2nd February 2024
After a few years, I embarked on a journey to this scenic village once again and strolled through a serene atmosphere that complements the natural beauty of the surrounding hills. Ngong Ping village offers visitors time to immerse themselves in nature, see picturesque landscapes, walk through scenic trails, taste local cuisine, experience an exciting ride, and visit quaint shops.
This is located amidst the hills, and a top tourist destination on Lantau Island. My decision to visit this place was not just to see iconic attractions nearby but for a scenic retreat. With the idyllic charm of the village, it's undoubtedly a perfect destination for unwinding and exploration.
Walking through this place creates new experiences. During those times that I want to escape from the bustling city, I seek serenity in the countryside. This village is almost an hour away from my place, and it took me two rides to reach my ideal destination. It's a worthwhile ride when, at the end of it, I can find a sense of tranquility while reconnecting with nature and discovering new things. Hong Kong's countryside is packed with hidden gems that are just waiting to be discovered.
Ngong Ping Piazza is where events in this village are usually held.
Cattle are typically found at the Piazza and other parts of Ngong Ping which draws tourists' attention.
This village is not the typical residential village that you would expect. Although there are residential houses nearby, as shown in the third photo, the village was likely created for tourism and spiritual and cultural exploration. The top iconic attractions and scenic landscapes are the major aspects that draw tourists and locals to the place.
The majestic and most iconic Big Buddha is sitting on top of the plateau of Ngong Ping. It's evident from any part of the village. A bit of exercise is needed to reach the top. You'll pass through 268 steps, in particular. But rest assured that the breathtaking views atop the hill will fade your exhaustion away. It's one of my favorite spots in Ngong Ping.
For spiritual exploration and a deep understanding of Buddhism, the Po Lin Monastery is at the corner below the hill. This upcoming Chinese New Year, this monastery and the village will be busy and flocked by tourists and worshipers again.
The best thing to experience here is to ride the 360 Cable Car, which connects Ngong Ping to Tung Chung. This is just one of the ways to get to the highlands of Lantau Island. I tried it once, and it was so worth it as it offers a panoramic scenic view. Lantau harbor and greenery.
Among all the thrilling things to do in this village, the best for me is exploring the surrounding mountains and venturing into rugged terrain and scenic trails. When it comes to the Hong Kong countryside, one should immerse themselves in natural wonders. What's the sense of visiting the countryside, anyway? That's my main reason, maybe not for others. I also learned that there are some camping sites in the vicinity. A weekend camping in the woods for a night is just one of the things I truly want to experience. Hopefully, I can experience my first time here in Hong Kong when the right time comes.
After visiting the Po Lin Monastery and the Big Buddha, I took a stroll through the village's center spot. It is also picturesque and has a lot of things to do and pretty sights to see. Normally, not all like venturing into the wild trails in the woods, so walking around the village is the best option for them.
It is flocked with locals and foreign tourists because of the different shops and restaurants.
It's good to get some souvenir items from one of the shops here. The shop, Walking with Buddha, was the most interesting one. Along with various Chinese decorations, ornaments, and souvenirs, there are numerous Buddha statues available in a variety of sizes and figures.
Inside this shop are all Chinese art pieces, crafts, ornaments, displays, souvenirs, and other Chinese-themed items.
The enormous ivory carvings of a temple featuring several Buddhas are the most fascinating. I had never seen anything like it before, and I sincerely appreciate the artist's effort in creating this work of art.
Meanwhile, this statue reminded me of Lapu-Lapu, a heroic man who fought against Spanish forces back in the past.
Some walls have art murals that are good for photoshoots.
Apart from souvenir shops, there are several food shops and tea houses here too. Some can be found near the monastery, which serves vegetarian cuisine. Visitors come not just to see iconic attractions but also to taste some local cuisine. There are snack houses and food shops that sell other Asian cuisine and Western food too. So it's all up to you to choose where to taste new flavors.
After a while of walking, I seemed not content with my lunch. The smells from different food shops would tempt anyone. That's why we agreed to have some midday munchies. I decided to place an order at the Taiwanese dessert restaurant, Honeymoon Dessert Shop. Meanwhile, my buddy chose to order a Subway burger.
I had tried this once, and that day I was craving something cool and sweet, so I gave it another try. It's shaved ice topped with mango ice cream, pudding, taro balls, red beans, tapioca pearls, agar-agar, and coconut milk. For me, this Taiwanese dessert is a must-try. It made me think of the Philippines' halo-halo with a different style.
I felt like walking in a small Chinatown while venturing into the streets of Ngong Ping. The village has classical Chinese architecture, which is evident in its styles and elements. The buildings aren't high, with tiled roofs and upturned eaves. They showcase ornate carvings showing Chinese traditional motifs.
In some spots, there are attractions incorporating Feng Shui elements.
Happiness and peace. That's exactly what I seek when traveling.
This Awakening Tree or Bodhi Tree as they call it, has tangerine fruits, although it's not a tangerine tree. Those are just auspicious decorations since tangerine fruit is a lucky fruit in Chinese Feng Shui. The tree is hung with red cards or wishing placards. However, you can not make your wishes here. However, you cannot make your wishes here. There are wishing trees in other parts of Hong Kong to do so. This Bodhi tree is simply part of the attraction in this village
It was December when I visited this place, so there were still Christmas decorations around the village and a photo booth next to the cable car station, which captures the backdrop of the majestic Big Buddha atop the hill.
Overall, walking through Ngo Ping while taking in the village ambiance is like seeing a glimpse into Hong Kong's roots while getting a serene escape from the bustling city. It's a place worth visiting all over again.
How to get to Ngong Ping, Lantau Island?
There are three ways that I know how to get to Ngong Ping:
- Buses 23 and 11 from Tung Chung Station are going to this village, but it takes almost an hour on the road. However, expect a long queue like this below. It took us more or less an hour in the line.
Taking taxis has undoubtedly reasonable fares.
- For adventurers and hikers, different trails are going to Ngong Ping from other points of Lantau Island, including Ngong Ping 360 Rescue Trail which we were supposed to take, but it will take roughly 4 hours to finish the trail to get to the village.
The trails from Shek Pik Country Park, Lantau Peak, and other trails have alternative routes to Ngong Ping Village. It's visiting several places on one day when taking trails, as they are just connected and can easily be accessed. Some of those trails are on my bucket list that I wish to achieve this year.
- Lastly, for those with enough budget and who want to see the height, riding a Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car is a must-try. As mentioned above, I have tried riding a cable car before. That was in 2021, during my third visit to the place that I featured on my former platform. The photos below were taken on that journey.
This connects Tung Chung to Ngong Ping where the top iconic tourist attractions on Lantau Island can be found. It costs me HK$160, or more than US$20. Although for me, it's quite expensive for a single ride, the 25-minute ride offers a one-of-a-kind experience with breathtaking scenery of Lantau's coastline and scenic mountains.
You can check out other attractions on Lantau Island in my #MyLantauIslandExploration'24 stories:
Po Lin Monastery And Its Solemn Land On Lantau Island
The Majestic Big Buddha - Tian Tan
Ngong Ping Rescue Trail and Midpoint Overlook
Abandoned Village Along Ngong Ping Fun Walk
Random Walk At Shek Pik Scenic Trail
Thanks for your time.
Jane is a Filipina wanderer in a foreign land who finds comfort in nature and freedom in writing. She loves watching raw picturesque landscapes, listening to the symphony of nature, breathing in drops of sunshine, walking through scenic trails and cityscapes, tasting new culinary flavors, capturing pretty little things, venturing into hidden gems, and dancing with the flow of life.
Her new experiences, adventures, challenges, lessons, small successes, and joys are colorful paints that fill up her canvas of life. She hopes to see it beautifully painted while she can.
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