MARY CRUZ’S LIFE-CHANGING JOURNEY FROM SWIM TRAINEE TO VOLUNTEER COACH
DB REAL ESTATE
Cash in now while prices are still below peak
SUMMER STAYCATION
Our round-up of HK’s best beaches
Club Siena, Discovery Bay
Daily Programme: Monday to Saturday, June 30 - August 15
Weekly Camps (3 and 5-day Camps): June 30 - August 15
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L/G Unit 3, Block 1, 92 Siena Ave, DB North Plaza, Discovery Bay, Lantau Island
DISCOUNTS FOR ADB READERS AT HK YOGA
Maxim Gagarin at HK Yoga in DB North Plaza is offering a 10% discount to Around DB readers who sign up for a 500-hour Teacher Training Course by August 31. The course starts on September 8 and finishes at the end of December – it is held in two groups: weekday group (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 11am to 3pm) and weekend group (Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 3pm). Daily yoga classes and packages are also available. To enrol with a 10% discount, scan the QR code.
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The views expressed in Around DB are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or contributors. The publisher and editor cannot be held responsible for differences of opinion or statements published in good faith. The publisher, contributors, their employees and partners are not responsible for the results of any actions, errors or omissions taken on the basis of information contained in this publication and expressly disclaim all and any liability for any such action of any person. The mention of specific companies or products in articles or advertisements does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by this magazine or its publisher in preference to others of a similar nature which are not mentioned or advertised. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without permission.
NEXTWAVE XX25 BEACH MUSIC FESTIVAL
The Nextwave XX25 Beach Music Festival is ready to rock Tai Pak Beach on July 5 and 6. Headliners to catch include Joey Hung Ka Ho and Eric Chou on July 5, and ITZY and Chung Ha on July 6. The fun kicks off at 3pm on July 5 and 3.30pm on July 6. General admission tickets are priced at HK$788, with special discounts available on Klook. To find out more, turn to page 52, or visit www.visitdscoverybay.com. To grab tickets, head to www.klook.com. [PHOTO COURTESY OF HKRCL.]
Happenings STUFF TO
DBEE OASIS: CREATING A BUZZ
Take a stroll through Central Park and you’ll find the all-new DBee Oasis right by the kids’ playground. The project was initiated by HKRI’s corporate volunteer team HKRI Care & Share with the aim to ensure a sustainable future for both bees and humans.
Bee species are facing a decline in population worldwide, with wild bee populations particularly at risk. Threats include habitat loss, climate change, pesticide use and disease. The ‘bee hotels’ at DBee Oasis are designed to provide essential floral and water sources, along with safe resting spots for bees. The initiative will contribute to the sustainable growth of the urban ecosystem by supporting pollinators within a 2km radius, including Siu Ho Wan Bus Depot and Discovery Bay Golf Club.
The HKRI Care & Share team has partnered with Hong Kong Metropolitan University to install instruments to monitor pollinating insects and study the genetic make-up of plants. Samples and valuable data will be collected and used for assessing biodiversity; it is hoped that statistical analysis will lead to actionable recommendations for enhancing urban sustainability.
DBee Oasis officially launched on May 15 to coincide with World Bee Day (May 20) and International Biodiversity Day (May 22). Jill Kwong, co-founder of local bee conservation organisation Beetales, was a guest of honour, alongside HKRI representatives and DB stakeholders. DBee Oasis marks a new chapter in conservation efforts in our community with the HKRI Care & Share team setting out to raise awareness and encourage biodiversity.
DB SUMMER SPLASHTOPIA
DB Summer Splashtopia kicks off on July 24, and will be in place through August 31. Open daily from 10.30am to 1.30pm and 3pm to 6.30pm on Tai Pak Beach, it’s billed as Hong Kong’s biggest beach water park. You can expect eight massive inflatable bouncy areas and a 10-metre water slide, along with a myriad splashtastic games and sports. [PHOTO BY Sarin Ale.]
& Events! KNOW IN JULY!
DB PIRATES: NEW SEASON SIGN-UP
DB Pirates is on the lookout for new players of all ages and gender to join its hockey, netball, rugby and dragon boat teams. Founded in 2003 and known as DB’s ‘friendliest sporting club’, DB Pirates continues to go from strength to strength, with teams competing successfully across Hong Kong and beyond. To register for the new season, and learn about volunteering and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.dbpirates.com. [PHOTO COURTESY OF Hank Terrebrood.]
ORGANIC FARMING WORKSHOP
Sign up for a hands-on introduction to organic farming at DB Community Green Square on July 12 from 2pm to 5pm. The class is conducted in English and Cantonese by instructors from K-Farm. Each participant gets a plastic flower pot, potting soil, organic fertiliser, seeds and seedlings. You get to learn everything from pre-planting preparation and seedling cultivation to planting, watering, fertilising and pruning. To enrol, call 5469 1748.
SPECIAL OFFERS AT DISNEYLAND
If you’re looking to create magical memories at Hong Kong Disneyland this July, check out the exciting discounts on offer. If you book a stay at a resort hotel for two nights or more, you can enjoy 30% off the realtime room rate. And for just HK$100 more than the full price of a one-day ticket, you can enter the park two days in a row. To make a booking and find out more, visit www.hongkongdisneyland.com.
OFFLOAD UNWANTED HOUSEHOLD ITEMS
Relocating this month or simply having a clear-out? Know that you can donate preloved household items to people in need through DB Mothers & Friends. The DB-based social enterprise provides door-todoor collection for everything from furniture and electronic appliances to toys, clothes and books, and then delivers them via social workers to local charities, schools, churches and people in need. To arrange for pickup, WhatsApp 9677 6676 or visit FB @dbmf.collection.
LANTAU 2 PEAKS REGISTRATION
Registration is open for the CBRE Lantau 2 Peaks, organised by Action Asia Events, and the two peaks in question are, of course, Lantau and Sunset. There are two distances: the 23km (two peaks: elevation gain 1,889m), which you can run solo, with a partner or in a team of four, and the 15km (half peak: elevation gain 854m), which is run solo. To sign up to race on October 5, visit www.actionasiaevents.com. [PHOTO COURTESY OF Action Asia Events.]
AQUARIUM-MAKING WORKSHOP
Sign up solo or as a group to take part in an aquarium-making workshop at the Multipurpose Hall, DB Office Centre on July 12 from 10am to 12pm. You get to take home an aquarium (12cm x 8cm x 10cm) containing two small fish, two figurines, decorative rocks and aquatic plants. The family-friendly class is taught in Cantonese and English by instructors from Concept X Plus. To know more and enrol, call 5469 1748.
NO BUTTS DAY
On No Butts Day –July 5 – thousands of volunteers collect hundreds of thousands of plastic cigarette filters from their local streets, parks, trails and beaches. No Butts Day is an effective way to raise awareness about the environmental damage caused by cigarette litter, and call for a ban on plastic cigarette filters, a major source of toxic pollution. You can take part by organising your own event or joining an existing one. Count your butts and fill in the form at the QR code to get your data included in the global count.
ZHUANG YUAN JAYLEN
Congratulations go to Year 1 Discovery College student Jaylen Zheng, who was named Overall Champion ( Zhuang Yuan ) at this year’s Chinese Language Festival. Jaylen took part in five competitions at the festival, competing against native-speaking kindergarten-aged students from all over the world. He placed first in Western Instrument Performance, Ancient Poems Solo Recitation, Tongue Twisters and Reading out Pinyin Words, and second runner-up in Modern Poems Solo Recitation. The awards ceremony was held on June 7. Bravo Jaylen!
CONTACT LENS PACKAGING RECYCLING
Contact lens packaging – particularly plastic blister packs and their foil lids – is notoriously difficult to recycle. While many opticians and retailers offer specialised recycling programmes for these items, there’s a simpler solution for DB residents. You can drop separated blister packs and lids at the DB Office Centre weekdays (9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm) and on Saturdays (9am to 1pm).
Summer Camps!
CHILD DEVELOPMENT
SPOT CHILDREN’S THERAPY CENTRE
www.spot.com.hk
SPOT Summer Camps, in Central and Wong Chuk Hang, are focused on social skills, emotional regulation, fine motor skills and literacy. Each venue features a purpose-built, sensorymotor therapy gym that allow kids, aged 3 to 11, to engage in enriching sensory experiences and group activities. Fun-filled sessions are on offer until August 15, helping kids thrive in a supportive environment.
Tel: 2807 2992
Email: contact@spot.com.hk
IGYM GYMNASTICS
www.igymhk.com
The iGym Gymnastics and Ninja Camp is open to joiners until August 22 at iGym’s newly launched Gymnastics Academy in DB North Plaza. Morning, afternoon and full-day sessions are on offer Monday to Saturday. Fun, age-appropriate activities in both gymnastics and ninja zones give kids, aged 3 to 10, the opportunity to develop their skills, make new friends and have a blast.
WhatsApp: 6077 2758
Email: igymhk@icloud.com
MANDARIN TIME
www.mandarintimeschool.com
The Mandarin Time DB Camp runs from July 7 to August 15 in DB North Plaza and provides children, aged 10 to 15, with a 100% Mandarinspeaking environment. Courses are available Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 3pm: kids, aged 13 to 15, focus on IGCSE Chinese preparation, and there are three levels of tuition (upper elementary, intermediate and native) for kids aged 10 to 13.
WhatsApp: 6153 7108
Email: info@mandarintimeschool.com
MONTESSORI MANDARIN
YIFAN MANDARIN
www.yifancamps.com
The Yifan Mandarin Summer Camp at DB North Plaza is fully immersive and activity based. The week-long camps run from July 7 to August 8, Monday to Friday, 9.10am to 10.40am (ages 3 to 5) and 10.45am to 12.15pm (ages 6 to 9). Multi-week discounts are available until June 30.
一帆中文夏令營在愉景灣開展超過十六年;助 孩子們快樂學中文,語言能力大提升!
WhatsApp: 9208 7611
Email: admin@yifanmandarin.com
OUTDOOR
TREASURE ISLAND GROUP
www.treasureislandhk.com
Treasure Island Group’s Summer Camps – Surf, Adventure, Explorers, eXtreme and Little Kids Club – are running until August 22 at Pui O Beach and are bookable by the week or day. From surfing and kayaking to wetland tours and waterfall hiking, kids, aged 4 to 14, get to experience a wide range of outdoor activities, whilst making new friends and developing eco-awareness and life skills.
Tel: 5236 7016
Email: inquiries@treasureislandhk.com
GUIDEPOST MONTESSORI
www.guidepost.hk
Guidepost Montessori’s Cosmic Adventure Summer Camp runs weekly from July 2 to July 25 at the DB North Plaza campus. Children, aged 2 to 6, get to explore life on Earth and beyond through hands-on activities, storytelling, creative crafts, science discoveries and sensory experience, fostering curiosity and empathy about the universe.
WhatsApp: 9126 6211
Email: admissions@guidepost.hk
HONG KONG SURFING LESSON
www.hongkongsurfinglesson.com
Hong Kong Surfing Lesson’s one- or threeday, non-overnight camps are on offer until August 27 at Lower Cheung Sha Beach. Children, aged 5 to 14, get their own surfboard to maximise their surfing time. Camps are run by professional ISAqualified instructors, who help kids progress by making surfing fun and safe. Lessons are also available daily for beginner to intermediate surfers of all ages.
WhatsApp: 6199 0904
Email: info@hongkongsurfinglesson.com
ARK EDEN
www.arkedenonlantau.org
Ark Eden is a magical space nestled on a hillside in Mui Wo where children, aged 5 to 11, can explore the great outdoors, make new friends and build confidence through engaging, nature-based play. Choose from weekly camps on offer until August 22. Camp leaders are skilled in Experiential Education, Forest School principles, Social Emotional Wellness and Wilderness First Aid.
Tel: 2988 5355
Email: angus@arkedenonlantau.org
www.faustworld.com
Faust’s HK-wide summer programme is available until August 22, with weeklong courses in Summer Theatre for 3- to 18-year-olds, Musical Theatre for 8- to 18-year-olds, and Creative Writing for 6- to 14-year-olds. In any given week, children experience a funfilled learning environment in which to develop leadership and teamwork skills, individual expression and confidence.
Tel: 2547 9114
Email: info@faustworld.com
Out & About! WHAT YOU'VE BEEN UP TO!
AT THE COMMUNITY GALA BALL
Discovery College PTA and Discovery Bay International School PTSA hosted a joint-school gala ball on the evening of May 24. The glitzy parent-driven, parent-organised event was open to the whole community and themed ‘A Night in Old Hong Kong’. [PHOTOS BY Col Sim.]
IGYM’S GYMNASTICS ACADEMY LAUNCH
iGym launched a Gymnastics Academy in DB North Plaza on May 22 to coincide with its 12th anniversary. The fully-equipped junior gymnastics centre is an ideal training space for children aged 18 months to nine years. Kim Doherty and her team will continue to coach iGym seniors (nine years and above) out of DBIS. [PHOTOS BY Andrew Spires.]
AT ALICE: THE MUSICAL
Performers Studio staged Paul Boyd’s Alice: The Musical on May 17 at Y Studio, Chai Wan. The all-DB cast included Lucie Decamps as Alice, Sophia Rumsam as The Queen of Hearts, Verabella Tsang as The Cheshire Cat, Jia Toong as The Caterpillar and Lucia Torresi as The Mad Hatter. [PHOTOS BY Stuart at Six Cat Studios & Mirko Sciolan.]
AT A COMMUNITY BEACH CLEAN-UP
Plastic Free Seas held a beach clean-up on June 15, with volunteers meeting at the gate to Nim Shue Wan. Gloves and trash bags were provided. The team is taking a break in July but you can sign up to help clean a beach in August by emailing dana@plasticfreeseas.org. [PHOTOS BY Andrew Spires.]
JOIN THE GLOBAL BUTT CLEANUP MOVEMENT
July 5, 2025 th
People around the world are joining forces to collect and count cigarette butts, to highlight the huge amount of butts found
Butts on the street can easily end
We want people to dispose of their butts responsibly and to encourage manufacturers to find an alternative for plastic butts.
Find a spot to collect cigarette butts - on your own or with friends. It can be outside a building, on a street, a trail, a beach. Anywhere!
Count your butts and fill in the form at the QR code straight away so the data can be included in the global count.
Splasher!
DIVING IN HEAD FIRST
Having learnt to swim with
Splash
Foundation, Mary Cruz has found her voice and her second true calling as a volunteer coach. Elizabeth Kerr reports
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Andrew Spires
Manila native Mary Cruz claims that at one time not too long ago, she was a social klutz. That’s hard to believe given the fact that the fit, entirely engaging woman sitting in Coffee Academics in DB Plaza is chattering up a storm – about travelling, her son, swimming, Hyrox, Coldplay and the seven- and 10-year-olds in her charge as a domestic helper (or auntie, Mary’s much warmer word), who she clearly adores. The reference to her klutzy days comes when she recalls Splash Foundation asking if she’d be keen to coach other new swimmers as one of their volunteers. Initially she balked.
“I didn’t think my social skills were strong enough,” she says with a little grin. “Before I started Splash I was a five-minute person, you know? ‘Hi.’ ‘How’s everything?’ ‘Are you liking this or that?’ That was it. I didn’t have anything more to say.” Those days are clearly over. The 2025 version of Mary is confident and outgoing, curious and a fun hang. And she looks about 26. At a push.
A nursing student until she had her son at 19, Mary always had a touch of wanderlust to go with an eye for a better, more informed future. It’s what inspired her to relocate to Saudi Arabia for her first job. Naturally, everyone wondered why she’d didn’t head to Hong Kong, where she had family. “I wanted to do it on my own,” she says. That job was as personal assistant to a couple in the hospitality business, a role that segued into childcare when the family’s existing nanny left. The job also meant frequent trips to Europe and the Middle East as a bonus, but Saudi was “too much luxury, it was too lavish,” Mary says. “I wanted something that would show me the good stuff and the bad. Seeing other perspectives from around the world is valuable.”
Mary spent three years in Saudi before coming to Hong Kong for a visit. That was 13 years ago. Fixed contracts and frequent repatriation meant she had four employers before finally landing on her current family nine years ago. “You learn from the first one, what you don’t like, what you’re really looking for and what you’re good at,” she says, crediting her current boss with much of her personal growth over the last decade and supporting her choices. Like learning to swim.
Despite hailing from an island nation (hey, not all Canadians can skate) Mary never learnt to swim, sticking close to shore during beach holidays as a kid or dangling her feet off the side of the pool as a teen. “Then I read about Splash on Facebook.”
Mary signed up for one of the free lessons Splash Foundation (www.splashfoundation.org) provides to migrant domestic workers, refugees and underprivileged children as soon as classes for MDWs opened in DB in 2017. “I remember the first thing they asked was ‘Do you know how to float?’ And I said I think so.” She did not, but she stuck with it and saw rapid progress. “I’m a person who will always give something I don’t know a try,” she says. “In my experience at first, it’s scary but in the end, you start liking it.”
“We have amazing senior coaches – Coach Jenn, Coach Estelle and Coach Linda – they’re all DB residents and they volunteer their time for free,” Mary adds. “They are very supportive and they guide us: I’ve learnt so much and I’m still learning more. I’m very happy with the way we all work together with so much unity. To be surrounded by people who bring out the best in you… this is what I truly enjoy.”
“I ENJOY TEACHING OTHER HELPERS HOW TO SWIM –I LOVE TO SEE THE PROGRESS THEY MAKE AND HELPING THEM SEE THEIR POTENTIAL. IT ALSO WORKS BOTH WAYS, THEY HELP ME BOOST MY SOCIAL SKILLS AND SELF-ESTEEM
- MARY CRUZ
No doubt, swimming is more than a sport or extracurricular activity. As Splash Foundation’s director of communications Victoria Ahn points out: “It’s a life skill and a vehicle for personal growth, resiliency and connection... Our MDW participants feel less lonely and most are less stressed or anxious in their professional life after our programmes.”
Mary indeed likes swimming (the cross-harbour swim is on her bucket list), which is why she volunteered as a swim captain on graduating from Splash in 2017. She started the next month as a coach and never looked back – except for those few minutes of hesitancy. As the years went by Mary also realised Splash had made her more confident. “When I talk to our coaches and the Splashers it helps me. I enjoy teaching other helpers learn how to swim – I love to see the progress they make and helping them see their potential. It also works both ways, they help me boost my social skills and self-esteem.”
This past April, Mary completed her third Splash Dash Relay alongside the DB squad that meets every Sunday at Discovery Bay International School (as one of Splash’s Good Pool Partners DBIS provides free use of its pool space). The DB Splashers took the prize for team spirit after winning for most laps last year. “But [the accolade] doesn’t really matter, because the point was to raise money to help more aunties, refugees and underprivileged kids learn to swim,” Mary says with a shrug. Splash, now in its 10th year, rustled up just shy of HK$550,000.
Another bonus: rumoured avid swimmer Chris Martin was in town with Coldplay in April and went for a dip at Kellett School with a group of Splashers. Mary didn’t meet Martin. “But I went to the concert,” she declares. The band donated tickets to Splash,
and though she’s claustrophobic, her self-described impulsive side reared its head and she attended her first concert. Ever.
“It was like a fear was unlocked,” she explains. “It was really nice and it wasn’t what I expected. I also didn’t know many of their songs. I have friends going to Blackpink in 2026 who asked if I wanted to go and I said no, but for some reason, with Coldplay, I thought ‘Why not?’ And I liked it. I liked the positive vibes.”
Victoria says that kind of trickle down is common among Splash’s graduates. “Our participants are more willing to try new things after Splash and many of our MDW participants develop more career ambitions and wider personal interests,” she says. “Learning to swim as an adult is a transformative experience… [and] we’ve designed a curriculum that empowers our participants and helps them see what they’re capable of.”
How much more Mary chooses to do is up to her. She’s not heading back to Manila this summer; she’s got too much to do here. In vowing to get fit by 40 a few years back (she’s 41 now) not only does Mary swim and coach, she does strength training with DBDB ahead of this month’s Hyrox, plus a little yoga. It’s fine with Mary, who’s spent all her 13 years in Hong Kong in DB – where she’s staying as long as it’ll have her. She likes the work, the comfort and, yes, the profit. But she also likes the downtime when she gets it, be it painting, an afternoon in the Museum of Art, or some good sleep.
“There are times I go to the beach and just enjoy the feeling of laying down on the sand and having a nap. I love sunset. That’s downtime for me, even if my brain is still going.”
MARY CRUZ WITH FELLOW DB SPLASHERS ANGELITA (ANGEL) BELLEZA & JOYCE TADENA
Be The Change! PLASTIC FREE JULY
Close to 2 million people have pledged to reduce their plastic footprint this month. If you’re planning to join them, Dana Winograd of Plastic Free Seas has some tips. Mervyn Black reports
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Andrew Spires
It’s something almost everyone is conscious of these days but something most of us still have trouble getting a complete handle on –significantly reducing our plastic footprint. In a busy place like Hong Kong, even the simplest of fixes – like packing a reusable water bottle – can go by the wayside as life gets in the way.
There’s no doubting the intentions of many, but most still need constant reminders to avoid slipping into old habits. One such reminder comes this month in the form of Plastic Free July: the perfect time to fire up some old habits and create some new ones.
Launched in 2011, Plastic Free July has grown from humble beginnings in Australia to become a global movement attracting millions of participants: 174 million in 2024. The campaign provides resources and ideas to help reduce plastic waste, describing July as “the global month of action against plastic pollution”. When you sign up to take part, you pledge either to avoid single-use plastic packaging, target takeaway items (bags, bottles, straws and cups) or go completely ‘plastic free’. You pledge to do this for one day, one week, one month or from now on.
While there are myriad suggestions on where to get started on the Plastic Free July website (www.plasticfreejuly.org), who better to consult than 27-year DB resident Dana Winograd, executive director and co-founder of Plastic Free Seas (PFS), a Hong Kong-based environmental charity focused on changing the way plastics are viewed and used, through education and action campaigns.
“People get interested when they think they are part of a global movement like Plastic Free July,” opens Dana. “While some people don’t need that, for other people it’s really inspiring. That’s why we promote it.”
Whether as an individual, as a family or as part of a larger group – with more people to hold you accountable – the concept of Plastic Free July is simple. “The goal is to choose a behaviour you’d like to change or an item you’d like to eliminate from your daily life and start it in July and hopefully continue it on,” says Dana. “It’s great to do at work: if you know too many people buy bottled water in your office, push for a reduction of that. It could also be in your friendship group, at kids’ birthday parties or on trips to the beach.”
Dana points to reducing one’s reliance on buying bottled water as the best starting point for most people. And here she has a handy tip: “Check out Water For Free, an app for your phone that lists all the free water stations in Hong Kong.
“New water fountains pop up in DB regularly,” she adds. “The one in Siena Park even measures the amount of single-use plastic bottles it has saved people from buying.” Over 17,000 at last count.
“It’s just about making that little bit of effort,” says Dana whose environmental crusade began in 2007 when DB Green, DB’s green community-led group, was conceived. She focused on getting recycling bins into every building in DB, while her co-founder at PFS, Tracey Read, started organising monthly beach clean-ups in DB which are still happening 18
years on. “Although everyone knows what they can do and it’s not rocket science, they don’t always do it. At PFS, we work hard to keep plastic pollution –and what individuals can do to combat it – at the forefront of everyone’s minds.”
When it comes to cutting out single-use plastic packaging, Dana’s advice goes way beyond carrying reusable water bottles. “It’s about bringing your own bag to the grocery store, and not only your own shopping bag but your own produce bag. It’s about replacing zip-lock bags with reusable food containers and resealable silicon pouches – whether that’s for takeaways, or your kids’ school lunches, or storing food in the fridge. It’s about bringing your own coffee cups...
“Even though it’s Plastic Free July and we’re focused on plastic, the bigger picture is reducing single-use waste. Whether it’s a paper bag, a paper straw, or a wooden fork, if you don’t need to take it, don’t. We want to be looking for the reusable option.”
Dana also suggests using refillable personal care products and shampoo bars instead of bottled liquid if you want to take things that one step further, as well as being selective about where you shop.
“If you’re disappointed with the amount of packaging used on produce in the grocery stores in DB, Tung Chung market is just a bus ride away,” she advises. “If you do your grocery shopping in DB, look out for the ‘Share your bag’ spot at Fusion which encourages people to leave behind their used bags so others can reuse them – an initiative PFS helped implement some years ago.”
In regards to other initiatives, Dana is full of praise for the way government support has enabled HKRCL make recycling a viable and convenient option for DB residents. “From every building you don’t have to go far to recycle not only paper, plastic and metal, but liquid cartons, glass and food waste. From that point of view, it’s really good,” she says.
What’s key though is that we reduce the need for recycling in the first place. Dana points to the reusable food container and cup programmes offered in Taikoo Place and Airside as perfect for DB. The systems see customers ask for reusable containers or cups when ordering and then returning them to participating outlets once they are done. “DB is the perfect location for that because everything is so close together; ideally there would be some government incentives to entice restaurants to take part,” she says.
But first, Plastic Free July – “the global month of action against plastic pollution”. It’s time to make an action plan of your own, and remember – every little bit helps.
Did you know you can only recycle plastic bottles #1 and #2 in your building’s communal plastic collection bin? The government-funded Green@Community collection point, open on Tuesdays from 10am to 1pm and 2.30pm to 5.30pm, at the Green Icon@DB near Parkridge is the place to dispose of most other plastic items like soft plastics (film), trays, containers and polyfoam, along with rechargeable batteries, fluorescent and energy-saving light bulbs, disposable coffee cups and fibre food containers. In addition to plastic bottles, paper, metal and food waste, you can also find liquid carton (Tetra Pak) collection bins at most buildings in DB.
Disposing of recyclables at designated collection points like Green Icon@DB is easy, effective and, of course, free of charge. But it’s not the only option. You’ll also find a set of Smart recycling bins for plastic bottles, metal, and paper in Siena Two near the Graceful Mansions bus stop, and Smart textile collection bins are located around DB. Last but not least, in order to get your food waste sent to O PARK1 for recycling, remember to keep it separate and put it in one of the many purple food-waste bins you’ll find across DB.
You can find the location of all types of collection bins across DB here:
www.dbcommunity.hk >
What’s key is that all recyclables are cleaned and properly sorted. In order to be recycled, all liquid cartons need to be cut open and washed with the plastic spout and lid removed, and they should be dried and flattened. Polyfoam items, including food trays, fruit nets and product packaging also need to be clean and dry, with no food residue, tape, stickers or any other contaminants. Beverage bottles must be empty of liquid, though you can leave the cap and label on.
YOUR SPRINGBOARD TO GROWTH
LEAD WITH CONFIDENCE –JOIN ASIA-PACIFIC’S TOP-RANKED MBA
For many professionals, the challenge of staying ahead in an ever-changing business landscape is real. Economic shifts and technological advancements are reshaping industries, making it crucial to continuously enhance skills and knowledge.
In Discovery Bay, a vibrant community known for its dynamic professionals, Jason Hong and Du Zhiyuan found their path to career growth through the HKUST MBA. As ambitious individuals navigating demanding roles, they sought a programme that would allow them to balance work
“HKUST’s part-time MBA has become my personal growth journey – expanding knowledge and networks, while maintaining work-life balance. The bi-weekly module connects me with classmates across the Greater Bay Area, broadening my perspectives,” says Jason Hong (HKUST Part-Time Bi-Weekly MBA, Intake 2024).
“Pursuing a part-time MBA while working fulltime always requires discipline and commitment. Many electives are conveniently held at HKUST Business School in Central, right on my way home to DB. Time management and employer support are key. I’ve even connected with fellow DB alumni – we often share stories and taxis to campus,” says Du Zhiyuan (HKUST Part-Time Weekly MBA, Intake 2024).
and study without compromising their careers or personal lives.
HKUST MBA’s global reputation speaks for itself – ranked No. 1 in Asia-Pacific by Bloomberg Businessweek (2023–25) and holding Hong Kong’s top MBA ranking in the Financial Times for over 14 years , it offers a world-class education tailored to professionals’ needs.
The programme’s flexibility is a game changer. Whether pursuing the Full-Time MBA for an immersive experience, the Part-Time MBA (Weekly/ Bi-Weekly) to balance commitments, or the Digital MBA (Part-Time Hybrid Mode) combining online and in-person learning, students have options that fit their unique paths.
Beyond its academic excellence, HKUST MBA fosters a community where professionals from diverse industries exchange insights and apply their learning immediately. Discovery Bay residents share this commitment to lifelong learning, continuously refining their expertise and expanding their networks.
Ready to take your next step? Join us and elevate your career with HKUST MBA.
• D igital MBA (Part-Time Hybrid Mode): Classes b egin in February 2026. Application Deadline: A ugust 27, 2025 (Round 3).
• I ntake 2026 Full-time and Part-Time (Weekly a nd Bi-Weekly) application information will be r eleased at the end of August 2025.
Subscribe to our e-news to get an application open reminder!
JASON HONG DU ZHIYUAN
GREECE GOLDEN VISA
HARVEY LAW GROUP PRESENTS A MEDITERRANEAN PATHWAY
TO EU RESIDENCY
As with the Portugal Golden Visa we explored in this magazine’s June issue, the Greece Golden Visa (or Greece Investment Residence Permit) remains one of Europe’s most accessible residency programmes for non-EU nationals.
Even with the recent changes to the minimum investment thresholds, the Greece Golden Visa continues to offer multiple property-based routes to residency, with these amendments helping to ensure the long-term sustainability and flexibility of the programme.
High-demand areas such as Attica (including central Athens and Piraeus), Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and any island with over 3,100 inhabitants now require a minimum real-estate investment of EUR800,000; whereas for all other locations across the country, including hidden gems and charming mainland towns, the entry point remains lower at EUR400,000. For those willing to think creatively, a EUR250,000 investment remains possible –either by converting commercial properties into residential use or restoring buildings of cultural or historical significance.
The Greece Golden Visa allows applicants (and family members) to obtain a five-year renewable residence permit, with no minimum stay requirement and no language test, unless pursuing eventual citizenship. Greek residents are able to enjoy the same benefits as Greek citizens, notably access to free public healthcare and education, and they are granted the freedom to travel throughout the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within any 180day period.
Although the profiles of applicants are fairly varied, we would say that they usually have in common a love for Southern Europe and rich historic culture,
and the desire to spend quality time in Greece, either during holidays or upon retirement. The realestate option enables investors to acquire a holiday home in which to enjoy annual family reunions.
From its ancient cities to its hundreds of islands, Greece offers a lifestyle that is relaxed, safe and rooted in culture. It is quite simply a beautiful place to spend time. From an investment perspective, Greece offers affordable entry into the EU property market, with low annual property tax, no wealth tax and the potential for long-term capital appreciation.
When we decided to introduce the Greece Golden Visa to Around DB readers, one of our colleagues asked us to share her personal experience: “I had the privilege of exploring Greece on my solo trips to Corfu and Santorini, two vastly different islands, each with their own unique blend of natural beauty, historic charm and cultural depth. It is one thing to read about Greece; it is another to understand what it feels like to be there. I would encourage anyone to go visit.”
If you are considering applying for the Greece Golden Visa, you may contact Harvey Law Group. With over 32 years of experience in investment residency and citizenship programmes all over the world, we would be happy to advise you.
5-DAY ITINERARY: ATHENS AND SANTORINI
HARVEY LAW GROUP (HLG)
As an entrée to Greece, spend some time in the ancient, culture-rich capital and then make your way to Santorini, the ultimate Greek island getaway
de presence expediating your immigration goals
Day 1 ⇢ Athens
� H ead straight to the Acropolis in t he morning (to beat the crowds). V isible from almost everywhere w ithin the city, it’s dubbed ‘the m ost important ancient site in t he Western world’. Explore m ajestic ruins like the Parthenon, Temple of Athena Nike and T heatre of Dionysus
� V isit the Acropolis Museum to s ee treasures from the Archaic to R oman periods, and check out the g lass floor that reveals excavated r uins beneath
� C ome nightfall, hunker down at a t averna with a rooftop view over t he city. Order the best dolmades, m oussaka and baklava you’ve e ver tasted!
Day 2 ⇢ Athens
Day 3 ⇢ Santorini
� T ake an early 45-minute flight to Santorini, famous for its sund renched hills; whitewashed, b lue-roofed buildings and blacks and beaches. Check into a hotel i n Fira, Oia or Pyrgos with views a cross the Aegean
� H ike the Fira to Oia trail (just over 10km) stopping off to explore the h illtop villages of Imerovigli and F irostefani. Bring a packed l unch of fava dip, flatbread, grilled o ctopus and tomato fritters
� G rab a front-row seat for the b reathtaking Santorini sunset. O ia’s Byzantine castle ruins have b y far the most beautiful view but t he spot is best avoided over t he summer due to overcrowding
Day 4 ⇢ Santorini
, Har vey Law Group is a prem ier multinational law fir m, s peciali zing in estment ( RB I) and Citize n by In v estme nt (CBI) for over 30 y ear s. W it h world w ide representing over 30 di ffe rent cou n tries and th eir res pecti ve igratio n progra ms , Harve y Law Group h as prov ided it s se rv ices to ov er
� S pend a day exploring the city. S troll through Monastiraki Flea M arket for local crafts, souvenirs… a nd people-watching. Catch the c hanging of the guard outside t he Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. W alk around Plaka, the old town – think cobbled streets, boutique s tores and gelato
� R elax on Perissa Beach, one of the l ongest on the island: rent an iconic b lue-and-white striped deckchair a nd treat yourself to a Negroni
10,00 0 families from all aro un d the w orld. As the de m and for In ve stment I mm igration prog rams grows , var ious emergi ng co m pa n ies ha ve latc h ed on to the se rv ice offe rin g, but Ha rvey La w Group remai ns the on ly legacy la w fir m that s peciali zes in I nv estment Im m igratio n as a di s cipline
Day 5 ⇢ Santorini
SHOUT-OUT TO READERS:
If you have a favourite Greek recipe to share, please email it to rachel@arounddb.com, along with photos of you preparing or eating the dish. You may find yourself featured in the next issue of the magazine, or in our upcoming ADB Around the World Cookbook
Reside n cy by I nve st ment i n ov er 6 c on t in ents o v er 2 0 c ountrie s
Ou r p rogram s:
� R elax in the shade at the National G arden next to the Parliament b uilding, where parrots fly freely, o r make your way to the Hill of t he Muses with its dense pine f orest and glorious views across t he Saronic Gulf
Reti reme nt Vi sa s
� E xplore the ruins of Akrotiri, the real Atlantis on Santorini’s southernmost t ip. The prehistoric, Bronze-age to wn is preserved in volcanic ash –l ike Pompeii, but Greek
Citizenship by Investment programs in the Caribbean, Europe and Asia Pacific
� F inish the day with a plate of apochti, a traditional pork dish marinated i n vinegar and spices, washed d own with a glass of Assyrtiko
Citi z en s hip by Anc estry
� Sto p by a winery for a chilled t asting session or take a catamaran c ruise around the caldera to l earn more about the island and i ts legendary volcanic eruption. E njoy one last Greek meal as you l ook out across the Aegean
Hong K ong I sland : Uni t 2505-6 , 25 /F, Uni t ed A sia F inance Cen t re , 333 Lo c khar t Road , Wan c hai T: +852 2116 1333 Discovery Bay: Unit 3, L/G Unit, Block One, DB North Plaza T: +852 2416 8618 Email: contact@harveylawcorporation.com
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Winging t !
FAMILY HOLIDAY HOW TO
Planning a getaway with the kids this month? Andrew Spires has some essential travel tips to get you started
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Andrew Spires
The stages of a family holiday closely mirror the stages of having a family. When your first child is born, terror keeps you rooted to within a mile of home, but then slowly, as you get used to each other, the fear subsides and the adventures begin. A wise woman once told me that “fear is simply inexperience” and that’s a great lesson to take on your family holiday.
When the kids are little… avoid aeroplanes. Saying this, flying with an immobile baby is leagues
easier than flying with a wriggling toddler who’s obsessed with walking the cabin aisles, but if you can avoid the obstacle course of airport security with a pram and all the accoutrements that follow a small child, do so.
Here’s a fun story. I took my kids (then aged 3 and 1) back to the UK single-handedly and it’s not an experience I want to repeat. I was so stressed getting off a packed train with the kids and their bags and prams that I left all our passports and ID cards
behind. These useful bits of paperwork were quickly destroyed by Her Majesty’s Government. Perfect!
Back to air travel. With the three-year-old sleeping, I nipped back to change the baby. I didn’t realise there’s a folding changing table in a plane toilet, so I attempted the nappy change on my knees. My little sweetheart had filled it and was proceeding to kick her legs violently whilst windmilling her hands, covering me in what looked like a mix of Hershey’s syrup and French’s mustard. The cabin crew were trying very hard not to laugh when I emerged covered head to toe in poop with a giggling baby.
Hong Kong has loads of great spots that are far enough that it feels like you’re on holiday but close enough that you can max your time without losing it all to travelling. If it’s culture you’re after, I can’t recommend Cheung Chau highly enough. Take the slow ferry and sit up on Level 2, out the back. The breeze is heavenly and the view will keep the little ones entertained.
There are a few AirBnBs on the island that include a barbecue on the roof, so you can relax in the evening with the children close enough to hear their cries. If you’re in the mood for a little adventure, Saiyuen Camping Adventure Park, on Cheung Chau’s southwestern tip, is an oasis and offers an array of pre-erected tents and star domes. But be warned: while Saiyuen makes camping easy and semi-luxurious (aircon!), you’ll pay more for a night there than you would at the W in West Kowloon.
Just as easy to reach from DB, Gold Coast Hotel is class if you have little ones. There is a mini watersplash park built into the grounds, an electric-car racetrack, a beach not a Frisbee throw away and a great parade of shops, restaurants and bars. The hotel also boasts a huge jungle gym and soft-play area that you can use to knacker out the little ones. The fee is HK$80 per kid. Well worth it!
From Gold Coast Hotel, it’s only a 10-minute taxi ride to Tuen Mun Park which is my favourite kidcentred park in Hong Kong. Make the most of its fantastic playground and water-splash area, then have a peek into the free-to-visit reptile house with giant tortoises and ball pythons.
Once the kids are old enough to walk unaided through airport security, it’s time to venture further afield. Vietnam has always been our go-to. The people are lovely, the food delicious; it’s a short flight and it’s beautiful and cheap once you get there. I’d avoid the two big cities until the kids are older, and instead venture to Hôi An or Phú Quôc.
Hôi An is a beautifully preserved trading port dating back to the 15th century and is now a UNESCO
World Heritage Site. The flight from Hong Kong is only one hour 55 minutes, then it’s a half-hour taxi ride from Da Nang International Airport. The town is pretty by day but comes alive at night. Take a boat trip down the Thu B ồ n River and check out the floating flower candles that people send off as wishes. Grab a banh mi roll from a street vendor: a soft baguette filled with crunchy grated cabbage, carrot and onion; a thick spread of paté; sliced chicken and fish sauce. Pair your banh mi with a cold can of Saigon beer and you’ll be chasing that food dragon as long as you live.
GET INTO STAYCATIONS
EAT WEIRD FOOD
BE CULTURE VULTURES
TAKE SHORT FLIGHTS
RENT BIKES
ONCE THE KIDS ARE OLD ENOUGH TO WALK UNAIDED THROUGH AIRPORT SECURITY, IT’S TIME TO VENTURE FURTHER AFIELD
Most Hôi An hotels have bikes you can borrow or hire. Traffic out in the fields to the west of the town is very light so cycling is safe and a great way to explore smaller villages. We did a cycle tour that included lunch, but we could quite easily have done this ourselves and avoided an obnoxious American chap banging on about the Vietnam War. Don’t be that guy.
Although it’s not great, there is a beach 10 minutes out of Hôi An town. If it’s sea and sand you’re after, take a taxi back up to Da Nang, or book a hotel along the Da Nang seafront. Be sure to get a room with a balcony.
Phú Quôc is a little further from Hong Kong but worth the three-hour flight. Nestled at the junction of Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, it’s a gem of an island that’s still very underdeveloped. Book accommodation close to the beach and night market. Although the market itself isn’t much to write home about, there are some great little cafés and restaurants in that area. Phú Quôc’s three main ‘attractions’ are a water park, a safari park and Starfish Beach. Take the cable car to the waterpark: it ‘takes off’ from a bizarre, fake-Roman town built in 2018 and then flies you over picturesque fishing villages to the south side of the island.
The standout attraction for us was Starfish Beach. Anywhere else, this would be a chaotic tourist trap but there can’t have been more than 15 people when we visited in April. My kids and I rented a scooter and the hour ride from our beach shack to the starfish was an adventure in itself. They have Grab (like Uber) on the island which is cheap and reliable, but not as fun!
Once at the main pier, you ditch wheels for a hulland-zoom speedboat ride over the water to a pristine beach festooned with starfish. There are rope swings over the water and the option to rent loungers. It was a magical experience and one I hope the kids don’t forget.
What I’ve learned about holidays with kids is not to squeeze them into your old kid-free life, but to be water, and flow them into your new one. Short journey times are your friends. Snacks, plain paper and colouring pencils are your life raft in a sea of boredom. The ABC game is indispensable for kids aged 5 and up: think of a topic – names, for example – then think of one for each letter of the alphabet. Keeps us busy for ages.
I asked my two, aged 7 and 9, what their best bit of Phú Quôc was. Remember, we’ve had motorbike journeys into the forests and swings over starfish… Their answer “that blue-ice drink” and “King Kong Supermarket”. So I guess it doesn’t matter where you go, so long as you spend quality time together.
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Rediscovery! DB HOUSING MARKET UPDATE
The road to real estate market recovery could have an offramp through Discovery Bay. Elizabeth Kerr reports
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Andrew Spires
NEOHORIZON
POGGIBONSI
Hong Kong’s real estate markets are nothing if not volatile. In one of the world’s most dynamic markets, minor external factors can have an outsized impact in the SAR, and events that bring major centres such as London or Tokyo to a screeching halt can barely cause a ripple. Perhaps unsurprisingly, 2024 proved to be another unpredictable year, and the November election of Donald Trump to another presidency – and the ensuing chaos his administration has wrought – has caused investors to proceed with caution, if at all, and sent global monetary policy into damage control. So what does this mean for Discovery Bay?
Hong Kong’s residential market overall started showing signs of post-pandemic recovery late in 2024. Then the 2025/26 budget increased the threshold for homes subject to the HK$100 stamp duty to HK$4 million – a boon for firsttime purchasers and a complement to last year’s elimination of cooling measures in place since 2012 – and increased the LTV ratio. With further interest rate cuts anticipated, the forecast was for continued recovery and transactions rose, particularly in the primary market, where luxury residential flat rents crept up 0.8% and investment spiked 70% according to JLL. But data takes time to compile and by Q2/2025 global trade policy and relations caught fire, making a lot of people hit pause on major purchases – including in Hong Kong.
“The ongoing trade war risks stifling economic growth and stock market decline, pressuring residential property values. We expect mass and luxury residential capital values to drop by about 5% in 2025,” concluded JLL in its May APPD Market report. “However, luxury rents ar e projected to continue rising, driven by an influx of mainland Chinese families and some return of expatriates, particularly those in the finance and investment sectors.”
In DB prices are still as much as 20% below their peaks in 2021 as of Q2, with some properties transacting below bank valuation. Rents have stabilised but remain lower than comparable districts after tumbling nearly 40% between 2019 and 2024. “This makes DB relatively affordable, especially for larger family units,” says Sdever Li, director of residential services at Savills Hong Kong. According to Savills, flats on The Peak and in Mid-Levels leased for well over HK$100,000 late in 2024, over HK$75,000 in Kowloon (Austin) and HK$54,000 in Sai Kung. By comparison, two houses in DB rented for HK$40,000 and HK$48,000.
“DB is currently seen as a value buy in the Hong Kong market, especially for those seeking space, greenery and a community vibe,” Li adds.
“RECENTLY THERE HAS BEEN AN INFLUX OF TENANTS AND BUYERS, ESPECIALLY AT THE LUXURY END OF THE RENTAL MARKET. I CAN’T SAY IF HONG KONG IS DOING BETTER THAN US… BUT WE’RE
POPULAR WITH FAMILIES
AND PEOPLE WHO PREFER
COMMUNITY LIVING
- CHRISTINE KING, DIRECTOR OF HEADLAND HOMES
Christine King, director of DB-based Headland Homes, however, argues that recent price corrections prompted many to take the opportunity to buy what was once unaffordable and that window could be closing. “Recently there has been an influx of tenants and buyers, especially at the luxury end of the rental market. I can’t say if Hong Kong is doing better than us… but we’re popular with families and people who prefer community living.”
DB certainly wasn’t immune to the turmoil of the past few years. It was subjected to cooling measures like all other districts, hot investment money and, of course, COVID-19.
“DB was significantly affected by the emigration wave during 2022-23,” states Li. “As many expatriates and local families left Hong Kong, DB –traditionally popular with expats due to its resortlike lifestyle and international school access – saw a sharp drop in demand. This led to falling prices and rising vacancies.” That said, Li notes signs of recovery thanks to expats returning from the UK and Singapore in particular, and increasing numbers of mainland buyers equally keen on DB’s schools and family-friendliness. Favourable policy shifts like those reduced stamp duties, interest rate cuts and more feasible mortgage rules have also improved buyer sentiment. “However, DB’s recovery is still sensitive to broader economic sentiment and buyer confidence,” cautions Li.
DB isn’t officially listed among Hong Kong’s luxury districts, but in a market where the fundamental concept of ‘luxury’ has been redefined in recent years to include factors such as a neighbourhood feel, natural environments and wellbeing, it slots in nicely with emerging districts such as Sai Kung, Shek O and Stanley. As Li points out, prices and rents are still below peak, making DB a relative bargain and possibly an investment destination.
“DB has always been positioned more as a lifestyle enclave than a traditional luxury district like The Peak or Repulse Bay,” notes Li, appealing for its beaches, greenery, international schools and low-traffic streets. “As an investment, DB is less speculative and more yield-focused, especially in the rental market. Capital appreciation has been modest, but rental yields are improving as prices remain soft and demand returns.”
King agrees, referring to DB as a mixed bag that has always had its share of luxury – such as affordable garden homes, a rarity in Hong Kong – and always will. “There seems to be a larger amount of owner-occupiers now,” she says, adding, “Considering the location, the airport brings many airport staff to live in DB, the Macau bridge is convenient for commuters to that region and [it’s] an easy commute to Shenzhen, I think the investment potential is still there.”
The rest of 2025 is poised to be a challenging one for many industries, from retail to tourism. In real estate, challenges include oversupply in some sectors and economic uncertainty, and as Li sees it DB has unique hurdles that could negatively impact its market, among them: limited transport connectivity and reliance on volatile expatriate demand. Finishes Li, “That said, if Hong Kong’s broader recovery continues, DB could benefit from spillover demand from buyers priced out of more central areas.”
LOCAL REALTORS
• C entaline Property Agency, 2987 8484
• C entury 21 Newcourt Realty, 2987 9729
• H eadland Homes, 2987 2088
• K ingsland, 2987 2987
• L and Master Property, 2987 6238
• M idland Realty, 2987 2888
• O kay.com, 2102 0888
• Pacific Estate, 2987 2928
ELEGANCE COURT
CHIANTI
On your Doorstep! HK’S BEST BEACHES
Time to swim, tan and get social
KNOWN FOR ITS POWERFUL SURF BREAKS and rugged cliffs, Tai Long Wan (Big Wave Bay) is quite a hike to get to – 45 minutes from Sai Wan Pavilion in Sai Kung town. The lure? You’re rewarded by four interconnected, often deserted beaches – Sai Wan, Ham Tin Wan, Tai Wan and Tung Wan – which stretch across 3 kilometres of coast.
A DENSELY POPULATED URBAN
HUB, Hong Kong is in fact awash with fantastic beaches. Within Lantau, Pui O Beach is our top pick: a wild and windswept water-sports’ hub, with intriguing brown-black sand and incredible sunsets. There’s a government-run campsite with barbecue pits, plus the option to eat and overnight at Treasure Island Beach Club.
THE CRESCENT-SHAPED
SHORELINE and palm-fringed promenade of Repulse Bay Beach makes it one of the most popular in Hong Kong. It’s a great spot for people watching, packed at weekends, with every amenity on tap. Find a beachfront mall, high-end restaurants and bars, changing rooms, raft rental and even a beach volleyball court.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Sarin Ale & courtesy of Pexels
ENCAPSULATING COASTAL LIVING, Stanley
Main Beach is as vibrant and bustling as the village that homes it. (To avoid the crowds, walk 15 minutes to St Stephen’s, a pretty little cove just east of the village). Once you’ve topped up your tan, explore Stanley’s markets and eateries, and take a leisurely stroll along the waterfront promenade.
DETERMINEDLY LOW KEY,
Shek O Beach has everything it takes, particularly for families, with a tempting expanse of sand, calm waters and great facilities including changing rooms and barbecue pits. The laid-back vibe continues into the village, where there are plenty of sleepy cafés serving up quality eats.
CALL US BIASED BUT this guide would not be complete without a shoutout to DB’s own Tai Pak Beach. The city’s first man-made beach, backed by rolling hills, it’s our go-to for leisurely swims and long walks, sun worshipping and beach games. Family-friendly amenities include a kids’ playground at the far end by Lantau Boat Club.
DUBBED THE MALDIVES OF HONG KONG,
Long Ke Beach exceeds expectations, delivering fine white sand and bright turquoise waters. You can expect a real Robinson Crusoe experience as it’s well off the beaten track; facilities are limited so bring your own food and water supplies. Hike there from Sai Kung East Dam, or hire a speedboat at Sai Kung Pier.
Bucket List!
CLASSIC SUMMER READS
6 sizzling novels to take on holiday
to England by her chaperone, Lucy gets engaged to a ‘suitable’ – and suitably wealthy – suitor, Cecil. At the end of the novel, Lucy returns to Florence on her honeymoon. But who is she married to?
BRIDESHEAD REVISITED: EVELYN WAUGH (1945)
The first time Charles stays at Brideshead, he and Sebastian have the Flyte family’s opulent stately home to themselves. They spend a hedonistic summer exploring the estate and raiding the wine cellar, before taking the train to Venice where Charles is introduced to Sebastian’s enigmatic father. In the autumn, the young men return to Oxford to face some harsh realities.
CALL ME BY YOUR NAME: ANDRÉ ACIMAN (2007)
A sudden and powerful attraction develops between 17-year-old Elio and Oliver, a 24-year-old archaeology student, who are holidaying with Elio’s parents on the Italian Riviera. At first each feigns indifference but during the restless summer weeks that follow, undercurrents of obsession and fear, fascination and desire intensify their passion.
and children of their own, they keep returning. But beneath the familiar buzz of parties, cocktails, moonlight and jazz, all is not what it seems. This year the glamourous façade finally begins to crack.
THE BEACH: ALEX GARLAND (1996)
Richard, a backpacker in Thailand, is given a map to a hidden island beach that is said to be a heaven on earth, inhabited by a select few. He sets out to find the beach and discovers a small community of travellers who have left the outside world to live a largely self-sufficient life of leisure. Richard finds the lifestyle idyllic. Then things start to unravel.
THE MAGUS: JOHN FOWLES (1965)
Nicholas breaks up with his girlfriend and accepts a teaching position on a remote Greek island, where he meets Maurice, a wealthy Greek recluse with interests in art, psychiatry, theatre and perhaps the supernatural. As the school term unfolds, Nicholas is drawn into an elaborate psychological game, which gradually unravels his sense of reality.
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Recipe of the Month!
ENERGY BALLS
Blitz the almonds to create a fine almond meal. (Don’t blend the almond meal too long or it will turn into nut butter.) Add the remaining ingredients and blitz to combine. Then, scoop a heaped tablespoon of dough into your hands and roll it into a ball. Roll the ball in additional shredded coconut (optional) and place it on a baking sheet. Repeat until you’ve used up all the dough.
Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes and then transfer the energy balls to a freezer-safe bag. You can store these healthy bites in the freezer for up to 3 months.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF Pexels
A Little Bit of Trivia! 20 QUESTIONS
How much do you know about the month of July?
BY Kayli Liebenberg
01. Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon on July 20 in which year?
A. 1960
B. 1965 C. 1969
02. W hat is July’s full moon called?
A. B uck Moon
B. D eer Moon
C. F awn Moon
03. When does HKSAR Establishment Day fall?
A. J uly 1
B. J uly 20
C. J uly 31
04. W ho did Julius Caesar name the month of July after?
A. Himself
B. H is family
C. Cleopatra
05. W hich civil rights activist was born on July 12, 1997?
A. T handiwe Abdullah
B. G reta Thunberg
C. M alala Yousafzai
06. W hich album did Taylor Swift release o n July 7, 2023?
A. Red (Taylor's Version)
B. Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
C. 1989 (Taylor's Version)
07. W hat is July’s birthstone?
A. Ruby
B. Emerald
C. Pearl
08. On July 25, 1909, who was the first man to fly an aircraft across the English Channel?
A. S ully Sullenberger
B. C harles Lindbergh
C. L ouis Bleriot
09. W hat do the French celebrate on July 14?
A. B astille Day
B. A rmistice Day
C. A scension Day
10. W hich South African president was b orn on July 18, 1918?
A. D esmond Tutu
B. N elson Mandela
C. J acob Zuma
11. W hich major cycling event traditionally starts in July?
A. M ilan-San Remo
B. Tour de France
C. Tour Down Under
12. W hich US actor born on July 3, 1962, starred in Born on the Fourth of July ?
A. S tanley Tucci
B. Tom Cruise
C. S ean Penn
13. Where did the first Disneyland open on July 17, 1955?
A. A naheim, California
B. Penny’s Bay, Lantau
C. M arne-la-Vallée, France
14. T he inaugural FIFA World Cup was held w here in July 1930?
A. Argentina
B. Bolivia
C. Uruguay
15. At which Spanish festival, held in July, do people run with bulls through the streets?
A. L as Fallas
B. F iesta de San Fermín
C. F eria de Sevilla
16. Which movie made US$356 million worldwide during its opening weekend in July 2023?
A. Barbie
B. Oppenheimer
C. Sounds of Freedom
17. W hich popular item of summer clothing w as showcased in Paris in July 1946?
A. Bikini
B. F lip flops
C. C rop top
18. Who wrote 4th of July – Ashbury Park (Sandy)?
A. B runo Mars
B. Bi lly Joel
C. B ruce Springsteen
19. W hich sporting event, held in July 1967, was the first UK television programme to b e broadcast in colour?
A. R ugby World Cup
B. W imbledon Tennis Championships
C. C ricket World Cup
20. A mazon opened as an online bookseller in July of which year?
A 1995
B. 1997
C. 2000
CHEUNG FU STREET
CHI MA WAN ROAD
CHUNG SHING STREET
KAT HING STREET
KENG SHAN ROAD
LUNG SHING STREET
LUNG TIN STREET
MA PO PING ROAD
MUI WO FERRY PIER ROAD
NGAN KWONG WAN ROAD
NGAN SHU STREET
SHEK PIK RESERVOIR ROAD
SHEK TSAI PO STREET
SOUTH LANTAU ROAD
TAI O ROAD
TAI O TAI PING STREET
WANG PUI ROAD
Cheung Fu Street
Chi Ma Wan Road
Chung Shing Street
Kat Hing Street
Keng Shan Road
Lung Shing Street
Lung Tin Street
Ma Po Ping Road
Mui Wo Ferry Pier Road
Ngan Kwong Wan Road
Ngan Shu Street
Shek Pik Reservoir Road
Shek Tsai Po Street
South Lantau Road
Tai O Road
Tai O Tai Ping Street
Tai O Wing On Street Wang Pui Road
Discovery Bayʼs original community magazine, Around DB is the trusted provider of local information for DB residents. The magazine is delivered to every village in DB, plus key local businesses throughout the resort and we now also have a very active online presence. Our website receives over 45,000 visitors per month, and the Around DB Facebook and Instagram pages have close to 25,000 followers. We are currently offering special advertising packages (both print and digital) for 2025.
For tailor-made advertising packages to reach our unique readership, email our sales manager Kristin Jiang at kristin@arounddb.com
Andrew Spires' COMMUNITY SNAPS
PHOTOS BY Andrew Spires -
TOILETRIES COLLECTION
Tung Chung Ambulance Depot
Tung Chung Fire Station
TUNG CHUNG
YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College (YHKCC)
Direct Subsidy Scheme, Tung Chung-based secondary school providing an international-style education with English as the medium of instruction. Call 2988 8123
North Lantau Hospital
Rural general hospital in Tung Chung with a 24-hour accident & emergency service. Outpatient services include the North Lantau Community Health Centre. Call 3467 7000
DISCOVERY BAY
Co-working Space@DB
Hybrid workspace encouraging interaction between members. The hi-tech, ergonomic interior is boosted by a spacious outdoor lounge area. Call 2426 8828
Guidepost Montessori
Authentic Montessori programme scientifically structured for children aged 6 months to 12 years. Seafront views & an outdoor play space at DB North Plaza. Call 2185 6134
Auberge Discovery Bay
Five-star hotel in DB North with 22 mountain/ ocean-view rooms & suites. Meetings & events, dining, wellness & recreation. 25 minutes from HKIA. Call 2295 8288
Harvey Law Group
International law firm offering a wide range of commercial & personal legal services, including investment residency programmes. Meeting facilities in DB. Call 2416 8618
Bernardo Removals
DB-based, HK-wide service: home & office relocations. Full packing & unpacking services, plus handyman jobs & furniture disposal. Storage space rental in DB. Call 9854 4410
HK Dragons Football Club
Coaching for girls & boys aged 2.5 to 14 years at DBIS & DB North pitches. The professional coaches (FA level 2 or above) are First Aid & CPR qualified. Call 2987 4274
Harry Wright
Trusted swim partner offering expert-led lessons at Club Siena with a structured progression system, small group sizes & international-standard coaching. Call 2575 6279
Tekkerz
Curriculum for U3 to U14 boys & girls designed to develop technical skills & overall game play by using a ‘maximum touch’ approach. Training at DB North pitch. Call 9770 4548
il Bel Paese
Heart-warming
DISCOVERY BAY
0202
5122 5928 ÓNA
3619 0937
Osmanbey Turkish Restaurant 5401 8350
Pachanga
Pasha
Peony
Pho Bay
2626 3008
6340 0903
Spotlight! Spotlight!
PERFORMANCES PER DAY with ERIC CHOU, CHUNG HA and ITZY headlining
4,000
50,000
SQUARE-FOOT outdoor event space
SHOW YOUR WRISTBAND or e-ticket to redeem EXCLUSIVE OFFERS from participating DB restaurants
JULY 5-6
VENUE HIGHLIGHTS
TAI PAK BEACH
Food stalls, a marketplace and large-scale sea park complete with water slides
THEME: FRIENDSHIP AND ROMANCE
A colour-coded Pairing Wristband Social System categorises festivalgoers by their relationship status –helpful if you’re looking to meet new people or fall in love
HARVEY LAW GROUP (HLG)
Fo un ded in 19 92 , Har vey Law Group is a prem ier multinational law fir m, s peciali zing in Res idency by I nv estment ( RB I) and Citize n by In v estme nt (CBI) for over 30 y ear s. W it h ove r 20 office s world w ide representing over 30 di ffe rent cou n tries and th eir res pecti ve In ves tme nt I mm igratio n progra ms , Harve y Law Group h as prov ided it s se rv ices to ov er 10,00 0 families from all aro un d the w orld. As the de m and for In ve stment I mm igration prog rams grows , var ious emergi ng co m pa n ies ha ve latc h ed on to the se rv ice offe rin g, but Ha rvey La w Group remai ns the on ly legacy la w fir m that s peciali zes in I nv estment Im m igratio n as a di s cipline .
Ou r p rogram s:
Reside n cy by I nve st ment i n ov er 6 c on t in ents o v er 2 0 c ountrie s
Citizenship by Investment programs in the Caribbean, Europe and Asia Pacific