exploring hong kong - part 2

location: Hong Kong, China

On my second day, I ventured out to the western island called Lantau Island. This area was incredibly lush and green and a complete opposite from the hustle and bustle of the city. It was nice to get away to explore such a cultural rich experience.
​Here is my itinerary for day 2.

I highly recommend taking the Ngong Ping 360 cable car to the top of the mountain to see the Big Buddha. It has breathtaking views of the entire western island and is the best way to get to the top. It took about 30 minutes to get to the top. I would suggest arriving in the morning (between 9-10:30 AM) to try and beat the crowd and line. I ended up waiting for about 35 minutes at 10 AM on a Saturday morning. Also, the clearer the day, the more views you can get!

Seeing the Tian Tan Buddha (aka Big Buddha) was quite a sight. It is perched upon the hilltop and is well, huge!! There are quite a lot of stairs to hike but totally worth it. And no one will complain if you go slow ha! I would recommend reading up on some of the history and how the Buddha was built because it is pretty incredible to witness such a large monument. And once you get to the top, don't forget to take in the amazing view! 
P.S - It was super windy at the top, so I pulled my hair back in a half bun to try and keep it tame ha.

Once you have seen Buddha, if you walk back down the stairs, there is a temple in front that is incredible to see as well. Incense is burning outside, and passing through to see the detail and colors on the temple is unbelievable. Like look at those dragon carvings on the side of the temple?! 

Next up, I caught a bus from the Ngong Ping Village to Tai O Fisherman Village. You can tap your Octopus card to ride the bus as well.

Tai O is a really small town fisherman's village with most of the houses suspended on top of the water. Just get lost exploring this quaint town. And as you wonder through the streets, there are tons of vendors lined up with any and every type of fish or seafood dried and ready to purchase! I purchased a shrimp seasoning salt and XO chili paste from a vendor who has been selling for generations and has a secret family recipe. 

At this point, it was mid afternoon and time for a late lunch. At the most western point, Tai O Heritage Hotel has breathtaking views and there is a restaurant overlooking the water on the top. Tai O Lookout restaurant has yummy western style dishes. I got the fish and chips with a lemon shandy beer. Perfect for the sunny and hot day! I would recommend making a reservation to get a seat, hopefully one near the large window view. 

After lunch, I took a 20 - 30 minute boat ride around Tai O and out in search for dolphins. Hopefully your group is as lucky as ours in being able to see the dolphins. It is a nice little ride around to fully see all the houses on the water. And it is a nice way to cool off lol!