Discovery Bay


Discovery Bay is a residential community located on Lantau Island in Hong Kong.
The 2021 census recorded a population of 19,336 residents in DB, with 55% of them being non-Chinese. DB is home to a significant community compared of expatriates from over fifty countries. It is one of the most ethnically diverse places in Hong Kong. With only 45% of the population being Chinese, the largest ethnic minority groups in the community is white and Filipinos. DB is located 2 km west of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and approximately 12 km west from the nearest point on Hong Kong Island.
Discovery Bay is a key community in Lantau Island and enjoys a very low plot ratio of 0.15.
WWW dbay.hkR/ DiscoveryBay

History

In May 1973, the Hong Kong Resort Company was established by Edward Wong Wing-cheung, a Hong Kong merchant. Following two years of planning and negotiation, a 'Master Plan' was agreed in December 1975 between HKR and the Hong Kong government. By New Grant No. 6122 of 10 September 1976, HKR agreed The plan called for development, on Lot 385 at Tai Pak Wan, of "membership club houses and a leisure resort and associated facilities which shall include an hotel or hotels... a cable-car system... and a non-membership golf course..." In addition, HKR handed over HK$61.5 million in exchange for the grant and undertook to spend no less than another HK$600 million on development within 10 years of the grant.
Within months, however, Wong faced financial difficulty. The Soviet-government-controlled Moscow Narodny Bank filed a writ in Hong Kong on 1 April 1977 against Wong himself for return of US$7 million advanced in 1973, as well as against Wong's Panamanian bank holding company, Paclantic Financing Co., Inc., for US$22.12 million in proceedings in Panama. Both the Chinese and British governments were concerned to prevent the property rights to the single largest piece of privately controlled land in Hong Kong falling into the hands of the Russian bank during times of deepening political uncertainty for Hong Kong. Sir David Akers-Jones, then-Secretary for the New Territories, led the government's efforts to avert that prospect, steering HKR into the hands of Hong Kong-based Chinese industrialist Cha Chi-ming. It is suspected that Cha decided to bid for the project under the instruction of Liao Chengzhi, then director of China's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office to avoid Soviet acquisition of Hong Kong land.
Having lost control of HKR and facing bankruptcy proceedings, Wong left Hong Kong in January 1977 while mooting the establishment of a Pacific Atlantic Bank of Miami and going into the casino business with the Anderson group of whom one Robert B. Anderson, of One Rockefeller Plaza, had been a fellow director on the HKR board.
Cha Chi-ming, better known for running China Dyeing Works Ltd during the 1970s, an international textile group, acquired equity interest in HKR in 1977. By 1979 all debts were paid off and work started on the reservoir and the core infrastructure but for a very different sort of project – essentially a residential community offering a relaxed lifestyle. This decision was revisited in 2004 when it was discovered that Akers-Jones did not seek approval from the Executive Council for the deviation from the terms of the Land Grant. In a 2004 report by the government's Audit Commission, the Lands Department was severely criticised for allowing this to happen, particularly since Akers-Jones did not call on HKR under Cha to pay any additional land premium. After retiring from government, in 2000 Akers-Jones joined the board of Mingly Corporation, also controlled by Cha.
Unlike other large Hong Kong developments, everything in DB was built with private money, including roads, electricity and the water supply. The government-operated fire and police station, community hall and the government-aided primary school were also built by the developer. These developments have to be approved and checked by the government with the official Master Plan version 6.0a in 2003, including the major extension in 2003 in Yi Pak Wan.

Geography

As with most of the terrain in Hong Kong, Lantau Island seems to be a set of hills that rise out of the water. DB is wedged between the hills and the sea and both environments are accessible from the edges of the developed areas. The hills directly behind DB reach up to, and the hiking trails that traverse all the peaks on Lantau Island are accessible from those hills. The hills of Lantau tend to fall dramatically into jungle-covered valleys that spread up into verdant, grass-covered hills. DB has a series of rock pools which lead to one such valley and into a man-made addition to the water-drainage system.

Environment

DB is home to animals of many kinds, most of which are domestic pets. There are, however, a number of wild species that lived or are living on Lantau Island that can be found in and around DB. Most of these creatures are birds such as finches, tits, gulls and kites. Until the construction of the new Hong Kong International Airport in Chek Lap Kok, wild cattle and water buffalo thrived in the pasture-like hills. Increasingly vigorous development all over Hong Kong has reduced the habitat of the local dolphin and whale populations. The most famous of these is the Chinese white dolphin, often called the pink dolphin due to a slight pinkish cast to their skin.

Climate

Discovery Bay has a sub-tropical climate characterised by distinct seasons. Summers are usually from June to August, with temperatures often within the mid 20s to low 30s Celsius range. Winters start in December and run till February, with temperatures ranging from teens to low 20s Celsius.
As DB is a coastal region, typhoon season provides a more intense weather experience for residents. Severe tropical storms tend to only occur later in the season, typically August and September. These storms bring torrential rain and strong winds to the region, sometimes leading to a temporary suspension of ferry services to the resort town.

Environmental awareness

DB was awarded the Green Property Management Award in 2002. To make DB a greener town, DBSML, the management company of DB, has replaced conventional ballasts with energy-saving tubes. The number of lights in common corridors and main entrances of buildings were re-assessed and unnecessary lights were removed. It was thought that a 30% reduction in electricity charges was achieved in La Vista, one of the villages. Apart from energy reduction, flea market, old books collection, old clothes collection and used household items collection have been held on a regular basis to promote recycling.

Current development

DB was developed in phases and the developer, HKR, envisages that DB will eventually be home to 25,000 residents. The following data applies as of April 2008:
PhaseDateDevelopment nameUnitsHigh-rise UnitsLow-rise UnitsArea
Phase 1:1982Beach Village, Headland Village & Parkridge Village504Tai Pak Wan
Phase 2:1985 SeptemberMidvale Village381Tai Pak Wan
Phase 3:1986 JuneHeadland Village, Parkvale Village, Hillgrove Village & Parkridge Village800Tai Pak Wan
Phase 4:1998 JunePeninsula Village143Peninsula
Phase 5:1990 JuneGreenvale Village1,344Yi Pak Wan
Phase 6:1991 SeptemberDB Plaza144Tai Pak Wan
Phase 7:1994 SeptemberLa Vista & Bijou Hamlet238Tai Pak Wan
Phase 8:1995 MayLa Costa319Tai Pak Wan
Phase 9:2000 MayLa Serene181Tai Pak Wan
Phase 10:2000 JanuaryNeo Horizon219Yi Pak Wan
Phase 11:2002 FebruarySiena One298Yi Pak Wan
Phase 12:2003 MarchSiena Two757Yi Pak Wan
Phase 13:2007 DecemberChianti520Yi Pak Wan
Phase 14:2011 MarchAMALFI164Yi Pak Wan
Phase 15:2014Positano102Yi Pak Wan

Transportation

DB is connected the rest of Hong Kong via a road tunnel to the North Lantau Expressway and by a ferry service.
All services accept Hong Kong's Octopus card.

Ferries

There are 3 different ferry routes operating in Discovery Bay:
There are 2 discount package provided by DBTPL. For plan A, there are total 1,550 stored points in transport card for adult at a price of HK$1,310 and 775 for child at a price of HK$655. For plan B, there are 930 stored points in the card for adult and 465 points for child. The prices are HK$858 and HK$429 respectively.
Ferries were the only way to reach Discovery Bay until the opening of the DB Tunnel in 2000 and remain the main way to reach DB from Central. The service is operated by Discovery Bay Transportation Services Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of HKR. The route between DB and Central is served by monohull and catamaran waterjets manufactured by Marinteknik in Singapore; seating 300 and 500 passengers respectively.

Buses

Commuting within DB is done via a 24-hour internal shuttle bus service operated by DBTSL, which runs between various parts of DB and the Bus Terminus by the DB Plaza/the ferry pier. Travelling between the various villages by bus requires a change at the DB Plaza Bus Terminus. The same applies for residents not living on a direct connection to the schools, churches and most of the clubs.
In 2000, a 2.4 km road tunnel linking DB to the North Lantau Expressway opened, enabling access to DB by road – and shortening the journey to other parts of Lantau, Kowloon and the New Territories. From the tunnel's inauguration, shuttle bus services ran to Tung Chung and the Hong Kong International Airport in Chek Lap Kok, and shortly after the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland and the Sunny Bay MTR station in June 2005, an additional route between Sunny Bay and DB was launched, further shortening the time to reach Kowloon and New Territories.
The five external bus are operated by Discovery Bay Transit Services Limited, another wholly owned subsidiary of HKRI:
  • DB01R: From DB Plaza Bus Terminus to Tung Chung MTR station
  • DB01A: From DB Commercial Centre to Tung Chung MTR station.
  • DB01P: From Discovery College to Tung ChungMTR station via DB North Plaza and Siena Two
  • DB03R: From DB Plaza Bus Terminus to Sunny Bay MTR station.
  • DB03P: From DB Commercial Centre to Sunny Bay MTR station.
  • DB08R: From No 28, Coastline to Central Ferry Pier 3. an overnight ferry replacement service. 5 buses from 00:15 to 05:00 with the ferry restarting at 06:30. Journey time approximately 60 minutes.
Route no.Start dest.End dest.Fare----
GCDB Plaza Bus TerminusDiscovery Bay Golf ClubFree for Golf Club members----
1DB Plaza Bus TerminusHeadland Drive / Parkland Drive$6.2 ----
1/6DB Plaza Bus TerminusHeadland Drive / Parkland Drive / Seabee Lane$6.2 ----
2 and 3DB Plaza Bus TerminusMidvale/Parkvale$6.2 ----
4Coastline VillaDB North$6.2 ----
4ADB NorthCoastline$6.2 ----
5DB Plaza Bus TerminusLa Serene$6.2 ----
6DB Plaza Bus TerminusSeabee Lane$6.2 ----
9Caperidge DriveChianti $6.2 ----
9AChianti Caperidge Drive$6.2 ----
18DB Plaza Bus TerminusIL PICCO House 25$6.2 ----
DB01RDB Plaza Bus TerminusTung Chung Station Bus Terminus

Separate night buses

  • N3/2 – DB Plaza Bus Terminus <> Midvale / Parkvale
  • N3/2/7/8 – DB Plaza Bus Terminus <> Midvale / Parkvale / Caperidge / Capevale / Coastline / Capeland
  • N5/1/6 – DB Plaza Bus Terminus <> La Serene / Parkland / Headland / Seabee
  • N7/8 – DB Plaza Bus Terminus <> Capridge / Capevale / Coastline / Capeland

Private transport

Private cars not permitted to enter the area, with a few exceptions for certain agents of the developer, local businesses or for emergency needs and Taxis are only allowed in DB North.
Golf carts are a common mode of transportation for residents within Discovery Bay, however exiting the resort town in a golf cart is not allowed. The number of golf carts is restricted by Hong Kong Transport Department to 500. This has contributed to the exuberant prices of the vehicle, with some buggies selling for more than $2 million HKD.
The presence of golf carts creates a safer road environment than many other places in Hong Kong, especially compared with the road traffic density in other parts of the territory. As such, DB has gained a reputation for its child and pet-friendly environment. Most golf carts run on petrol, however electric models are being introduced.
Residents can also use the hire car service which is operates as a point-to-point minibus shuttle service. This service only operates within Discovery Bay.
Motorised scooters have gained popularity in recent years, particularly amongst teenagers.

Education

A number of schools and colleges operate in Discovery Bay, ranging from kindergartens to secondary schools. This ranges from government-subsidised to private schools.
Discovery Bay is in Primary One Admission School Net 99, which contains two aided schools: SKH Wei Lun Primary School in Discovery Bay and Holy Family School in Peng Chau; no government primary schools are in this net.
Schools located within Discovery Bay include
  • offers an Montessori education curriculum for children aged 3-12 years old. It is the first IB Montessori accredited school in Hong Kong and Asia.
  • Discovery Bay International School, built by the developer in 1983. It is an English-language private international kindergarten, primary and early secondary school providing education from nursery to Year 13.
  • Discovery College, a primary and secondary 'through-train' school set up under the government's Private Independent Schools scheme. The college opened for the 2008–2009 academic year, currently operating from Year 1 to Year 13.
  • , a Chinese-language government-aided Anglican primary school providing education from Year 1 to Year 6.
  • Discovery Mind Primary School, opened in 2012, provided private primary education.
  • , offering programmes in French, English and Mandarin, for Year 1 to Year 6 students.
Nursery and kindergartens operating within Discovery Bay include
  • : Located in the North Plaza Unit 101, has earned a strong reputation among families in the area for providing high-quality Montessori education for children aged 1-6 years old.
  • Discovery Bay International School Kindergarten, an English-language private international kindergarten;
  • , a private kindergarten operating Chinese and English sessions;
  • Sunshine House, an English language private international kindergarten; and
  • , a French-language private international kindergarten.
There are a number of parents that send their children to the schools in Hong Kong Island, Tung Chung and the Kwai Tsing District.
A further site has been earmarked for the development of a Catholic 'through train' school. However, as of August 2009, this is still at the proposed stage.

Municipal services

DB is owned and developed by HKR International Limited. Discovery Bay Services Management Limited, a subsidiary of HKRI, manages the development. DB used to have its own private water supply from a reservoir and water treatment plant located near the golf course in the mountain valley above the estate. Since DB Tunnel opened in 2000, DB has been connected to the municipal supply from the Water Supplies Department which sources its water both from reservoirs throughout Hong Kong, Lantau Island and the New Territories and from the Pearl River Delta in the mainland. Current municipal facilities inside DB include a fire station and ambulance depot, a post office and a police reporting post. These facilities were built by the developer and services rendered by various government bodies.
With the opening of the DB Tunnel in 2000, the Government deemed the police station and fire station/ambulance depot unnecessary, and DB relies on services provided by the headquarters in Tung Chung.

Issues and criticisms

Discovery Bay Marina Club 2018

On 31 August 2018 the Discovery Bay Marina Club gave notice to all 200+ boat owners to vacate the marina permanently by 31 December 2018 for renovations. The majority of these boats were live-a-boards, used by families. The DBMC offered no time line for the renovations or indication that the boats would be allowed to return. A public campaign was started to have the HKRI reverse their decision. Many families went into debt as their 'house boats' became worthless overnight. The DBMC, rebranded as Lantau Yacht Club, was transformed from the family and community friendly club to an exclusive members-only yacht club.