Hong Kong Lantau Island Tour
Should Be More Than
Ngong Ping 360 &
the Giant Buddha

There are 5 major places and things you must do/visit in a Hong Kong Lantau Island tour.

1) Ngong Ping 360
2) The Giant Buddha
3) Tai O fishing village
4) The Chinese Pink Dolphins Watch
5) Tsing Ma Bridge

The most beautiful house in the Tai O Fishing Village

If you do all, it will use up a full day. We will explore the last 3 here.

After visiting Ngong Ping 360 and its market, we took the bus, which was included in our tour package (refer the story in Ngong Ping 360), towards the Tai O fishing village.

The slope of the road is very steep. But it was nowhere close to the one that we headed to the Giant Buddha several years ago.

On the way, we saw some wild cattles. It was a non-stop bus trip.

Arriving Tai O Fishing Village

---

As we got to our final destination, there were tons of people at the bus stops, many signs of going to see the Tai O fishing village and the Chinese pink dolphins.

It was very confusing. We almost lined up to pay again for the boat tour that we had already paid. We walked through a wet market selling local stuffs and live seafood (coming soon - link to HK Seafood page).

After asking several different people, we finally got to the right dock to board the boat.

Remember - Different service providers and different dock locations.

The alley we walked by looking for the right dock to get on our boat

Found the right dock, finally

Getting on our boat

Tai O Fishing Village Tour

---

It took about 15 minutes for the boat to go around the Tai O fishing village. After living in Hong Kong for so many years, never in my mind had ever thought that there are people still live in the houses like that.

Most of them look like they are going to fall apart. Of course, occasionally, there are a few of them look very nice. But I don't think comparing it as Venice is appropriate at all. It is definitely a very different village with houses built in the water.

Just this part of the Hong Kong Lantau Island tour was really an eye-opening adventure.

Can you see the man standing in the front porch of the house?  People live here usually rely on their boats to commute

If you compare these 2 pictures of the houses you saw, would you agree with me that the house on top of this page is the most beautiful one among them all?

The Chinese Pink Dolphins

---

Then, the boat left the fishing village and headed to the ocean. My little one was so excited to see the dolphins.

On the way, we passed by the Tai O Hotel. It has its own cable car to bring their customers down to the harbor front. Since the boat was very fast, you could feel the mist of the ocean water spraying on you.

As the boat started slowing down, we saw the "General Rock".

Leaving the Tai O Fishing Village and heading to the ocean for the Chinese Pink Dolphins watch

Outlook of the Tai O Hotel

The cable car next to the Tai O Hotel for their visitors to get to the harbor front

The "General Rock".  Do you think it looks like a general?

All of a sudden, we were in the middle of the ocean and floating in the boat for about 5 minutes expecting the Chinese pink dolphins to greet us. But it never happened. We were all very disappointed, especially the 3-year-old.

Somehow my mom talked to the captain and found out that you may have better luck to see these dolphins around 11am.

Fortunately, we planned on going to the Ocean Park Hong Kong in a couple of days that we could tell the little one that he would see the dolphins there.

In the middle of the ocean waiting for a Chinese Pink Dolphin to meet us

After getting off the boat, we were going to check out Pui O. There was no limitation of numbers of bus trip until midnight of that day because of the Hong Kong Lantau Island tour package we paid for. Then, I realized that we should have gone to the Giant Buddha while we were in Ngong Ping 360.

Since my little one had never been to the Giant Buddha. So, we headed back uphill by bus. Luckily, we didn't need to pay for it because of the wonderful package deal we got.

The sad thing was that we missed the chance to check out more about the Lantau Island.

On the way back, we saw several wild cattles again. They walked freely on the road. Sometimes, the traffic got held up because of them.

On the way to the bus stop to go to the Giant Buddha, you would pass by this map showing what you can do and see in the Hong Kong Lantau Island tour

Ngong Ping Citygate Outlets Mall

---

At the end of our Hong Kong Lantau Island tour, we went back to the Ngong Ping Citygate Outlets Mall for dinner.

All stores sell outlet items. But sometimes, they sneak in some brand new merchandises that are not in great price at all.

There is a supermarket called, Taste, which is a branch of Park 'N Shop. That store is HUGE and has everything in it, such as bakery, grocery, Chinese dried herbal medicine packs, soup ingredient packs, cookware, electronics, plates, bedding, wine and so forth.

Inside the Ngong Ping Citygate Outlets Mall

Taste, the supermarket in the Citygate Outlets mall.  I most probably can spend at least 2 hours in there and enjoy every second of it.

Tsing Ma Bridge

---

If time is allowed and you are not too tired, I would recommend you to take a bus which will pass through the Tsing Ma Bridge.

In my opinion, night time is the best to appreciate the longest suspension bridge in the world. Of course, you can also take this bus trip during the day when you are heading to your Hong Kong Lantau Island tour.

These 3 pictures show you the Tsing Ma Bridge at different angles.  I tried so many times to take a good one at night.  Unfortunately, none of them came out right.  Oh well....

Click here to continue the Hong Kong Lantau Island tour in the Giant Buddha and/or Ngong Ping 360.

Click here to see the photo album in our Facebook page.

Tai O Fishing Village and Chinese Pink Dolphin Watch

Direction: MTR Tung Chung Station. Take bus 11 to Tai O bus terminus (the journey takes approximately 50 minutes.) Walk for around five minutes to the Rope-drawn Ferry Bridge and then take a stroll along the waterfront.

MTR Tung Chung Station Exit B. Take Ngong Ping cable car to Ngong Ping Village (approx 25 minutes). Take bus 21 to Tai O terminus (approx 20 minutes) and walk for around five minutes to the Rope-drawn Ferry Bridge and then take a stroll along the waterfront.

Hours: Varies based on the service provider

Fee: Varies based on service provider

Tsing Ma Bridge
Direction: Take a taxi or minibus 308M* from MTR Tsing Yi Station, Exit A1

Hours: 24/7; may close due to the severe weather

Fee: FREE

Return from Hong Kong Lantau Island Tour page to Main Hong Kong Attractions page

Return to Facts About Hong Kong Homepage