View of the quiet fishing village of Tai O, where life unfolds on stilts a few meters above the water. In this small fishing village — accessible by a combination of subways and buses — time, rather than advancing, seems to stand still. On the western coast, the sleepy village of Tai O appears on the calm waters, its colorful houses perched on stilts. The sea as a way of lifeThe Tankas arrived in Tai O more than 300 years ago. Surrounding the monastery, lush vegetation covers the hillsides of a Hong Kong far removed from its steel skyscrapers.