Tsing Yi: A Comfortable Cosy Neighbourhood

Tiny as it may seem, Hong Kong has living spaces that are outside of the CBD, yet it still close to nature and benefits from of sea views. These pockets can be found in Discovery Bay on Lantau Island, Stanley in southside and Sai Kung in the New Territories, just to name a few. But with such benefits usually comes challenges: the city's railway network—which is already comprehensive—doesn't cover beachside residential areas. And that's where Tsing Yi provides an extra advantage. People move to this modest island as much for its laidback vibe as for its convenient transportation network.

Tsing Yi is a part of the Kwai Tsing district in the southeast of the New Territories, and is separated from Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung by the Rambler Channel. After being designated as a new town in the 1970s, Tsing Yi Island combined with two adjacent islands—nga Ying Chau and Chau Tsai—form Hong Kong's fifth largest island. The northeastern shore is the main residential area with the largest private estate atop Maritime Square shopping mall (with a direct link to Tsing Yi MTR station) and a myriad of waterfront properties such as Greenfield Garden and Grand Horizon; it is also the heart of the neighbourhood with a wide range of amenities including a swimming pool, sports ground, promenade park as well as two big wet markets. Many flats in the area enjoy nice views of the Rambler Channel or surrounding greenery.

Traffic wise, it takes roughly 14 minutes to get to the airport on the Airport Express, and 25 minutes to Hong Kong MTR station on the Tung Chung Line. Apart from the railway, highway infrastructure offers speedy connections, thanks to a number of bridges and tunnels joining the island to neighbouring districts: Tsing Yi North Bridge to Tsuen Wan; Tsing Yi South Bridge to Kwai Chung; and Tsing Ma Bridge, Ting Kau Bridge, Stonecutters' Bridge, Nam Wan Tunnel and Cheung Tsing Tunnel to other parts of the city.

“Workers in the aviation industry and large corporations see Tsing Yi as a rental hotspot, given its close proximity to the airport and Central. The island is tranquil and well developed, offering inexpensive flats for rent or sale,” says Kelvin Pang, Ricacorp Properties Limited's chief associate marketing director. Tsing Yi also draws business visitors to Hong Kong looking for short-term stays with three boutique hotels in the south of the island, namely Winland 800 Hotel, Rambler Oasis Hotel and Rambler Garden Hotel, all just sitting on the outskirts of the area, yet are very budget friendly.

According to data from squarefoot.com.hk, Tsing Yi's number of transactions skyrocketed 10 times from October 2019; a total of 555 transactions was recorded in November, mainly due to the launch of a new development in the area, The Grand Marine while existing large-scale estates include Tierra Verde, Villa Esplanada, Greenfield Garden and Rambler Crest. Dozens of subsidised flats and village houses lie in the north and the east.