Melo Villareal
Fun Things To Do In Lantau Island, Hong Kong
(Hong Kong) With the growing number of flight promotions and excellent deals for accommodations, taking a trip to Hong Kong for the weekend with your friends, your family or even all by yourself has become that much easier, cheaper and more accessible than ever.
But if you’re tired of the usual shopping and eating that you’ve been doing over your frequent travels—or if you just want to add something to your expected Hong Kong experience—why not try visiting Lantau Island, the largest of Hong Kong’s outlying islands? A bit farther from the hustle and bustle of the city center itself, it will feel like quite a treat to visit it. Here are our top 10 things to do when you visit Lantau Island!
Here are some of the activities you can do on Lantau Island:
1. Visit Po Lin Monastery
One of the most famous attractions in Lantau Island, you’re sure to achieve inner peace and serenity by taking a relaxed stroll in one of its many beautiful gardens. With its exquisitely detailed architecture and three large Buddhas surrounded by color and lotus petal lights everywhere, it feels like walking into a floating dream when you visit. Don’t miss the Great Hall of the Ten Thousand Buddhas!
2. Marvel at the Big Buddha / Tian Tan Buddha
Also known as Tian Tan Buddha, the Big Buddha draws devotees from everywhere who wish to admire its bronze majesty. For those willing to brave the long hike up, it’s worth it to see this incredible sight—combine it with that view high up, and you’ll feel a sense of awe creep up on you as you look at one of the biggest seated Buddhas in the world.
Lantau Island Day Tour Packages
- Spend a day enjoying the beautiful scenery of Lantau Island, Hong Kong’s largest outlying island.
- Visit the picturesque Tai O Fishing Village on the Western coast of Lantau Island.
- Experience a fisherman’s lifestyle and learn about the significance of maritime history that shaped Hong Kong metropolis.
- Taste some scrumptious local seafood delicacies and snacks
[Book your Lantau Island Day Tour here]
3. Take a tour of Tai O Fishing Village
The lovely stilt houses, great prices for fresh and dried seafood, and the picturesque view of the harbor have made taking a trip to this old village very popular with photographers. Definitely a must see!
Lantau Cultural and Heritage Insight Tour Package
- Get a full tour of Lantau Island’s most famous attractions.
- Climb up the stairs to visit the giant Buddha, which stands at over 34 meters tall.
- Ride a boat through the traditional stilted Tai O fishing village, which was once a huge part of a thriving salt industry.
- Visit the century-old Po Lin Monastery, a once-remote Buddhist monastery.
- Take home some souvenirs from Ngong Ping Village.
- [Book your Lantau Cultural and Heritage Tour here]
4. Go to Hong Kong Disneyland!
Near Lantau Island, Magic and excitement await here—there’s a reason why this island attraction is most popular with families on tours. Don’t miss the fireworks show over Sleeping Beauty’s castle. Try as many of the rides as you can, and get some pictures with Mickey and friends before stopping by the Hong Kong Disneyland souvenir shops!
5. Go pink dolphin watching
Pink dolphins are a highly endangered species, but thanks to Hong Kong’s Dolphinwatch, there are regularly scheduled dolphin watch cruises all year which will not disturb them and will allow curious tourists to admire them in their natural habitat. These friendly creatures are absolutely adorable!
6. Walk along the Wisdom Path
If you’re feeling like tapping into the energy of tranquility in the area, this walk has a series of 38 wooden steles with verses from the Heart Sutra, arranged in a pattern to represent infinity. You’ll also get a beautiful view of the South China Sea from there!
7. Ride the Ngong Ping cable car
If you’re planning to visit the Big Buddha and aren’t up for the long hike, this is definitely an awesome way to go about it! Though it’s only a 20-minute ride, you’ll be able to have an amazing view of the ocean and some of Lantau Island’s most beautiful attractions. Feeling brave? Get the “crystal” cabin, which has a transparent bottom.
Ngong Ping 360 Sky-Land-Sea Tickets / Tai O Pass
- Get your Ngong Ping 360 tickets faster when you present your voucher at our Exclusive Klook lane!
- Make the short hike to visit the Big Buddha statue.
- Experience a boat to see the stilt houses of Tai O fishing village.
- [Book your Ngong Ping and Tai O Pass here]
8. Watch the sunset at Cheung Sha Beach
This quiet, solitary beach is great for a quick, cooling dip in the calming waters. There are also a few eateries nearby in case you want to indulge your appetite after a day by the sea. It’s not as well known as the other spots, but with a beautiful view of the horizon as the one there, it ought to be!
9. Visit the Silvermine Waterfalls
Great for a quick uphill stroll, this site is known for its charming waterfalls, which will provide you with a refreshing dip in its pools or a nice place to have a barbecue or picnic with your fellow travelers. If you’re up for it, you can also peep into the nearby abandoned Silvermine Cave—a rather eerie place.
10. Stop by Inspiration Lake
If you’re tired of the whirlwind energy of Disneyland, this site is only a 15-minute walk away from the main park. You can ride a bike in peace or rent a pedal boat, or visit the soothing arboretum. Its artificial lake is the largest in Hong Kong!
How to get to Lantau Island
By Train: The Tung Chung MTR line is the fastest way to get to Lantau if you are going to the north of the island. The Tung Chung line also connects with special rail services at Sunny Bay that take visitors directly to Disneyland. The trip to Tung Chung takes around 25 minutes all the way from Hong Kong station.
By Boat: Ferries depart from the Outlying Islands pier in Central to the west of the Star Ferry terminal. The largest operator is the New World First Ferry.
By Bus: Since the opening of the Lantau Link, a number of buses also cross over to Lantau, although they are considerably slower than the MTR and less scenic than the ferries. The local bus timetable in Lantau Island is available online.
AirAsia now flies from Manila to Hong Kong and vice versa every Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday. You can now book your flights online via www.airasia.com and get affordable flights if you book in advance.
Published on: Sep 9, 2015
Updated August 1, 2018
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