Cheung Chau, a little island located off the coast of Lantau, is known mostly for its quirky past. It’s true that there are several old and famous temples on the island, and the beaches and hills are charming, but the main characteristic that local children learn about in school is its history as a hiding place of the 19th-century pirate Cheung Po Tsai. Although Cheung Po Tsai Cave, where he purportedly kept his treasure, no longer contains any of the booty, it is still the island’s must-see attraction.

Its second biggest attraction is a rock carving that dates back 3,000 years, proving that Cheung Chau is one of the oldest inhabited areas in the territory. Another strange but unwelcome fact about the island is the high number of suicides that have taken place in its holiday houses and the ghost stories that have ensued.

By now, you are probably wondering why anyone would want to visit an out-of-the-way, possibly haunted island that features a small, empty cave and a marked-up rock. But on May 2, tens of thousands of visitors will find a compelling reason: the Cheung Chau Bun Festival.

As an annual tradition, the island stages a rowdy celebration with lion dances and a large parade in honour of several Taoist gods, especially Pak Tai, a god who rules over the sea. Children clad in elaborate costumes to depict legendary heroes are paraded above the crowd on tall stilts. Other floats, performers and drummers noisily scaring off evil spirits make their way to Pak Tai temple, where three bamboo towers studded with sweet buns are assembled. Traditionally at midnight, young men would race to the top of the tower at breakneck speed, grabbing as many buns as possible on their way down for everyone to share.

After a bun tower collapsed in 1978, injuring 100 people, the bun-snatching tradition ceased until it was revived in 2005. While the three towers are still constructed near the temple and have their buns removed at midnight for eating, the race is now designated to a single steel structure built on a sports ground, and new safety measures are observed.

The vibrant celebration lasts well into the night, with prayers in the temple, effigy burning and an incredible atmosphere – definitely worth the trip. You can even visit the pirate cave while you’re at it.

To reach Cheung Chau from Hong Kong Island, take the ferry at Central Pier 5. It is a 35-minute ride on the fast ferry and about an hour on the regular service. See www.nwff.com.hk for ferry timetables.