9 THINGS TO DO IN LANTAU ISLAND, HONGKONG

Lantau Island is Hongkong’s largest Island which offers a variety of attraction –  from grand vistas, high peaks, through a world-class amusement park, to quiet beaches and historic villages.  Here are Top On My List’s 9 Things to do

Here are Top On My List’s 9 Things to do in Lantau Island:

1. TAKE THE NGONG PING 360 CABLE CAR

Going to  Lantau Island via the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car is already a thrilling experience. The Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car system is the third cable car system in Hong Kong, after the Peak Tram and Ocean Park. I strongly suggest taking the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car to go to  Lantau Island with it’s 25-minute comfortable “flight” from Tung Chong to Ngong Ping just beside the Giant Buddha and Po Lin Monastery you will be amazed by the magnificent view of the place.

How to get there:

Take the MTR from anywhere in Hong Kong to the Tong Chung MTR Station, and follow signs for the 5-minute walk to the lower cable car terminus.  Alternatively, from the airport take bus, Tung Chung, any of the “S” route buses are suitable though the S1 and S52P are slightly cheaper. The Ngong Ping 350 Cable Car is  Open from 10 am on weekdays and 9 am on weekends the cable car keeps running until 6 pm on Weekdays and half an hour later at 6:30 on weekends.

2. WALK AT THE NGONG PING VILLAGE

If you take the cable car “up” then you will arrive at the upper terminus which is next to Ngong Ping Village. The Place is just a reproduction village which sets over a 1.5-hectare site in the mountains of Lantau Island which is mostly a collection of various shops.

Take note that the Giant Buddha is just a couple of minutes walk away from the Ngong Ping Village.

3. MEET THE TIAN TAN BUDDHA

The 34-meter high Big Buddha is the world’s largest, seated, outdoor Bronze Buddha. Tian Tan Buddha was completed in 1993, which caused Ngong Ping to attract tourists and became one of Hongkong’s  prime tourist attractions. You can see visitors arrived by the bus load especially during weekends and holidays. The statue may be visited at any time but the entrance to the inside of the building and the Monastery is limited to 10 am until 5:45 each day. It is open on weekends and holidays.

4. CLIMB THE 250 STEPS TO THE TIAN TAN BUDDHA

Meeting the statue means climbing an impressive flight of almost 250 steps. Don’t worry, you can take some rest on your way up. While seeing the statue up close, you also have the privilege to gaze at the wonderful vistas over much of Lantau from the edges of the platform on which it stands.

5. VISIT THE PO LIN MONASTERY

Even by the 1960s, Po Lin was a small temple, but grand new monastery buildings opened in 1970. The colorful temple has red outer walls and yellow roof tiles. In the main hall, the floor is adorned with Lotus flower patterns, and three Buddhas sit on three Lotus flowers.

6. TRY THE VEGETARIAN DELIGHTS AT PO LIN MONASTERY

While visiting the Po Lin Monastery don’t miss the chance to dine on some authentic Buddhist Vegetarian food either at the dining hall or the deli/snack-shop. In the dining hall food typical of that eaten by the monks is served with a set menu. Either eat with others in the hall or go into the VIP room for a deluxe version, which is the same food but served privately on your own table rather than sharing a table with others.

A soup and vegetable are served together with rice in the traditional Cantonese style. All foods here conform to Buddhist Vegetarian principles and contains only vegetables, bean products, and oysters.

The monastery has a  deli/snack-shop similar vegetarian delights can be bought to take away, or to eat at the outdoor tables. Focusing more on snacks size items there are daily freshly made bean curd desserts and their famous mango filled rice dumplings.

The dining hall is open from 11:30 to 4:30 pm and is to the left of the main Shrine.

7. SHOP AT THE BUDDHIST CHARMS AT PO LIN MONASTERY

The monastery has a shop stall which offers a variety of souvenir pieces for you to take home. However, most of their stuff are also seen in other places in Hongkong like the Ladies Market.

8. A SIDE TRIP TO THE TAI O FISHING VILLAGE

The   Tai O Village is an active fishing village and a top tourist attraction.

Located in the north-western part of Lantau where a river enters the sea it is formed by the banks of the river and the small island of Tai O itself. But the village is as much on the water as it is on land and both residential boats and houses on stilts over the water.

Tourists come to Tai O to experience real traditional fishing village practices, to see the many historic buildings, and, of course, to sample the special foods of the area.

How to Get There:

The village can reach via bus from either Mui Wo, Tung Chung or Ngong Ping. Buses run frequently and are an easy way to reach the village.

9. TRY THE TAI O VILLAGE SPECIALTIES

It is said that  Tai O Fishing Village is one of the most authentic anywhere in southern China, with the traditions of the fisher folk preserved and maintained for generations.  Dried salted fish and shrimps, oysters, octopus and other sea life are well-known delicacies.  When preserved in this way they will last for many months and have a very strong aroma that is well appreciated by the connoisseur. Being so pungent only small amounts are used in dishes, but a whole village full of them can be overpowering to those with sensitive noses.  Shrimp Sauce and Paste for which Tai O is well known are also manufactured in the place. The sauces are sold in jars, while the paste is harder and is formed into a rectangular brick shape.

HOW TO GET TO LANTAU ISLAND

Here are some of the more common routes depending on what part of the Island you wanted to go to:

From Hong Kong Island to Mui Wo / Silvermine Bay

The best way to get to Mui Wo, which is on Silvermine Bay and sometimes referred to by that name, is to take a ferry from the Central district of Hong Kong.  The Central Ferry Piers are a major transportation hub and easily accessed from anywhere in Hong Kong.

Either take a taxi to Central Pier #6, or alternatively take the MTR to either Hong Kong or Central Stations, they are interconnected, and follow the numerous signs to the ferry piers.

When you arrive at the Piers you will find that they are simply numbered from 1 to 10, so heading to #6 is easy and when at the pier you can take the next available ferry when you miss the first one.  The ferries come in two varieties, either “slow” or ordinary that take about one hour to make the trip, or “fast” which is half the time faster and with a doubled price.

If you have the time, the slow ferry is more relaxing and allow you to go out on the open deck and enjoy the sights of Hong Kong’s busy harbor, while by comparison, the fast ferry has only enclosed air-conditioned seating.

Ferries are operated by New World First Ferry and timetables and up to date ticket prices can be found on their website: nwff.com.hk

From Hong Kong Island to Big Buddha / Po Lin Monastery / Ngong Ping 360

If visiting any of these attractions then the train is by far the best way to get there. From Hong Kong Island take a train to Hong Kong Station by following the Island Line to Central, then walking to the interconnected Hong Kong Station.

There are trains running on high-speed Tung Chung line all the way to the terminus at Tung Chung. As there are few stops on this line, the journey is fast indeed and within 20 minutes you will find yourself at the modern shopping complex of Tung Chung.

Leave the MTR station via Exit B and follow the signs for a 2 minute walk to the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car. The Ngong Ping Cable Car will take you directly to the summit next to the Big Buddha.  The cable car ride surely gives great views over the island, and takes about 20 or 30 minutes.

Alternatively, from the same MTR Exit B, you can walk to the town center and find New Lantao Bus 23 which also goes to the Buddha. This mode of transportation, however,  but takes almost double the time at around 45 minutes.

From Tsim Sha Tsui

If going to Mui Wo then the best way from Tsim Sha Tsui is to cross Victoria Harbour using the Star Ferry which will dock in Central at Pier #7.  Then just walk 1 minute to the next pier which is Pier #6 and from there take a ferry to Mui Wo.

Alternatively if going to Po Lin then from Tsim Sha Tsui take the MTR towards Tuen Wan, but change trains at Lai King to the opposite platform where you can catch the Tung Chung Line towards Tung Chung, and then follow instructions as above.

From Kowloon

From other places in Kowloon, it depends on where you are going and where in Kowloon you are. If you are in the southern part of Kowloon, follow instructions above as for Tsim Sha Tsui, however, if you are in the northern or eastern parts of TST it is best to take a taxi at least as far as Kowloon MTR station.  Make sure to go to Kowloon MTR Station and not Kowloon East MTR station.

From Kowloon MTR station, the Tung Chung line will take you directly to Lantau Island. From there, you can use either the Ngong Ping cable car or the bus #23, to get to the Po Lin Monastery.