Islands district guide: housing, transport and school nets
Islands district covers Tung Chung, Discovery Bay, Mui Wo and Tai O on Lantau, together with Cheung Chau, Peng Chau and Lamma Island. Tung Chung is a new town of high-rise estates; the other islands are mainly village houses reached by ferry. The district is split between Primary One school nets 96 to 99.
What is Islands district like?
Islands is the largest of the 18 districts by area but among the smaller by population. Tung Chung new town, next to the airport, is where most people live; Discovery Bay is a self-contained private community; and Cheung Chau, Peng Chau, Lamma Island, Mui Wo and Tai O keep a rural and fishing-village character.
The area names most used when searching are Tung Chung, Discovery Bay, Mui Wo, Pui O, Tai O, Cheung Chau, Peng Chau and Lamma Island.
What kinds of home are there?
Tung Chung is mainly high-rise estates, with public estates such as Yat Tung Estate and Fu Tung Estate and private estates such as Tung Chung Crescent, Caribbean Coast and Seaview Crescent. Discovery Bay is low- to medium-density housing, with houses and low-rise and high-rise flats.
Mui Wo, Pui O, Tai O, Cheung Chau, Peng Chau and Lamma Island are mainly village houses, typically three storeys of about 700 square feet each, some with a roof or garden.
How do you get around?
The Tung Chung Line takes about half an hour from Tung Chung to Hong Kong Station, and the Airport Express and Disneyland Resort Line are also in the district. Discovery Bay has no MTR: residents take a ferry to Central or a bus to Tung Chung or Sunny Bay Station, and private cars are not allowed. Cheung Chau, Peng Chau, Lamma Island and Mui Wo have ferries to Central. The roads of South Lantau are closed roads, and a private car needs a permit to enter.
Schools and school nets
For Primary One central allocation, Islands district is split into 4 school nets: net 96 (Lamma Island), net 97 (Cheung Chau), net 98 (Lantau Island, Tung Chung) and net 99 (Peng Chau, Discovery Bay).
Nets are drawn by home address and may change each year, so check the address against the Education Bureau's information before buying or renting. For secondary school places, Islands district is one secondary school net, and a pupil's net follows the district of the primary school attended, not the home address.
Shops, parks and services
Tung Chung town centre has malls such as Citygate and wet markets, and North Lantau Hospital. Shops and clinics on the other islands are smaller: daily goods can be bought locally, with less choice than in town. The district has many beaches, hiking trails and country parks.
What should you check when looking in Islands?
These points come up often in this district. The details of an individual home still need checking with the lister one by one.
- Ferries: check the time of the last sailing, what happens in bad weather and the cost of a monthly ticket, and work out the whole journey from the pier to your workplace.
- Village houses: check the lot, title, unauthorised structures, access, and the septic tank or drainage arrangements.
- Near the airport: parts of Tung Chung are affected by aircraft noise, so visit at different times of day.
- Discovery Bay: transport and management differ from an ordinary estate, so learn the fares and frequency of the ferry, buses and internal transport.
Common questions
Which school net is Islands district in?
For Primary One central allocation, Islands district is split into 4 school nets: net 96 (Lamma Island), net 97 (Cheung Chau), net 98 (Lantau Island, Tung Chung) and net 99 (Peng Chau, Discovery Bay). Nets are drawn by address and may change each year, so rely on the Education Bureau's information for an individual address.
Can you drive if you live in Islands district?
You can drive a private car in Tung Chung. Private cars are not allowed in Discovery Bay; the roads of South Lantau require a closed road permit; and there are no private cars on Cheung Chau, Peng Chau or Lamma Island.