Adventures
and attractions abound on Lantau, an island replete with mountains,
beaches and other natural treasures. Lantau- a large island almost
double the size of Hong Kong island- is wild and rural. With the
exception of a few populous settlements like Discovery Bay, Mui
Wo and Tung Chung, the place is still largely undeveloped. This
is great news for hikers, mountain bikers, boaters and day trippers.
For Hong Kong residents, Lantau is an easy escape from the bustling
city life. Here's hip hong kong's rundown on some of the great things
to see and do while visiting Lantau:
aGet your bearings- Click here to see
a map of Lantau Island
Mui
Wo
For many, this village will be the first point of entry onto Lantau
island. The main reason anyone comes here is because this is one
of places where the ferry docks. Mui Wo is populated by locals,
hippies and sports enthusiasts. Bear in mind that only residents
of Lantau are permitted to drive on the island, so your best mode
of transportation is by bus or bicycle. Just off the ferry dock,
on the main street of Mui Wo, is a great place to rent bicycles
(The Bike Shop- Ask for Leo 2984-2202) as well as an internet café.
There is a dirty beach called Silvermine Bay which has a lot of
small fishing boats docked in front of it and there are several
decent restaurants. Among the locals favorites are Bahce Turkish
restaurant (2984-0222), the Pizza Place and the China Bear, a scenic
pub which is a good place to grab a beer and a snack while waiting
for the ferry. If you rent a bicycle, you can pedal out to the other
end of Silveminebay and go to a cute beach bar called China Beach
(You can also go on foot). This place is also a psuedo bed-and-breakfast.
It's a good choice of accomodation for budget travellers and and
just a ferry ride away from Central. The most interesting thing
in Mui Wo however is the bus stop which has buses and taxis which
take you to other parts of the island. If you need to call a taxi,
this is the number of the
Lantau Taxi Association: 2984-1328/ 2984-1368
*See more photos of Mui Wo on Lantau
The Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery
The
Big Buddha, Lantau’s main attraction, sits on top of a small
mountain. At 24 meters, (79 feet) it’s the world’s largest
outdoor seated Bronze Buddha. A long flight of stairs takes you
up to the base of the Buddha where there are other bronze statues
that appear to be making offerings to the sky. From this vantage
point, you have a gorgeous view of the surrounding mountains and
valleys. It’s quite a majestic sight and despite the hoards
of tourists, you still get a sense of zen and serenity.
After
visiting the Buddha, the next stop is generally the Po Lin Monastery,
located just adjacent to the Buddha. Pass through the impressive
stone gate and you’ll find giant sticks of decorative incense
burning in the forward courtyard. The rest of the monastery is decorated
with ornate Chinese carvings and is colorfully rococo. One of the
highlights of a Po Lin visit is the amazing vegetarian fare served
at the restaurant. Who knew tofu could taste so much like barbeque
pork?
*See
more photos of The Big Buddha, Po Lin Monastery and Ngong Ping 360
.....
Here's
what one reader had to say about the bus ride from Tung Chung to
the Big Buddha:
"We heard there were loads of adventures to be had on Lantau,
but we had no idea that the bus ride to the Big Buddha would be
one of them. Originally we had planned to drive our own car to the
Buddha, but our plans were foiled at Tung Chung, where we were told
that only residents of Lantau were permitted to drive on the island.
“Anyway, the roads here are not as good the roads you’re
used to in Hong Kong.” laughed the guard who told us.
Lantau
is extremely mountainous and the narrow roads cling precariously
onto the mountainside. As we boarded the bus, I noticed a sign that
said “It is a federal offense to talk to the bus driver.”
Our bus driver turned out to be a cranky long haired man who drove
like a kamikaze fighter pilot on a suicide mission. He had us swinging
wildly around the steep blind curve roads. A few times, massive
trucks or buses would appear from nowhere and we were thrown forward
by the driver’s sudden braking. We were inches from swerving
off the road into the abyss below. No wonder the monk sitting next
to me was hanging on for dear life. She was grasping the handle
on the seatback in front of her so tightly, you could literally
see the white of her knuckles. Fortunately, we made it to the Big
Buddha in record time. From Tung Chung, the ride to the Buddha usually
takes 40 minutes, but we were there in 25." Carrie
Ngong Ping 360 Skyrail and Theme Village
A
one minute walk from the Buddha is Lantau’s newest attraction-
Ngong Ping 360. Ngong Ping 360 is a scenic cable car ride which
transports people from the Big Buddha to the Tung Chung MTR station.
If you’ve ever been in a ski gondola before, the experience
is similar. Each gondola can fit up to 17 passengers.
At
the foot of the cable car is a ‘Disneyland-style’ re-creation
of a rustic Chinese village. Though touristy, it does have it’s
charms, especially if you’re with children or if you fancy
shopping for cheesy souvenirs. There’s even a Starbucks there!
The queue to get on the cable car can be even more impressive than
the ride itself- especially on weekends or public holidays. There
may literally be hundreds of people waiting to get on. Good thing
the line moves quickly and is decorated beautifully with Chinese
hanging lanterns and walls of bamboo. (Long waits can last up to
1 hour.)
Once
on the cable car, riders can enjoy a 5.7 kilometer journey with
panoramic views of Lantau’s mountainous terrain and the ocean
beyond. As the cable car comes closer to Tung Chung, you get a great
view of the airport and the planes which are taking off and landing.
The cable car then dips dramatically on top of a lake-like body
of water and the skyscrapers of Tung Chung suddenly engulf you.
Ngong
Ping 360 had rocky beginnings in the summer of 2006. Strong winds
and typhoons caused the cable car to break down several times. These
days they seem to have gotten the kinks out, but be aware that when
there is inclement weather, the cable car may be slowed down or
stopped altogether.
The
watery main drag of Tai-O Fishing Village |
Tai-O fishing village
Another
famous Lantau attraction is the Tai-O fishing village, a place nicknamed
the “Venice of the East”. Many of the original Hong
Kong settlers were salt miners and fishermen whose livelihood depended
on the bounty of the sea. Tai-O’s original inhabitants were
boat dwellers. Over the years, residents of this floating village
erected makeshift stilt homes made with wood, brick and aluminum
siding. Today the chaotic charm of these ‘houses built over
the sea’ draws many tourists to the village. Though it’s
only a short distance away from the bustling city life of Hong Kong,
a visit to Tai-O feels like a step back in time.
Tai-O’s
narrow lanes are filled with stalls of fish drying in the sun. Connecting
one end of the village to the other are several interesting bridges.
During low tide, the houses seem to be built on the mud banks, and
during high tide, motorized dingies and small fishing boats serve
as a mode of transportation around the watery village.
The
best way to see Tai-O is by taking a short boat tour, but Tai-O
can also be visited on foot. In this case, one of Tai-o’s
enterprising residents may approach you to give you an informal
tour of his friend’s or neighbor’s homes. Unfortunately,
these locals don’t speak English, so they can’t really
communicate their stories to foreigners. The locals undoubtedly
have a very rich history to share.
Today,
Tai-O’s economy depends almost as much on tourism as it does
on the fisheries industry. However, despite the fact that there
are many tourists invading the daily life of the villagers, the
old-world atmosphere of the place remains intact.
To
get to Tai-O, take the ferry from Central to Mui Wo pier and hop
on the bus marked Tai-O. The ride is about 35-40 minutes and is
nowhere near as scary as the ride from Tung Chung to the Big Buddha.
From
Tai-O one can take a boat ride out to the middle of the ocean to
view the endangered ‘pink dolphins’ of Lantau. The indigenous
pink dolphins are swimming in a polluted sea devoid of food, and
slowly they are dying out. At present there are only about 100-150
left. Some amusement parks such as Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean
Park are trying to capture these dolphins under the guise of “breeding
purposes”, but some people who are opposed to dolphins in
captivity claim they are just being used to be put on display for
the parks’ visitors. To be truthful, a dolphin tour isn’t
really that exciting. There may be a sighting, but it only lasts
a couple of seconds as there are not that many dolphins left. Animal
lovers may find it to be quite sad.
*See
a photo slideshow of Tai-O fishing village
Pui-O
This sleepy town with free-roaming buffalo and rice fields, has
wide calm beach that’s perfect for sunbathing. Sometimes when
the tide is out, the beach can look a little dirty. The bay is flanked
by jewel green mountains on either side. Junk boats can pull up
fairly close to the beach and day-trippers can just walk up right
to the beach from a boat. You can also hike to Pui-O as part of
the Lantau Trail.
The main attraction at Pui-O is the Treasure Island Complex. Here
you can book luaus and business off-sites with adventure activites
like kayaking and surfing.Treasure Island also has a fantastic restaurant
called Oh la la. It's a great place to kick back with a cold beer
and light beachy fare. You can also camp nearby, or stay at the
Treasure Island Bed and Breakfast.
If you take the bus from Mui Wo Pier, you can ask the bus driver
to let you off at the last stop of Pui-O. Pui-O is about 10 minutes
away from Mui Wo pier and is accessible via all buses which leave
from the pier’s bus stop.
*See
photos of Pui O beach Oh La La restaurant and Treasure Island
Cheung Sha Beach
This beach is easily reached by bus from Mui Wo Pier. Junk boats
can also pull up close to the beach and people can just wade in.
The main features of the beach are shallow waters and a gorgeous
South African restaurant called 'The Stoep'. There's ostrich on
the menu as well as many other grilled meats and mediteranean tapas
like hummous and babganoush. There's also a place which rents wind
surfs and kayaks. This is a popular spot for junk boats to anchor.
*See
photos from a speed boat trip to Cheung Sha beach in Lantau
Discovery
Bay
There are a lot of urban myths surrounding this bubble of contrived
suburbia. Also known as “Nappy Valley” or “Delivery
Bay”, this Lantau outpost is a haven for expats with young
children. They say all your have to do is breathe the air there
and you get pregnant. Some people jokingly say the atmosphere is
a cross between "The Stepford Wives" and "The Truman
Show". There are an estimated 18,000 expat families living
in Disco Bay and many of the husbands travel a lot. DB is convenient
for the trailing spouses who are left behind. (We reckon hot young
pool boys/gardeners can make a very lucrative living as a gigolo
here.) This suburban boredom/ existentialism drives many to engage
in kinky adventures. See the DB section in adultfriendfinder.com......
But seriously folks, there are many amenities specifically geared
for families with children and there are loads of activities for
kids under 14 years of age. In Novemeber of 2006, Discovery Bay
was beautified by a chic strip of newly constructed waterfront restaurants.
DB is also great for people who like golf, tennis and sailing.
*See
photos of Discovery Bay
Lantau Links
Sailing
in Lantau
Hiking
trails on Lantau Island
Mountain
Biking on Lantau- Chi Ma Wan
Hong Kong Disneyland
