What to do with an 18 hour layover in Hong Kong? I’m not going to sit in the airport waiting. I headed over to Lantau Island which is next to the airport. And it rained and rained and rained!!
Lantau Island
Lantau Island, the largest of Hong Kong’s islands, lies at the mouth of the Pearl River. Its mountainous interior includes 934m-high Lantau Peak, known for its sunrises, and the area can be traversed by hikers on the 70km Lantau Trail from Mui Wo (Silver Mine Bay). Po Lin Monastery is the site of the bronze Tian Tan Buddha, a 34m-tall statue on a hilltop reached by a long stairway.
Sadly, I didn’t have time to do any hiking. I took a blue taxi from the airport to Ngong Ping Station. Blue taxis are the only taxis allowed to take passengers around on Lantau Island. From there the Ngong Ping Cable Car got me to Po Lin Monastery. I booked my cable car online ahead of time so I didn’t have to wait in the queue: Ngong Ping 360. I booked the Crystal+ Cabin Car!
The glass bottom feasts your eyes with a thrilling view of the boundless sea and the rolling grassland slopes, right underneath your feet. Enjoy the novel, uncluttered bird’s eye view.
The tempered glass on “Crystal+” offers more than 80% visibility – which is substantially higher than that offered by the Crystal Cabins, thus greatly enhancing the cable-car experience!
Very cool!
Tian Tan Buddha
The Tian Tan Buddha is located within the Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island. Tian Tan Buddha holds profound significance in Buddhism, representing the relationship between humanity and the divine. The statue serves as a reminder of the Buddha’s teachings, urging individuals to seek enlightenment and compassion in their daily lives.
The Tian Tan Buddha is 34 meters tall and weighs 250 metric tons. Surrounding the statue are six smaller bronze statues known as the Offering of the Six Devas. It’s a 268 step climb up to Buddha!
It was raining and steps were so wet, I had Crocs on so I did not go all the way up. This was the best I could see and then the Buddha disappeared in the clouds again.
Happy Travels!
A Journey Off The Beaten Path
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Jackie is “Mom” to one amazing son, an IT professional and an obsessed traveller. She spends her time reading, golfing at Ladies League and implementing software projects. Jackie has travelled to 7 continents, 5 oceans and 103 countries and she is always planning the next destination and adventure!