No trip to Hong Kong would be complete without a visit to the Giant Buddha which sits serenely atop Ngong Ping plateau amid the spectacular mountain scenery of Lantau Island. 

The eyes, lips, incline of the head and even the right hand (raised to deliver a blessing to all), combine to lend great depth of character and dignity to this extraordinary statue. 

The majestic figure of the seated Buddha was cast in China and took 12 years to complete. It was unveiled in December 1993 amid deeply religious ceremonies. 


Visitors can climb more than 200 steps to reach the platform where the Buddha is seated. 

Besides attracting Buddhists from all over Asia, the magnificent figure with its compelling presence almost instantly transformed the remote Po Lin Monastery with its devout monks into a must-visit on tourist schedules. 

The Po Lin Monastery is set amid spectacular mountain scenery on the Ngong Ping plateau.
Besides admiring the massive statue there is also much to see and do at the monastery itself with its various figures of gods and other colourful manifestations of aspects of the Buddhist religion. You can even enjoy a vegetarian lunch. 

From Po Lin Monastery it's a short walk to the Wisdom Path, an outdoor replica of the centuries old Heart Sutra, one of the world’s best-known prayers that is revered by Confucians, Buddhists and Taoists alike. The sutra is displayed on wooden pillars placed in the form of a figure "∞" to symbolise the idea of immeasurable splendour and infinity.

Not too far away is the culturally themed village of Ngong Ping, where you can enjoy a variety of attractions as well as indulge in a bit of shopping and dining. From here you can take a bus or taxi to explore other parts of Lantau Island, including the famous stilt houses of Tai O Village, the magic of Hong Kong Disneyland and the interesting village Mui Wo, near the ferry pier.

How To Get Giant Buddha

Giant Buddha / Po Lin Monastery

1.Catch ferry from Central Pier 6 (MTR Hong Kong Station Exit E1. Walk through ifc mall) to Mui Wo, then take bus 2.

2.MTR Tung Chung Station Exit B, then take bus 23 from Tung Chung Town Centre.

Wisdom Path
* EMTR Tung Chung Station, Exit B and go to the Tung Chung Ngong Ping Cable Car terminal. Take a 25-minute cable car ride to the Ngong Ping Cable Car terminal and follow the signs. 

* EMTR Tung Chung Station, Exit B. From the bus terminus next to the MTR station, take bus 23 to the Po Lin Monastery. Then follow the signs to the Tea Garden and walk through the hiking trail from the Tea Garden's entrance for approximately 15 minutes.

Source: http://discoverhongkong.com