Have Your Say – Eric Sampson

Author/ Being Neighbourly
22 February 2025

Eric Sampson is a Brit who was made in Hong Kong, in that he was born here and spent his childhood in the SAR, moving to New Zealand as a teen. Back as an adult, he loves his Lamma Island home but is less enthusiastic about the expense of life in Hong Kong in general— a factor that could lead him and his wife to set up home elsewhere in Asia.

How long have you lived where you’ve lived?

I was born and raised in Hong Kong, left to move to New Zealand when I was a teenager and returned to Hong Kong in 1994/1995. I have lived in Wan Chai, Happy Valley, Gold Coast and Lamma Island where I have been for the last 20 years.

Can you see yourself living anywhere else?

It’s a quandary to be honest. I’m British but never lived in the UK, I have a NZ passport but find it too quiet and not as vibrant as living in Asia. I have family in Australia but again it doesn’t call to me/us. Hong Kong is home: my wife has lived in Hong Kong for 30 plus years and if it’s possible we would want to stay. The reality though is that Hong Kong is expensive, so we are looking at other options in Asia.

What’s so great about your home/neighbourhood?

Lamma Island is a gem! It’s a village community, safe for children to grow up in. The lifestyle is relaxed and there’s tons to do especially if you like outdoor activities and pursuits. There are no convenience stores like 7-11 or Circle K, McDonalds, no supermarkets, etc. I actually like that about Lamma, but others may find it an issue. The best thing though is the feeling of leaving the hustle and bustle and crowds of Hong Kong behind and relaxing into the slower pace of Lamma on the ferry heading home.

Best little known gems?

Lamma has some wonderful beaches, great mountain biking trails. Lo So Shing beach is lovely and private because it a relatively long walk to get to.

Best places to eat breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner?

For breakfast Jaybird for coffee and people watching. Brunch would be Lapa for really good South African based food and with sea views out the back or the Lamma Grill for great pizza. Dinner you have the choice of Indian, Thai, or Spanish tapas at Candela and for upmarket and beautifully crafted meals there is Terracotta with the bonus of sunset views.

Best places to drink coffee/find a drink?

Coffee would be Jaybird again.

Best other hangouts?

Absolutely must drop into the Shack (Yardley Brothers) for Lamma craft beers, good conversation, great burgers and live music, especially on a Sunday for their Bluegrass Brunch.

What’s true/not true about your neighbourhood?

So often people say “Lamma Island! That’s so far away/inconvenient.” The reality is very different, how many other places in the world offer a 20-minute ferry ride into the CBD/Financial hub, where you can live in a house with a garden and sea views, where you can walk to the beach in 5 minutes and have a swim, drop into your ‘local’ for a Lamma Island crafted IPA AND pay a fraction of what you pay for living in a shoe box in Mid Levels!