Day 2 In Hong Kong - Po Lin Monastery and the Giant Buddha

That day, I was able to fulfill a long-time dream: to visit Hong Kong. So I hold on to my map and explore the Chinese archipelago.

Po Lin Monastery/Giant Buddha/Ngong Ping Village

8am - Heading To Po Lin Monastery and the Giant Buddha

How To Get To Po Lin Monastery and the Giant Buddha?

MTR (subway): From the MTR, take the Tung Chung line and get off at Tung Chung Station. This takes about 35 or 40 minutes. Check the map above for guidance. From Tung Chung, take Bus 23 to Ngong Ping or take the Ngong Ping Cable Car. 

Bus To Ngong Ping

Actually, you can go there by riding a bus which is cheaper, or you can choose the famous cable car (169 HKD/adult) wherein you can see the beautiful scenery of Hongkong going to Ngong Ping. It is a 1 hour ride by bus and a 40 minute ride by cable car. We chose the bus because it's cheaper and the ride is smooth and hassle-free.

Hong Kong has an impressive mode of transportation and you can easily get into the places you want to visit by just having your Octopus card. Moreover, don't forget to check your card's credit as there are machines on every MTR stations used for card balance checking and card credit reloading. 

Tip: In addition, keep in mind to position yourself on the right side of the escalator because the left side is intended for people in a hurry (most of them are always in a hurry anyway). Forget this and you will be bumped without receiving an apology.

9am - At Po Lin Monastery and Giant Buddha

Before we went into the Giant Buddha, we decided to go to the Monastery first. Inside the temples, we saw golden Buddhas and flower offerings. There are also people lighting incense and praying, so silence should be observed around the area.

After the stroll, we decided to take an early lunch. The restaurants are located behind the monastery. We ordered Fried noodles (exactly like bihon), Chinese tea, dumplings and bean curd soup. There's nothing special with the taste of the food but it's enough for a hungry stomach though. Paid almost 30HKD for that meal. 

I would recommend that you go first to the Giant Buddha wherein you'll get an entrance ticket with free snack. Ticket rates was around [ordinary meal (60HKD/pax); deluxe (100HKD/pax)] that comes with a free entrance ticket for the Giant Buddha. 

The Giant Buddha

So we continued... climbing the stairs towards the Giant Buddha was exhausting but it's worth the endurance when you reach the top. The view was spectacular and a close encounter with the largest outdoor bronze statue of its kind overlooking Po Lin Monastery is just majestic. There is also a museum at the base of the Giant Buddha that sells cute Buddha items.

Ngong Ping Village And The Wisdom Path

After the Giant Buddha, we visited the Ngong Ping village. In there, we have witnessed their culture and the establishments' architecture is truly oriental. You'll also find stores where you can buy Ngong Ping items. If you have enough time, you can trip down to the Wisdom Path. Follow the HKTB directional sign to Tea Garden, walk through the hiking trail from the entrance for 15 minutes.

I really loved this tourist spot as it involves Hongkong's culture that is not always evident on their busy streets.

It's around 1pm and the next place to go is... Hong Kong Disneyland!

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