Kayaking in a Marine Park in Hong Kong

On the tranquil water in Hoi Ha Wan in Sai Kung

A good friend of mine took me to her happy place the other day and I can see why. 

We met up at Tiu King Leng MTR station and took a taxi to Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park (海下) in Sai Kung. It's about a half hour trip past Sai Kung city centre and into a geo-park area. 

My friend had arranged to rent kayaks -- my first time doing it -- and after packing all our items in waterproof bags we went down to the beach with life vest and paddle in hand. There were kayaks there waiting for us and we strapped our bags in, had water bottles on hand and then paddled out into a bay area. 

Fresh green algae that is soft and fuzzy

The water was so still -- and even better there was no one there on a weekday late morning. We were also socially distanced, with each of us in our own kayaks.

After a quick lesson of how to hold the paddle we were off. As an absolute beginner I was surprised how fast my friend was paddling, but she has been doing this for over a year and looked very comfortable being in the water.

While I like swimming, for me it took a bit of time to accept the fact that I was going to be wet all day as I dipped the paddle into the water on one side, then in the other which led to water falling onto my legs and lap.

But it was so nice to be on the water, just hearing the sound of the water as we paddled. 

Our first stop was to an area where she saw a beautiful blue and yellow fish about one foot long -- I was too far away to see but saw the pictures later. There also lots of small sea urchins and sea cucumbers! As it is a protected marine park people are not supposed to take these creatures out to consume, nor should they take the coral with them.

Very low tide here with lime green vegetation

We dragged the kayaks onto the mini beach nearby and began exploring the area. I even took a quick dip in the water which was a bit cold but nice to do a bit of breast stroke after not being able to swim in a pool since December. 

My friend got her snorkel kit out and saw lots of sea creatures in the water. I was just happy to be in a place I had never been before and exploring the area around me.

We also paddled out to where the World Wildlife Fund has a marine life centre, but it is currently closed. The centre also has glass bottom boats (currently raised), that are used for visitors to admire the sea life below.

Unfortunately the temperature of the water in that area was much colder so we didn't take a dip and instead headed across the bay to another mini beach.

Sea cucumbers don't mind being touched...

When we arrived there was very low tide -- my friend had never seen it that low before, revealing lots of rocks, coral, tiny fish and speckled shells. Again we wandered around and I ever dared to touch a sea cucumber! I was surprised it just stayed there as I gently touched it -- it wasn't slimy, but soft, much like the texture when eaten! Haha.

By now it was around 3pm and we slowly made our way back to where we started. Not only did I get a chance to learn how to kayak, but also get to discover my friend's favourite place that brings her joy and tranquility to help deal with all the stress in her life.

We had good conversation, and having so much to see around us took our focus away from the pandemic that has weighed all of us down mentally and physically for over two years.

Luckily the weather was overcast so it was a nice 23 degrees or so, but when I returned home I discovered my arms were bright red from the sun! Even my back was also a bit red too despite me putting on my T-shirt and life vest every time we returned to the kayak to paddle. Strangely my right arm is redder than the left! 

A giant piece of coral on land

But also when I came back home, I could still hear the water sounds in my head and it took a while to get acclimatised back to hearing manmade urban life. Amazing.

Eat Like a Gourmand

Fine Chinese dining in a very classic English environment

Howard's Gourmet opened in Central last November and it has generated positive and negative buzz. While many rave about the food, there are critics who scoff at the high prices for the set lunch and dinner menus. But I have been entranced by the dishes here, and find them innovative and above all, delicious.

Stewed sea cucumber was the highlight of the meal

Howard Cai is the restaurateur behind it, having opened Howard's Gourmet in Guangzhou for 10 years. He quit his job as a civil servant and studied in the United States. While he was there he didn't like the food he ate in restaurants and began cooking his own.

For him the temperature of the food is very important and even calculates the amount of time it would take for the dish to go from the kitchen to the diners' table, because the food is still technically cooking on the way there.

Not only that, Cai tries to create interesting flavours with a dish. He doesn't want to cook, say abalone in the typical Chinese way; he decides how he wants the ingredient to taste and the figures out how it should be cooked, mainly to bring out the natural flavours and not hide it under heavy sauces.

Deep-fried crab meat cake with seaweed was creative

The end result is modern Chinese cuisine that has a more scientific basis, and also rooted in traditional culture in terms of the quality of the ingredients and how to balance them in a dish.

I took my mom and aunt to try the set lunch menu because they would not be able to taste anything like this in Vancouver.

We started with small appetizers in small bowls. One was fish cakes sliced into mini diamond shapes with also miniaturized beans, the other mountain yam with wood ear fungus, and a small cup of full-flavoured vegetable broth .

Delicate simmered seasonal vegetables in bouillon

Next came two relatively small slices of mackerel cooked and marinated Chiu Chow style with a dab of a miso sauce that was very refreshing and delicate.

Stewed sea cucumber was next and was the highlight of the meal. It was braised for such a long time that the pieces practically melted in the mouth they were so smooth. The thick broth they came in was fantastic and full of flavour too that we finished it to the last drop.

An intriguing dish came next -- deep-fried crab meat cake with seaweed. Perhaps it was meant to emulate home-style steamed meat cakes, but with a crunchy outer layer, in this case made from seaweed. The result was a slight crunch and soft on the inside, with a hint of crab taste in the middle. Again the broth here was cleaned up.

The slice of braised pork belly was good, though we preferred the accompanying large piece of bitter melon, while simmered golgi berry leaves in bouillon were so delicate and had subtle flavours from the garlic.

Homemade noodles are in this hot and sour soup

A signature dish is the hot and sour noodles, and we were forewarned they could be spicy. The noodles are homemade and have a bouncy texture, while the sauce is a slow-burn spicy with a strong sour taste. The spiciness is such that it entices diners to whet their appetites and eat more.

Finally to balance things out, dessert was almond soup with lotus seeds, but not what one would expect. Instead they were cooked to the point of melting into a kind of jelly that we found at the bottom of the bowl.

At the end of the meal I was just full, and this is the point Cai wants his diners to be at -- not too full and their taste buds sated.

It was such an elegant treat to be eating such a fine meal in a traditional English-style surroundings designed by David Tang. Who knew he could be such a great interior decorator?

For dessert, almond soup with lotus seeds that are like jelly

Howard's Gourmet

5/F, CCB Tower

3 Connaught Road Central

Central
2115 3388

howardsgourmet.com