Day Trips From Hong Kong | Exploring Lantau Island With Big Buddha

After days of city living in on HK island and Kowloon it was time to branch out to Outlying Islands. I embarked on a trip to Lantau Island to visit Big Buddha.  Travelling by train to Tung Chung, and with the cable car out of service for maintenance just 24 hrs before my trip, I changed transportation to a coach service at Tung Chung station to reach the Po Lin Monastery and then Big Buddha.  Winding roads form a mountainous backdrop of beautiful lush green valleys. Phoenix Mountain being the highest peak of these mountains stretches to 935 meters high. The second highest peak in Hong Kong but the most popular spot for tourists visiting Lantau Island for climbing in order to view and admire sunrise and sunsets from its peak. Lantau Island is among the 234 islands belonging to Hong Kong SAR with only a few these inhabited. 

There are about 47 villages on the island with much of it currently still being developed to add new towns. When you arrive at the Ngong Ping Village you are immediately in view of Buddha. Before taking the 268 steps to reach the Big Buddha with tranquil views of surrounding mountain and sea views, you will walk past the Twelve Heavenly Generals or Twelve Divine Generals as they are sometimes known. These are revered in some Buddhist denominations as protective deities. They also represent different times of the day and correspond to different animals in the Chinese Zodiac. On the other hand, Big Buddha, "the eyes, lips, incline of the head and right hand, which is raised to deliver a blessing to all, combine to bring a humbling depth of character and dignity to the massive Buddha." Big Buddha also know as Giant Buddha is 111 feet(34 meters) high, making it the world's largest seated outdoor Buddha. At the base of Big Buddha is the Po Lin Monastery and home to many devout monks. There is also a Wisdom Path nearby where ancient prayers are inscribed on a series of wooden columns in a figure of eight to signify infinity. You can also tour the monastery while on the island as well as few of the towns near by such as the Ngong Ping Village where you can catch the cable car which also offers regional performances and demonstrations of local traditions.


Have come face to face with Big Buddha's protective Twelve Divine Generals before?

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