'Chek Lap Kok' is an
island in the western waters of
Hong Kong,
China.
Chek Lap Kok ''was'' one of the two
islands (the other being
Lam Chau) merged together via
land reclamation techniques into to the 12.48 km² platform for the current
Hong Kong International Airport. The airport is therefore popularly referred to as ''Chek Lap Kok Airport''.
The name of the island may be derived from the bareness of the island ('da chek lak')or the shape of the island resembles the red tripletail ('chek lap') fish.
The island has been inhabited on and off since the Middle Neolithic period 6,000 years ago.
The original farming and fishing villages on the island were relocated to Chek Lap Kok Village (赤鱲角村) on
Lantau Island. Also, the
Romer's Tree Frog (''
Philautus romeri'') on Chek Lap Kok, a unique
species of finger-sized
frog found only in Hong Kong, has found its new
habitat on Lantau Island before the construction of the airport.
The island is located north of
Lantau Island off
Ma Wan Chung and
Tung Chung, and got its name from the fish "red
perch" (chek lap, 赤鱲) once abundant in its vicinity.
See also
★
Islands of Hong Kong
★
Lam Chau