Hong Kong’s Ngong Ping 360 is a very popular tourist attraction in the city. It is located on Lantau Island, and it offers visitors the fantastic Ngong Ping Cable Car, and the beautiful Ngong Ping Village; which is a cultural, entertainment and retail center. This area also has the Po Lin Monastery, along with the Tian Tan Buddha. Ngong Ping 360 had its grand opening on November 9th, 2006. It is owned and operated by the MTR Corporation.
Ngong Ping 360 also features integrated dining and event options that can accommodate large receptions or banquets. Different set-up options are available so events can be tailored to meet the needs of any special occasion whether it is for the daytime, or evening. Events can also be held both indoors and outdoors.
Guided Tours
This attraction on Lantau Island offers visitors one-day guided tour packages for small or large groups. Self-guided tour packages are also available. These packages include all transportation methods (boat, bus and cable car) that are needed to discover and enjoy this wonderful area.
Ngong Ping Cable Car
The Ngong Ping Cableway journey gives guests an incredible twenty-five minute aerial ride as it travels from Tung Chung Town Center to Ngong Ping. Guests will enjoy the wonderful panoramic views of the South China Sea, North Lantau Country Park, Hong Kong’s International Airport, Po Lin Monastery, and the Tian Tan Buddha Statue. The cableway journey is over five kilometers long. The system is able to carry thirty-five hundred people every hour in both directions.
The cableway journey begins at Tung Chung Terminal. It then travels over Tung Chung Bay to the Airport Island station. Here it then turns about sixty degrees just before coming back over Tung Chung Bay. Next, it goes up to Lantau North Country Park, to another station by Nei Lak Shan. Finally the ride descends to the terminal at Ngong Ping.
There are a couple different ways to enjoy this soaring 360-degree experience. The cable car ride offers standard cabins or the very special crystal cabins which have glass bottom floors. Private cable car cabins are also available for visitors and these cabins come with free entry to some of the themed attractions such as Walking With Buddha.
Ngong Ping Village
Next to Cable Car Terminal is Ngong Ping Village and it is an amazing cultural themed village that has two main attractions which includes Walking with Buddha, as well as the Bodhi Wishing Shrine. This large village is about fifteen thousand square meters. Ngong Ping Village also has a wide range of retail stores, restaurants and entertainment experiences such as the Monkey’s Tale Theater. There are also many street performers that entertain guest with different kinds of acrobatic shows and Kungfu demonstrations. The Ngong Ping Tea House offers visitors a variety of delicious teas.
Walking with Buddha
This attraction tells the story of Siddhartha Gautama and how he became Buddha. Guests travel through the different stages of this man’s life including the period when he was a prince to the time when he actually became Buddha. Buddha’s teachings are displayed in a several themed scenes. There are also different activities for visitors to participate in so they can learn more about Buddha.
Tian Tan Buddha
This statue is the world’s tallest outdoor seated Buddha that is made with bronze. The statue is just a short walk from Ngong Ping Village and can be found near the Po Lin Monastery. Visitors can easily visit this Buddha statue by taking the Ngong Ping trail or they can use the cable car system.
The pedestal of the statue has a three-floor exhibition hall that displays numerous priceless Buddhist items such as Buddha’s relic, the large Flaming Mouth bell, four paintings about Buddha’s life, wood carving of a preaching Hua Yan Dharma, Ksitigarbha statue, and lotus petals.
Po Lin Monastery
This monastery was built in 1906 and it can be reached by the Ngong Ping 360 cableway system. It has beautiful gardens and natural landscaping, as well as many sculptural arts. Guest can worship, enjoy a wonderful vegetarian meal or take a hike on the beautiful Path of Wisdom trail.
Ngong Ping Garden Restaurant
This restaurant specializes in delicious Chiu Chow and Cantonese cuisines. It is the perfect choice for visitors that would like to experience an authentic Chinese meal. The garden restaurant can serve nearly four hundred people on two different levels.
