Saturday, March 21, 2015

Ngong Ping 360 - a day trip from Hong Kong

the most memorable cable car trip to the themed village of Ngong Ping is a must visit  attraction when in Hong Kong.

Take a cable car from the terminal near Tung Chung MTR station. Queue for the general cabins is very long. So, if you are not cash strapped,  ask the assistant manning the line for Crystal Cabin, and immediately you get VIP  treatment. They help you buy the ticket, and take you to the boarding area without having to wait long. The best part of the Crystal Cabin is that it has a glass bottom through which you can see the world passing by. You feel like god. It is an amazing experience in itself.

The journey to the island offers some spectacular views all along. The view of the giant sitting Budhha from the cable car is beautiful. Once you reach  the island, the themed village welcomes you with a plethora of attractions. You can buy t-shirts, gift items, various kinds of food, souvenirs, etc from many shops that dot the village.

If you buy the package tour to Tai O fishing village, there is a bus which takes the tourists to the village. Tai O is a very old fishing village with stilt houses around Tung Chung  Bay. You can take a stroll through the village market, visit the old temple and take a speed boat ride for half an hour which takes you around the village. It is worth visiting. Especially for  people who are interested in photography. But, please remember to get back to your bus on time,as it quite a distance from Ngong Ping.

Once back, there is Po Lin monastery and the giant Budhha sitting on top of a hillock. The Budhha is best photographed during the first half of day, as the sun sets behind it, and you might not get a good shot in that light.

While returning, please remember that there is a time limit for the cable car, and you must reach the terminal at least 30 minutes before the last departure.

For a day trip, it is worth the money you spend.

No comments:

Post a Comment