of the largest Hakka village which has a history of three hundreds of years in northeast New Territories.

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As the popularity of ecotourism increases, many visitors visit Lai Chi Wo during weekend because of its rich ecological value. Some villagers have migrated back to the village for earning their living by selling snacks and drinks.

Hip Tin Temple is for worshiping of Guandi. This temple was built 300 years ago during Qing Dynasty.

Like many remote villages in New Territories, Lai Chi Wo is mostly deserted, with chains securing the strong wooden doors of the stone houses.

Lai Chi Wo fung shui wood has more than 100 plant species. Many of the trees are rare in Hong Kong.

Lai Chi Wo village is a traditional Hakka village, it is positioned west and facing east with a dense Fung Shui Wood at the back of the village.

The most prosperous period of Lai Chi Wo was during the 1950s, with a population of up to 450 and more than 100 houses.

Lai Chi Wo villagers there earned their livings mainly by paddy rice cultivation and some of them engaged in fishing and selling bamboo products. In 1960s, many villagers have left for the UK, while others sought better living in Sha Tau kok and Tai Po.

There were nine horizontal lanes and three vertical lanes of houses there of which each of them was very narrow.

At Lai Chi Wo, home to about 10 elderly villagers, some buildings have been maintained by current and former residents, while others have fallen into disrepair.

In Lai Chi Wo, a center has been established to explain the history and environment of the area.

Banyan trees are often used as popular shrines in Hong Kong traditional villages.

The best way to rejuvenate abandoned villages is through eco-tourism and heritage tourism.

The money to pay for the village's upkeep comes from former inhabitants, almost all of whom moved to Britain decades ago.

Ruins of old stone houses stand alongside with homes fitted with double-glazed windows and wooden doors.

Some inhabitants hang red banners on the top and sides of their doors with messages of blessing for the new year.

Many of the village’s houses are boarded over, locked up or are little more than ruins.

In Lai Chi Wo, a center has been established to explain the history and environment of the area.

The most difficult aspect of living in a remote village is the isolation. To do their shopping they have to call a boat taxi to take them to another town.

Inside some are possessions their owners left behind, i.e. old wooden furnitures, family portraits, cups and saucers full of dust.

Chinese New Year is still celebrated in Lai Chi Wo villages as many firecrackers remainings can be seen.