Yim Tin Tsai (Sai Kung District) Island

Address: Yim Tin Tsai, Sai Kung District, New Territories, Hong Kong

Website: https://www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/info/bei/

Admission: Free to visit; ferry and public transport costs to Sai Kung apply

Yim Tin Tsai (Sai Kung District) is a small island off the Sai Kung coast of Hong Kong noted for its abandoned Hakka village, former salt-making facilities, and a restored Catholic chapel. The island is part of Hong Kong’s outlying islands and is managed as a local cultural-heritage site.

The main attractions are the compact village cluster, the restored St Joseph’s Chapel, and the exposed salt-pan remains that document the island’s historic salt production. The site has become a short-visit heritage destination for day-trippers from Sai Kung and nearby pier points.

The island was settled by Hakka families who worked salt pans and later moved or left as economic patterns changed; conservation and restoration projects in recent years have stabilized the chapel and village remains for visitors. Community and heritage groups have been involved in maintaining the site.

Yim Tin Tsai lies off the Sai Kung peninsula in Hong Kong’s New Territories and is reached by small boat from Sai Kung town or nearby piers.

• Access and touring: Access is by small boat from Sai Kung; visits are often combined with walks around the village and short guided heritage tours.

What to See#

• St Joseph’s Chapel: St Joseph’s Chapel - A restored Roman Catholic chapel stands as the island’s most visible heritage building and a point of interest for visitors.
• Salt pans and Hakka village: Salt-pan remains and village ruins - Traces of traditional salt-making and an abandoned Hakka village are present and interpreted as heritage features.

Regular small ferry services run from Sai Kung Public Pier to Yim Tin Tsai (journey about 20-30 minutes); some tours include the island as a day-trip. From Kowloon, take the MTR to Hang Hau or Po Lam and then a bus/taxi to Sai Kung town.

• Take the small passenger ferries from Sai Kung Public Pier - ask for boats to Yim Tin Tsai (look for the grass-roots operators).
• Visit the restored St. Joseph's Chapel (built 1890s, restored 2010) during daylight hours - it's tiny and becomes magical when the sun hits the stained-glass.
• Respect village life: many residents are conservative and the island is small; avoid loud behavior during village services or private events.