“I had only a bed, table and wardrobe,” recalled the 26-year-old from mainland China. “When I worked at my desk, the bed was just right behind me. It made me less efficient.”

Le said the change had helped her become more productive. The green and rustic island, a 25-minute ferry ride from Hong Kong Island, offers a stark contrast to the city’s skyscrapers and high-density living.

“I didn’t hear of many people wanting to move to Lamma Island before Covid-19, but now, many want to move here,” she said. “I think people have changed. Living in a convenient place is not as important as quality of life now,” she said.

How a French couple got the Hong Kong home they wanted

Property agents confirm that more Hong Kong residents have been keen to move to outlying areas during the pandemic, to have more space in a relaxing environment away from crowds.

While these places have long attracted a mix of expatriates and creative types seeking a more laid-back lifestyle, the new interest is from singles, young professionals and families, both Hongkongers and foreigners.

Homes in outlying areas also come cheaper. The rent for a 700 sq ft flat on Hong Kong Island is about HK$25,000 on average, but Le and her housemates now pay about HK$15,500 for their more spacious village house.

Emma Rick, 53, who works in compliance insurance and has lived in Hong Kong for more than a decade, moved to a 660 sq ft village house in Pui O San Wai Tsuen at South Lantau in April, paying about HK$10,000 a month in rent.

“I feel happier and much safer because there’s not the same volume of people. I’m not in lifts, lobbies, or communal areas with hundreds of people I don’t know,” said Rick, who is from Britain and lives alone.

She has started gardening, and enjoys having her cup of tea and breakfast outdoors. “Pottering around, tending to the plants, is incredibly therapeutic,” she said.

Property agencies leasing homes on Lamma Island and South Lantau say they have received more enquiries since the pandemic started.

Jacky Wan, an agent for Master Key Property Agency Limited which specialises in Lantau properties, said it was getting 20 to 30 enquiries per month, compared with five to 10 before the pandemic.

Kelly Merrick, an agent from HomeSolutions Real Estate Limited, which offers homes for rent in South Lantau, said: “Covid-19 really made people reflect on what‘s important to them.”

Describing the appeal of living on an outlying island, she said: “You can have a wonderful quality of life for a lot less per square foot than in almost any other area in Hong Kong. It comes with many benefits, with the beaches, private spaces and green space, and larger houses.”

It has also become more convenient, with grocery and restaurant deliveries that were not as common before.

Rentals typically ranged from HK$12,000 to HK$40,000 a month, depending on size and other factors, with some accommodation available for less, she added.

While rentals have remained stable at South Lantau, some tenants on Lamma Island are beginning to feel the squeeze from new arrivals.

A representative of Fok Ming Estate Agency, which specialises in village homes there, said the rising interest had driven up rentals by 10 to 15 per cent.

Norwegian leadership trainer Pia Muggerud, 50, who has lived on Lamma Island since 1995, said a big concern for long-term residents like herself was that newcomers were driving up rentals.

Some had gone on social media saying they were looking for a flat and were willing to pay a high rent, she said.

“People on Lamma Island get very angry that people are putting the price they are willing to pay publicly, which forces our rents to go up,” said Muggerud.

“So a lot of Lamma people are not particularly welcoming to new people because they just don’t have the sensitivity that is required in a small community.”