Friday, February 27, 2009

One-day to Lantau Island


Lantau boasts as a largest island in Hong Kong, which is almost 2 times as Hong Kong Island in territory. It is a mountainous region with very limited flat area. Most of the travelers come to trace the Buddhist temples in piety in this island. What's more, it is a delectable place for a cozy promenade.

The tour begins by sailing on an air-conditioned ferry from No. 7 Port in the Central to Silvermine Bay (Mui Wo) for about 50 minutes. In the Mui Wo Bus Station, take the bus No.1 to the Cheung Sha Beach, Tai O Fishing Village. You can see many traditional shanties along the river which have gone through centuries of vicissitudes. The inhabitants there, who are called "Hakka" and fostered by the resourceful sea, make their living by fishing.

After visiting the traditional fishing village, you might take the bus No. 2 towards the Po Lin Monastery for about 40 minutes. As the prestigious bethel of Buddhism, it attracts millions of domestic and foreign travelers annually and it deserves the best gathering of temples in Hong Kong in scale and delicacy. The great bronze Buddha statue is just adjacent to the monastery, renowned as the biggest Bronze Seating Buddha in the world. It is 100 ft tall and 202 ton in weight and you need to walk up 268 steps to have a close look at this holy Buddha. The Buddha statue is a tremendous treasure inside. There are many precious historic and cultural heritages of Buddhism stored there. It is divided into Merits and Virtues Hall, Exhibition Room and the Memorial Hall, which are all free for visitors. However, if you want to enter the Memorial Hall, you need to purchase some Chinese-style vegetarian food at the entrance, which acts as a necessary attachment. From another perspective, this is a special meal in the monastery that may add some unique flavor and also is a good chance to experience the monks' life.

Take bus No. 23 to the Tung Chung Station, where you can return to Central area by subway (Optional: from the Tung Chung, you can choose Ngong Ping 360 cable car to reach the Great Buddha. On the cable car, you will have a golden opportunity to overlook the Lantau Island, which is another extraordinary experience. The admission fee for each adult: HK$58.00 for one way and HK$88.00 for round-way).

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