Whenever I travel, I make sure to go to a place that I have not been to before. Funny as it may seem, but in the over ten years of my visiting the territory, Hong Kong’s famous Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island was far from my mind.
In my recent trip however, thanks some prodding from travel buddy Otoy, we decided to go on a Hong Kong Island hop to visit the Big Buddha. Although accessible via Hong Kong’s efficient MTR system, we opted to explore Lantau Island more by taking the transport the locals take, the ferry.
From the Marco Polo Prince Hotel where we were staying, it was a short walk to the Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry terminus going to the Central Piers and from there we boarded a ferry to Mui Wo, Lantau Island. The scenic 50-minute ferry trip brought me to the days when Lantau Island was connected to downtown Hong Kong with the ferry ride as its only option.
Upon arriving at Mui Wo, it was clear that this side of Lantau Island was more idyllic and relaxed, with bikes as the main mode of transportation from the different villages dotting the island to the main pier. From the bus terminus, we took the New Lantao Bus 2 up to Ngong Ping Village. The trip was indeed a journey as the bus snaked its way up and down Lantau’s coastline and mountains, giving glimpses of the island’s beaches and hiking trails.
We finally arrived at the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery and it was indeed a sight to behold. Dominating the sky was the Big Buddha (officially called the Tian Tan Buddha). Taking a total of 12 years to complete the majestic bronze statue was erected in 1993 and sits 34 meters high.
Opposite the statue, the Po Lin Monastery is one of Hong Kong’s most important Buddhist sanctums and has been dubbed ‘the Buddhist World in the South’. Home to many a devout monk, this monastery is rich with colourful manifestations of Buddhist iconography. Setting foot and seeing the intricate details of the monastery’s main temple and 10,000 buddha hall brought a sense of peace and awe to me. Foodies can also try some vegetarian fare at the monastery’s popular vegetarian restaurant. I suggest trying their soft tofu with sweet ginger syrup and sago with coconut cream tart.
After exploring the monastery, it was time to go back. This time, we decided to take the Ngong Ping 360 cable car. Located just a short walk from the Big Buddha, the Ngong Ping 360 cable car is the quickest and definitely the most scenic way to get from Ngong Ping Village to the closest MTR station, Tung Chung.
The views from the cable car were amazing with the busy Hong Kong International Airport and Launtau’s woodland trails below you.
The journey to visit the Big Buddha was indeed a journey taking half a day to visit and return, but the trip was indeed a fun one, revealing more of Hong Kong’s charm and beauty.
Cathay Pacific flies four times weekly direct from Davao and from April 4 to May 4, the airline is adding two more flights weekly bringing the total number of flights to six times a week. Giving Dabawenyos more reasons to live a life well travelled.
