Big Buddha & Ngong Ping 360

Lantau Island is twice the size of Hong Kong Island and mostly mountains, monasteries and country park, and the journey to its high plateau at Ngong Ping is one of the most memorable things you can do in Hong Kong. It begins at Tung Chung, at the end of the MTR line near the airport, where the Ngong Ping 360 cable car lifts you out of the town and over the water of Tung Chung Bay before climbing steeply over forested ridges, with the airport runways and planes taking off behind you, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge stretching across the sea and the walking trail of Lantau far below. The ride is about 5.7 kilometers and takes around 25 minutes, and it celebrated its twentieth anniversary in 2026. You choose between the Standard cabin and the Crystal cabin, which has a glass floor so you can watch the treetops pass beneath your feet; a combination ticket lets you try one each way. At the top, Ngong Ping Village is a small themed street of shops and cafes leading to the main event: the Tian Tan Buddha, better known as the Big Buddha, a seated bronze figure 34 meters tall including its base, completed in 1993 and set on a hilltop above the plateau. You climb 268 steps to reach the platform at its feet, surrounded by six bronze devas offering gifts, and the view back over the mountains and the sea is wonderful. Opposite is Po Lin Monastery, a working Buddhist monastery founded in the early twentieth century, with ornate halls, incense smoke and a vegetarian restaurant that serves a simple, filling set lunch. A short walk away, the Wisdom Path lines up tall timber columns inscribed with the Heart Sutra on the hillside. Climbing to the Buddha is free; you pay for the cable car.

The cable car is the most popular way up and the queue is the main thing to plan around. Weekends, public holidays and the middle of the day are busiest, and the wait at Tung Chung can stretch well beyond an hour at peak times. Go early on a weekday, ideally at opening, and pre-book your cable car tickets online; the Crystal cabin queue is often shorter. Check the weather before you go: the cable car suspends in high winds, thunderstorms and typhoon signals, and low cloud can hide the Buddha entirely. It also closes for scheduled maintenance periods, sometimes for several weeks; in 2026 it reopened on 22 June after its main overhaul, and the operator lists no further maintenance days for the rest of the year, but always check the official notices. Opening hours are roughly 10am to 6pm on weekdays and from 9am on weekends and public holidays.

If the cable car is down or the queue too long, there are good alternatives. The number 23 bus from Tung Chung climbs the mountain road to Ngong Ping in about 45 minutes, and the scenery is almost as good. Fit hikers can walk up on the Lantau Trail, or climb Lantau Peak, Hong Kong's second-highest mountain, at sunrise for one of the city's great hikes. Combine the trip with Tai O, a fishing village of stilt houses over tidal creeks on Lantau's west coast, a short bus ride from Ngong Ping, where you can eat grilled seafood, buy dried fish and shrimp paste, and take a small boat out to look for the pink Chinese white dolphins (sightings are no longer common). Allow a full day for the Buddha, the monastery and Tai O, and return by bus to Tung Chung or the cable car if it is running late enough.

A few tips: wear comfortable shoes for the 268 steps, which are exposed and hot in summer; bring water and sun protection; and dress respectfully in the monastery, with shoulders and knees covered. There is a small paid exhibition inside the base of the Buddha, normally included with the vegetarian meal ticket. The village area is commercial but has toilets, cafes and shade. Families should note that children love the glass-floored Crystal cabin but the climb can be tiring for small ones. On your way back, the Citygate outlet mall at Tung Chung has discounted fashion and a food court, and the airport is only a few minutes away, so the trip works on a day of departure if your flight is in the evening.