Indian Summer

The greatest thing about summer in Hong Kong is it lasts way into October. In fact, September and October are the best months to soak up golden rays, sip rose on a terrace and get a deeper shade of brown. South Bay Beach Club, for example, is a perfect spot for sundowners. They have lounge-y DJs at sunset every weekend.

Another Indian summer option is to charter a junk and grab a bunch a cronies for a boozy boat trip. Jaspas Junk is probably one of the most well organized of the lot and their boats are perfectly stocked and catered for maximum fun and feed. Another boat company, The Huan, hires a proper historical junk boat with traditional red sails and fine French Food. It’s the perfect boat to hire for a pirate themed party or for something more formal like an engagement.   

The best option however is to buddy up to someone who has a private yacht or who knows someone that has a private yacht. I had one such weekend recently and it could not have been more perfect! The weather was spectacular and we boarded our 88-foot luxury liner in Sai Kung and cruised out to the pristine beach aptly named Millionaire’s Bay. The only thing missing was stuffy old Robin Leach from the 80’s TV show “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” in his double-breasted blue blazer wishing us “Champagne Wishes and Caviar Dreams!”

We had the boat boy motor us out to the beach and it was paradise. The water was so clear with not a hint of rubbish or oil slick floating on the surface.  I felt like I was somewhere other than Hong Kong. After splashing around child-like and swimming in the unpolluted waters, we were hungry for lunch so we motored out to the Jaspas restaurant in Sai Kung. This place is only accessible by hiking or by private boat. We ate BBQed ribs, pizza and Caesar’s salad with a divine 1996 Lynch-Bages red wine which the boat owner brought along from his cave.

Afterwards we cruised back to the beach where we met up with another friend that had a 30-foot Formula speedboat. He took all of us for an exciting high-speed spin around the bays in Sai Kung.  With the wind blowing back my hair and the warm sun on my face, I felt just like Don Johnson in Miami Vice cruising down to Cuba from Miami in his speedboat. The day ended perfectly on the bow of the boat watching a sailing regatta on the horizon as the blazing sun set.

Another fun thing to do in the summer is to hit up your friends that have Club memberships. I have friends at the Yacht Club and often go for weekend barbeques at Middle Island. I also really love the Hong Kong Country Club. They have an amazing swimming pool perfect for swimming laps. The country club restaurant has some tables in front of a big lawn facing Deepwater Bay and the mountains beyond. I can’t imagine a lovelier place for a champagne brunch by the sea.

This is the thing I love most about Hong Kong- it may seem like a concrete jungle but within minutes you have easy access to so much natural beauty. If you have a chance, get out there sometime and experience the other side of Hong Kong.

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