Last updated on June 5th, 2026 at 11:45 pm
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Hong Kong offers many day trip options, such as HK Disneyland and Tai O Fishing Village.
Another popular day trip for tourists is a visit to Big Buddha, also known as Tian Tan Buddha, on Lantau Island.
In this blog post, I’ll review the Big Buddha in Hong Kong and its notable attractions in the surrounding area.
Let’s get started!
How to Get to Big Buddha in Hong Kong
To get to Big Buddha, you must first get to Tung Chung station. There are various ways to get there, but for most people, the best option is to take the MTR.
It’s possible to drive to Tung Chung station and leave your car there. This might not be the best option, though, because Tung Chung is the gateway to Big Buddha and Tai O Fishing Village, both extremely popular day-trip destinations. Also, Citygate Outlets, Hong Kong’s largest outlet, is in Tung Chung. With so many things to do around there, it will be tough to find parking.
At Tung Chung, you can either get to Ngong Ping village via bus (bus #23), cable car (exit B for the Tung Chung cable car terminal), taxi, or on foot (this takes about 4 hours, so unless you’re in for a hike, people generally don’t pick this).
For first-time visitors, I recommend taking the cable car. This scenic ride to Big Buddha and Ngong Ping Village is beautiful but expensive.
Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car Ride
There are three cable car options: Crystal, Standard, and Crystal+. I took the standard cabin to Big Buddha and the crystal+ cabin back.
The standard cable car is a mode of transportation that connects Tung Chung Station and Ngong Ping Village. It is best for people who are scared of heights. There is less visibility, and even though you might still be afraid, it’s the least scary option of the three.
The crystal cabin is one level up, where the cable car’s bottom is transparent. Look down by your feet; it feels like you’re close to touching the trees and water as you sail through the sky.
Crystal+ was by far the most exhilarating one. Most of the cabin was clear, and the walls and floors were transparent. This is for the risk-takers! I thought I was confident and that it would be a piece of cake until the cable car started moving. I was clinging to the railing for dear life when there were sudden movements. It didn’t help that I went on a windy day, and the cable car was swinging back and forth.
As for the prices, Crystal+ was the most expensive, but it also had the shortest line. I encourage people to take this if they can. I did, and it was thrilling, nerve-wracking, and fun all at once.
The total ride is about 25 minutes. Take your camera out during this time to capture a breathtaking view of the water, trees, and skyline. You’ll even see the Big Buddha from far away as you reach your final destination.
Should You Buy Tickets in Advance?
Yes, you should buy tickets in advance. Maybe it was because I went during a public holiday (it gets crazy during Chinese New Year), but I had to wait an hour in line even though I had reserved tickets late in the morning.
What Time Does Ngong Ping 360 Open?
Ngong Ping Village and Ngong Ping 360 are open daily from 10 am to 6 pm.
Ngong Ping Village Attractions
When you get off the cable car, you arrive at Ngong Pong Village as if you stepped back in time. The village feels like the kind of place where historical Chinese dramas would be filmed, and it’s the total opposite of Hong Kong’s city centre.
Restaurants
There aren’t many restaurant options here. People don’t come here to Ngong Ping Village for food.
The limited restaurants are fast-food style. They serve burgers, pizza, kebabs, sandwiches, gelato, etc.
Many of these places only have a few sit-down tables. It’s hard to relax and chill when the restaurants are small, and you feel pressured to leave ASAP so someone else can get a table.
If there is one place you must visit, it is Li Nong Teahouse. Drinking tea is a massive part of Chinese culture. At this teahouse, sample a variety of tea, learn more about the tea culture, and admire the traditional Chinese interior. This traditional teahouse is pretty popular with tourists because you can learn something new in a relaxed environment.
Cable Car Discovery Centre
The Cable Car Discovery Centre is a paid tour that details the history of cable cars and uses VR to make the experience interactive and fun. With staff to guide you, you can learn new information about cable cars at this spot!
Motion 360
This experience is similar to the Iron Man Experience attraction from Hong Kong Disneyland. Strap yourselves in and sit comfortably as you soar near Big Buddha and other parts of Lantau Island. This realistic ride is only 10-15 minutes long, and it will use every minute of that to make your time memorable.
Ngong Ping Nature Centre
Ngong Ping Nature Centre is where you can be educated about nature and biodiversity in Hong Kong. The guided tour is available in three languages: English, Mandarin, and Cantonese. Learn more about Lantau Island and get advice from staff familiar with the area.
Blessing Trees/Bodhi Tree
This is where you make all your wishes come true.
There is a wishing tree here called the Bodhi Tree. The superstition is that you write your wish on a place card and throw it on the tree. The higher it lands, the more likely it will come true. Although you can’t throw your wish onto the tree, it makes a great Instagram spot.
Right by the Bodhi Tree are the blessing drums as well. There are eight of them in total, with Chinese characters inscribed on the drums and English translations beneath. Which one do you wish for? For me, it’s all of them because why not?
Souvenir Stores
You’ll see most souvenir stores at Ngong Ping Village; there are more gift stores than dining places.
Traditional Chinese items include chopsticks, teacups, mini Buddha statues, and fans. Still, there are also items you can buy to commemorate your time at Ngong Ping village, like shopping at the Tung Chung Cable Car Terminal souvenir shop. If not for yourself, these stores make excellent gifts to bring home to your loved ones.
Ngong Ping Piazza
As you continue to walk through Ngong Ping village, you’ll find yourself at Ngong Ping Piazza. This is where buses drop people off from Tung Chung, and it’s a common Instagram spot with its entrance gate and 12 general statues, each representing a Chinese zodiac animal.
You won’t miss this area because the entrance gate is enormous, and it’s on the way to Big Buddha. Some food stalls around here sell authentic Hong Kong foods, such as tofu custard and various street foods.
You might even see some cows chilling on the grass.
The Big Buddha in Hong Kong
After about a 10-minute walk from Ngong Ping Village, you’ll be at The Big Buddha, the main tourist attraction in this area.
Seeing the stairs lead to the Big Buddha might seem intimidating initially, but since you’re there already, you might as well climb up those 300 steps. Three hundred steps of stairs don’t sound bad, but it also depends on when you go.
When I went to the Big Buddha, it was crowded and hot. Before climbing the stairs, I felt like I had used up all my energy. My legs were tired, and I was carrying heavy bags. With my family’s encouragement, I did it slowly but surely, but it was a pain.
Along the way up, people constantly stop to take photos. It is a stunning sight, and it’s easy to see why millions of people worldwide come here to see this bronze statue.
It’s better to take photos near the foot of the stairs because the Big Buddha is ginormous (it’s about 30m tall). As you get closer, capturing the whole statue on your phone screen can be challenging.
Remember to be patient. Since it’s a heavily touristy area, there will be many people. I got pushed several times trying to take pictures. I wish I had taken more, because now I only have a few pictures of the Big Buddha in my camera roll.
Near the feet of the Big Buddha, six bronze statues make offerings to the Buddha. Each statue has a sign stating that tourists cannot throw coins at it, but many people still disregard the rule. There was also no staff member monitoring the surrounding area, which surprised me a bit.
Is The Big Buddha in Hong Kong Free?
There is no admission fee or ticket requirement to see the Big Buddha; it’s completely free. There are three exhibition halls, where you pay a small fee to view the artifacts, but most people skip them.
Po Lin Monastery
Po Lin Monastery is a beautiful and colourful monastery inside and out. It feels like you’ve stepped back in time with Chinese history. It’s almost impossible to describe how grand and detailed the architecture is.
I could keep sitting in the garden, admiring the whole view.
During this day trip, you’ll have many opportunities to take pictures, but you’ll especially take a lot of pictures here because you want to capture its beauty.
My only real complaint was that it was supposed to feel peaceful since it’s a place of worship. The day I came here, there were too many people. People were fighting to get a spot to kneel to pray to the Gods.
There are also a variety of vegetarian food stalls nearby if you get hungry.
Besides Big Buddha, this is the area’s second-most-popular tourist attraction.
This was definitely one of my favourite parts of the day. Don’t skip here!
Wisdom’s Path
It takes about 15-20 minutes to walk from the Big Buddha to the Wisdom Path. However, it could be longer, as this is a good place for photo opportunities, and you might be distracted.
As you walk along Wisdom’s path, you will see wooden columns inscribed with Chinese verses.
It’s a serene walk, as this area should be pretty quiet. However, the other nearby tourist attractions attract all the attention, so not many people know about this.
Final Thoughts – Visiting Big Buddha in Hong Kong
If you’re wondering when to see the Big Buddha in Hong Kong, the best time is during the winter months. It gets really hot in Hong Kong in the summer. Climbing all those steps in the blistering heat will make you cranky and sweaty. The weather is cooler in winter, yet it’s not freezing, making it the perfect time for outdoor excursions.
Also, come on a weekday, as the area tends to get busy on weekends and public holidays. It won’t be as crowded on weekdays because locals are at school or work.
Getting to Big Buddha is further than the main tourist attractions in the city, but once you’re there, you’ll enjoy the experience and the magnificent views.
Seeing Big Buddha and the surrounding area takes about 3-4 hours. This is a reasonable amount of time to see everything without feeling rushed.
People usually spend about half a day at Big Buddha and the other half at Tai O Fishing Village.
Taking the cable car to Ngong Ping Village is already worth the trip, but when you combine it with Ngong Ping Village, Po Lin Monastery, and Big Buddha, it’s no wonder Big Buddha is consistently named one of the must-visit places in Hong Kong.
Now to You – Big Buddha in Hong Kong
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Xoxo,
Nicole
