Lantau Island and Tian Tan Buddha Day Trip From Hong Kong
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A day trip from Hong Kong to an awe-inspiring hilltop Buddha statue.
Lantau Island and The Tian Tan Buddha Day Trip from Hong Kong: (Jump To)
Lantau Island is the largest island in Hong Kong. The mountains of the island are covered in lush green forests. Originally the island was dominated by small fishing villages, some still exist there today. Recent projects like the construction of the airport and Hong Kong Disneyland have brought change to the island.
Ngong Ping Village is a tourist village constructed around 2005. The village is going to be our central location for the day on the island. The village was built along with a massive cable car to increase tourism to the island.
How To Get To Ngong Ping Village From Hong Kong
For a Lantau Island day trip, take the MTR to Tung Chung, then the Ngong Ping 360 or bus to the Tian Tan Buddha location at Tian Tan Buddha Ngong Ping Road, Lantau Island, Hong Kong. If queues are long or weather turns, the bus from Tung Chung is a fast, low-cost connection to the Hong Kong Big Buddha and Ngong Ping Village.
Getting to Ngong Ping Village is extremely easy. We took the subway toward the airport getting off at the Tung Chung Station near the center of the island. The station exit is at the base of a midsized mall. From there it’s a short five-minute walk to the cable car station that takes you to the Ngong Ping Village.
Riding the Ngong Ping Cable Car
The Ngong Ping 360 offers wide views of the airport, bay, and Hong Kong Lantau Island Big Buddha, making it the most scenic way to start your day. Choose a Crystal Cabin if available, or ride standard—the journey to the Big Buddha Hong Kong is the highlight either way.
At the cable car station, you’re presented with several options for the day. We bought the 360 Sky-Land-Sea pass. This included a one-way trip on the cable car, a guided tour of the area, a bus ride to Tai O, a boat ride in Tai O, and a ride back to Hong Kong on a passenger ferry from Tai O.
The cable car ride is pretty legendary. We got a car all to ourselves (which is supposed to cost extra). It’s glass all around with benches on both sides. You can book one with a glass floor for an up-charge too.
Ngong Ping 360 (Cable Car)
Map: Google Maps (Tung Chung Station)
Website: Link
Tickets: GetYourGuide / Viator
Ngong Ping 360 is the most scenic way to the plateau, crossing water, forest, and high ridgelines in about 25 minutes. Standard cabins are great; Crystal Cabins add a glass floor if you’re into height thrills. Lines are shortest first thing in the morning and on weekdays; if you’re time-crunched, booking timed-entry tickets helps. Weather matters—strong winds or storms can slow operations—so have the bus as a backup plan. If you want variety, consider riding up by cable car and down by bus to Tai O. Photographers should keep cameras ready right after the mid-station turn; that’s when the angles get dramatic. Seats line both sides, but you’ll end up standing for photos anyway. If motion gets to you, face forward and focus on the horizon.
The 25-minute journey takes you across the river to the airport station where it turns directions. You then travel high in the sky across the massive Tung Chung Bay. You’re soaring above the water until you hit the lush green land. The cable car travels up as the elevation increases. At the top, you begin to see the Tian Tan Buddha atop the hill. It’s quite a ride.
The journey ends at Ngong Ping Village. This is an inauthentic hilltop village constructed for tourism purposes. There are restaurants, gift shops, and entertainment venues (like a 360 motion simulator). The shops are fun to browse but are by no means anything more than souvenir shops.
Ngong Ping Village
Map: Google Maps
Ngong Ping Village is the gateway to the cable car, Tian Tan Buddha, Po Lin Monastery, and the Wisdom Path. Expect souvenir shops, a few casual restaurants, and several small attractions aimed at day trippers. It’s an easy place to grab snacks, take a restroom break, and plan your loop around the plateau. Early in the day most shops open right as the first cable cars arrive; later in the afternoon the plaza fills quickly. Shade is limited, so bring a compact umbrella or cap if the sun is out. If you’re skipping souvenirs, cut straight through the village toward the big open plaza for the main sights. If you want to book or rebook experiences, the village kiosks often sell same-day cable car upgrades and Tai O boat tours. This is also where you’ll catch the local bus down to Tai O after the Buddha and monastery.
Climbing To See The Tian Tan Buddha
From Ngong Ping, the stair climb leads to the Tian Tan Buddha statue, the signature statue of Buddha in Hong Kong. Time your Tian Tan Buddha hike for early morning or late afternoon to dodge crowds and heat while catching views of the biggest Buddha in Hong Kong.
At the end of the shopping corridor, the area opens to a wide plaza. Here you can access the Tian Tan Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery. The good stuff.
The Buddha statue was constructed in the early 1990s. It’s an enormous bronze structure that sits on top of an open bronze lotus flower. On the base are six smaller statues that symbolize Pāramitā, the six perfections of generosity.
We were lucky to have been on one of the first cable cars to the village. This made it possible to be one of the first people at the base of the staircase to Tian Tan Buddha. We took the long climb to the top and pretty much had it all to ourselves. Later in the day, it was very crowded.
Tian Tan Buddha
Map: Google Maps
Tian Tan Buddha is the star of Lantau—an enormous bronze statue set above a broad staircase with sweeping views back toward the coast. The climb is straightforward but sustained; take your time and enjoy the lookout landings. At the top, walk the circular platform for different sightlines and photos of the surrounding peaks. The statue’s right hand is raised in blessing, and six smaller statues on the lower terrace present symbolic offerings. Entry to the platform is free; there’s a small museum area below with separate admission if you want more context. Mornings are cooler and far less crowded than midday. Dress for stairs and bring water; there’s little shade once you start the ascent. Be respectful with photos and voices—this is a devotional site first, landmark second.
Visiting Po Lin Monastery
Steps from the Hong Kong Big Buddha, Po Lin Monastery is an active temple complex that fits naturally into a Lantau Island day trip focused on Tian Tan Buddha. Explore the main halls, incense courtyard, and vegetarian canteen before looping back to the Big Buddha in Hong Kong for a final photo.
The nearby Po Lin Monastery was constructed in 1906. The building is lavishly decorated with colorfully painted wood carvings and a yellow tiled roof. The hall is surrounded by stone-carved dragons. There are numerous buildings to explore in the complex including a shrine hall, an exhibition hall for Buddhist relics, and a library.
Po Lin Monastery
Map: Google Maps
Po Lin Monastery predates the Big Buddha by decades and remains an active Buddhist complex with richly decorated halls. The main shrine features elaborate woodwork, bright paint, and dozens of golden figures. You’ll smell incense from the courtyard before you see the burners—there’s a dedicated area for offerings away from the halls. A vegetarian canteen serves set meals and simple dishes; it’s a handy lunch if you want something quick and local to the site. Dress comfortably but conservatively; shoulders covered is a good rule when stepping inside halls. Photography is generally okay outdoors; signs will indicate indoor restrictions. Crowds ebb and flow with cable car arrivals, so if a hall looks packed, circle back later. Plan 30–45 minutes to see the key buildings without rushing. Donations support upkeep; bring small bills if you’d like to contribute.
Nearby is a wisdom trail where you can take a secluded walk on a trail past large wooden planks carved with passages from a well-known Confucian prayer arranged in a pattern that represents infinity.
Wisdom Path (Wisdom Trail)
Map: Google Maps
A short walk from the monastery, the Wisdom Path lines a hillside with tall wooden columns carved with verses arranged in a figure-eight pattern. It’s a quick, quiet detour that adds context to the spiritual side of the plateau without taking much time. The path is mostly compacted dirt with mild slopes; standard sneakers are fine. Views open toward the South China Sea on clear days, and the columns make strong photos even in fog. There’s little shade, so it can feel hot at midday. The loop connects easily back toward Ngong Ping Village, making it simple to add before heading to Tai O. It’s free to visit and typically less crowded than the Buddha and monastery. Keep an eye on signage so you don’t wander onto longer Lantau hiking routes by accident.
Visiting Tai O from Ngong Ping
Ride the local bus from Ngong Ping to Tai O for stilt houses, seafood snacks, and a short boat trip Hong Kong that sometimes includes pink-dolphin sightings. It’s an easy add-on after the HK Big Buddha and shows a different side of Lantau beyond the hilltop temples.
If Ngong Ping Village feels inauthentic, Tai O makes up for it. We boarded the bus to the village and took the curvy 30-minute ride to the tiny fishing village in a cove off the South China Sea. The village is filled with tiny open shops selling street food and snacks.
A boat ride was included in our ticket. The small wooden boat held about 15 people. We first ventured out into the open water to try to get a glimpse of the rare pink dolphin. Thinking this was some sort of nonsense rouse to sell tickets I had low expectations. Much to my surprise, not only are pink dolphins a real thing, but we actually saw some too. It doesn’t get much gayer than a pink dolphin. I felt good about it.
We then ventured inland traveling through a channel that passed by stilt homes that looked as though they had been there for generations. Many homes had fishing boats tied outside and the catch of the day drying in the sun on the porch. As tourism increases more and more stilt homes are being converted into cafes and restaurants for visitors.
The boat ride ended by docking at a stilt home, which we walked through before returning to the village on foot. We spent a few more minutes shopping in the village before heading to the dock where we waited for the ferry.
Tai O Boat Tour
Tickets: GetYourGuide / Viator
Small wooden boats carry about a dozen passengers for a fast loop out to sea and back through the stilt-house canals. Life jackets are provided and you’ll sit low to the water. Out on the bay the captain will scan for pink dolphins; if they appear, the stop is brief and quiet. Back inside the channels you’ll pass homes with nets and drying racks that show how central fishing remains here. Tours run frequently through the day and are easy to buy on the spot; cash makes it simple. Expect spray on windy days and plan for sun exposure. Rides are short, which is perfect if you’re trying to catch a bus or ferry afterward. It’s an efficient way to see both sides of Tai O without a long walk.
Tai O to Hong Kong Ferry
From Tai O, check schedules for the ferry Lantau Island Hong Kong service to Tuen Mun, or return by bus to Tung Chung for the MTR into Central. On clear days the ferry doubles as a relaxed boat trip Hong Kong, but if time is tight the bus-plus-subway combo is usually faster.
We watched the sunset over the South China Sea as we waited for the ferry. We boarded the ferry and tried to find a window seat. I wasn’t really aware of how far we had traveled so I was surprised that the ride back to the Hong Kong Central Ferry Pier took nearly 2.5 hours.
If we had it all to do over I would have bought the simple round-trip cable car ticket. After visiting we learned that you can access everything at the terminus of the cable car on foot very easily. If you would also like to visit Tai O you can take the bus there on your own for normal bus fare from Ngong Ping Village, and easily book a scenic boat ride while in town. Returning to Hong Kong via subway would have been much faster than the ferry, which wasn’t a very scenic or comfortable ride.
We also made a mistake when booking our ticket. We thought they asked us when we wanted to book the bus ride to Tai O. I suggested 1 pm thinking that we would get to the island around 10:30 am, so 2.5 hours would be plenty of time to explore. When 1 pm hit we went to the meeting point for the bus. This is when we learned that this was the start of the guided tour. We then spent the next two hours touring everything we had just finished seeing. It would have been fine if it was a true guided tour, but the guide told us a little bit about each place, and then set us free to explore on our own. We ended up spending twice the amount of time there than we needed. We should have requested 11 am. Oops!
Overall, I completely recommend a day on Lantau Island. There is plenty to see and, once you get to Ngong Ping, everything is free to visit. Even possibly skipping Tai O, visiting the Tian Tan Buddha and the monastery makes for a wonderful side trip from Hong Kong.
For another great day trip from Hong Kong think about a day in Macau.
