I ♥ Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha) Hong Kong 03-05-2013

Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha) Hong Kong 


One day trip that we did manage to squeeze in was the Giant Buddha on Lantau Island (also the island where Hong Kong Disneyland is situated). We caught the bus from HKIA to Tung Chung Bus costing around HK$3.5 - so reasonable! The Big Buddha Hong Kong statue is one of the city’s most impressive sights and was the last place to be visited in our sightseeing list. Opposite the statue, is the Po Lin Monastery home to many a devout monk. We hiked up the steep steps not minding our aching legs, although we stop to take a quick rest :P. I really enjoyed the day - it was peaceful, relaxing and super nice emo time. It is also a great place to have a look at the random visitor that was walking along the streets. 


There is an entrance fee of HKD 25 to visit the museum inside the statue but photography is not allowed. The fee entitled a visitor to get a free vegetarian snack at Po Lin Monastery Vegetarian Restaurant. For an extra HKD 35, you can get a simple vegetarian lunch and again for extra HKD 40 (Total HKD 100), you can get a deluxe meal. The entire area around the statue was full of tourists with people enjoying clicking pictures around the statue. The high statue also offers a grand view of surrounding areas. The overlooking monastery and village looked beautiful and we were lucky to have a nice sunny day. 

How to go to Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha) Hong Kong



The MTR is regarded as one of the world's leading railways with an extensive network. The system covers 81 stations on the Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan, Island, Tung Chung, Tseung Kwan O, East Rail, West Rail, Ma On Shan and Disneyland Resort lines. The MTR also operates the Airport Express and the Light Rail Transit which runs in the north west New Territories. Visitors can enjoy a convenient and comfortable trip all the way from the heart of Central and Causeway Bay to the New Territories and Lantau Island.


Tung Chung Cable Car Terminal is adjacent to MTR's Tung Chung Station. It is a two-minute walk from Exit B of the station.

Firstly, Big Buddha is further than the airport, its on a place known as Ngong Ping. You can either take MTR to Tung Chung Station, or take a ferry to Mui Wo, and then from either place, take a bus to go there.


If you take the MTR from Mong Kok Station, you need to change train at Lai King Station, and it takes about 40 minutes to get to Tung Chung Station from Mong Kok Station. From the bus terminal near MTR Tung Chung Station, take Lantau bus 23 to go to Ngong Ping. The bus journey will be about 1 hour.If you want to take the ferry, first go to Central Ferry Piers, you can take MTR and get off at MTR Central Station. It's about a 10-minute walk to the piers from Central Station. Catch a ferry to Mui Wo at the Pier 6. Fast ferry takes about 35 minutes, ordinary ferry will be about 1 hour. At the bus terminal just outside Mui Wo ferry pier, take Lantau bus 2. Journey time about 1 hour.

So, from Mong Kok, it will be faster to go via Tung Chung. But you can take ferry (for one or both way(s)) if you have time and want to.

Note that the Lantau buses are infrequent, and waiting time can be up to 1 hour. Ferry waiting time can be up to 40 minutes during daytime, and the next one may be an ordinary ferry (not fast ferry).

To Ngong Ping from Mongkok, I would allow 2.5 hours if via Tung Chung, or 3 hours if taking ferry, each way, unless you are geared to the timetables.

Lantau Bus timetables (click the route number) -
www.newlantaobus.com/farelist.htm#route%20A35


Ferry timetable -
nwff.com.hk/english/schedule/search_route.aspIf you are going on Sundays or public holidays, there is a bus route 1R originating at Hung Hom in Kowloon and terminating at Ngong Ping, this is most direct. The bus goes via Tsim Sha Tsui, and Nathan Road, there is a bus stop near Langham Place Hotel, at Grand Tower (junction of Nathan Road and Shan Tung Street), the correct bus stop and the hotel are on the same side of Nathan Road. This rotue has only a handful of departures a day, see the timetable for this route at that Lantau Bus timetable. I guess the journey would be about 2 hours by this direct bus.






 


 



 
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Location: Tian Tan Buddha, Lantau Island, Hongkong

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