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on Hong Kong. In this DIY video we'll be showing you the Big Buddha and Po Lin
Monastery. We'll show you how to get there, and things to do when you arrive.
The Tian Tan Buddha or Big Buddha and the Po Lin monastery are located in the
Ngong Ping village which is on the Ngong Ping plateau on Lantau Island. A scenic
and popular way to get to the Ngong Ping plateau is by cable car. From Central
Hong Kong take the Tung Chung MTR line and exit at
the MTR Tung Chung station. Take exit B. As you leave the station from exit B
follow the signs that are clearly marked
to Ngong Ping cable car. You can purchase tickets for the cable car online or with
your hotel concierge which will save you time. Lines for the tickets are very long
You can also check for tours and ticket links below in the description or
at hipfig.com for Hong Kong. You have a choice of two cable cars: a glass-bottom
or just a solid regular one. The crystal bottom or glass-bottom cable car will
cost you a little extra. Arrive early the Ngong Ping cable car opens at 9:00 a.m.
There's a separate line for people with advanced purchased tickets to exchange
for vouchers for wristbands to ride the cable car. Even this line is long. After
receiving wristbands, there's another line for the cable car. The wait time is
long even with prepurchased tickets. Another way to get to Ngong Ping village
is by MTR and bus. From the MTR Tung Chung station take exit B
and then take the New Lantau bus number 23 from Tung Chung town center.
It will take about 45 minutes to Ngong Ping village from the bus stop. Another scenic way to Ngong Ping
village is by ferry. Make your way to the Central Pier in Hong Kong. From Central
Pier 6, catch the ferry to Mui Wo then take New Lantau bus number 2 to
Ngong Ping village. This will take about 40 minutes once you get onto the bus
Ngong Ping village is not really a village but rather a modern replica of
an old Hong Kongese village. It has souvenir shops, a teahouse, restaurants
and includes a Subway (sandwiche) and Starbucks. Ngong Ping village is connected by the
Ngong Ping cable car Tung Chung lower terminal. We highly recommend taking the
Ngong Ping cable car to Ngong Ping village at least one way. The views from
the cable car are worth the long wait. The two main attractions at Ngong Ping
village are Tian Tan, Big Buddha, and the Po Lin Monastery on the peak of Muyu
mountain is the Big Buddha also known as Tian Tan Buddha. It's a large bronze
statue of Buddha. It depicts Sakyamuni which is sitting on a lotus pedestal in
meditation position. The Buddha covers an area of 2339 square meters, with its
pedestal it is 35 meters high. The Tian Tan Buddha is located across Po Lin
monastery and symbolizes the harmonious relationship between man, nature, people,
and religion. After you exit the cable car at Ngong Ping village then you will
walk through Ngong Ping village to the entrance of the Big Buddha. Big Buddha is
open from Monday through Sunday including public holidays from 10 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m. To view the Buddha, you will have to
climb 268 steep steps. Once you're at the base of the statue, you can see the
mountain and sea views of Lantau Island. There are three floors underneath the
statue. Entry to the museum has a fee but tickets include ice cream and a bottle
of water from the snack bar. The halls inside feature a relic of Buddha, the
cremated remains, and a large carved bell inscribed with images of Buddha
in the showroom. Opposite the Big Buddha statue
is the Po Lin monastery which is one of Hong Kong's most important Buddhist
monasteries and is dubbed "the Buddhist world in the south" . It is open from
Monday through Sunday including public holidays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The
monastery consists of a shrine hall, the hall of 10,000 buddhas, and exhibition
hall for Buddhist relics, a meditation hall, and Abbot's chamber, and a scripture
library. There's also a thousand kilogram bronze bell. As you approach the temple
gateway, you'll see and smell incense and people bringing their offerings to large
incense pots. From the temple gateway you will enter a small temple and you'll
find some statues of gods protecting the entrance. When you enter that
courtyard you will go to the Great Hall. The Great Hall is the main temple with
spectacular high ceilings. The high ceilings are decorated with colorful
paintings and lamps. Central to the Great Hall are three golden Buddha images. The
exterior of the building also has intricate carvings and elaborate details
all over. Inside the monastery there's also a popular vegetarian restaurant
This is a definite must do while in Hong Kong.
Happy Travels
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