Touring around Ngong Ping Village in Hong Kong

Almost two years have passed since I visited Hong Kong, but its memory still lingers around me. As I dwell back in remembrance of the journey, I felt like sharing a short but sweet experience of my visit to a picturesque village called Ngong Ping.

Located on the Lantau island of Hong Kong, Ngong Ping is a small village adorned in the traditional Chinese architectural style. The major attractions of this wonderful village are Tian Tan Buddha and the phenomenal Ngong Ping Village cable car ride across the mountains and seas. Shops selling souvenirs and gift items and many food stalls and restaurants are present at Ngong Ping village to entertain the tourists.

The Cable Car Ride

The Ngong Ping Cable car ride starts from the Tung Chung cable car terminal and ends at the Ngong Ping cable car terminal. I was travelling with my family and we boarded a bus to reach the Tung Chung cable car terminal. The queue at the ticket counter was not very huge, reducing our wait time to a great extent. There are variations in the cable car types – with glass bottom (crystal one) and without glass bottom (standard one). The prices also vary accordingly. We booked tickets for the round trip standard one and approached at the entry gate.

The cable car ride was awesome and astonishing. Traversing across the sea and the mountains at the backdrop of the skyscrapers of Hong Kong left us spellbound. The ships and the boats whizzing past the sea waters were a phenomenal watch from above. As we moved upwards, we were enchanted with the pristine beauty of nature in front of our eyes. The cable car journey lasts for about half an hour. Time flew past in a jiffy as we stood gazing at the exotic beauty around us.

Embracing the lush greenery of the hillocks and the green meadows, the misty cloud puffs flashed a magical hue across us. We allowed ourselves to be engrossed into its mystic beauty, rejuvenating and re-energizing our mind into its magical hue.

The Attractions

Ngong Ping village demands a completely relaxed mind as you walk across the serenity and tranquility of its soothing environment. The visitors are transmitted on a memorable journey across the wonders of the village. Let me walk you through some of the key attractions which I enjoyed during my visit to Ngong Ping village.

Po Lin Monastery

As you enter the village and walk past the shops and restaurants, you will be greeted by the huge statue of Lord Buddha in a sitting posture. The statue is present atop the monastery and you have to climb the steps to reach the place. At the monastery, you must watch the video called “Trail of Enlightenment”, the Walking Buddha. The video will show you the life journey of Lord Buddha, an inspirational tour of his life of divinity and eternity. We were offered a Bodhi leaf inside the monastery with excerpts from the teachings of Lord Buddha scripted on it. You can learn about Buddhism religion, how it spread across parts of the world, its significance, and various incarnations of Lord Buddha.

Bodhi Wishing Shrine

Right in the middle of the village, you would find the gigantic Bodhi tree. The tree is significant since Lord Buddha had attained his enlightenment under it. It is customary and traditional to write down your wishes on a piece of paper or wood and place it on the wishing tree artificially made of concrete. The locals believe the higher you can place the paper or wood on the tree, the greater are the chances of your wishes get fulfilled.

Chinese Architecture

At different points inside the village, you will find statues representing the mythological characters of the ancient Buddhist and Chinese cultures. The artistic sculptures of the idols with intrinsic carvings are amazing. The entrance gate of Ngong Ping Village is equally gorgeous and elegant in its architectural beauty. The gate welcomes the visitors with its grandeur and magnificence.

Souvenir and Gift Shops

There are several shops selling t-shirts, toys, house decorative items, magnets, picture postcards, caps and many more offering the tourists to carry a memento as a memory or a gift for their near and dear ones. The shops are lined beautifully at both sides of the Ngong Ping village covering almost 6000 sq meters of space along with the restaurants and eateries.

Food stalls and restaurants

Food lovers will not be left disappointed when they visit the village. There are ample options to savor their hunger and quench their thirst. The village hosts restaurants and food joints serving local delicacies, Asian delicacies, and English sandwiches, coffee, and other snacks and beverage. Do not miss out to visit the Li-Nong tea house where you can be part of a traditional Chinese tea ceremony and then immerse yourself in the aromatic teas and delicious snacks.

I hope you enjoyed my journey the way I had charmed myself on my visit to the splendid village. I was awestruck by nature’s beauty and its excellence amid the auspicious religious environment. Though I visited Hong Kong during the summers as I had to adjust with the school vacation my son, the best season to visit it between months of October and December. The weather is pleasant and comfortable for sightseeing and comfortable stroll across the different interesting travel destinations in Hong Kong.

You can also read the travel blog on Disneyland Hong Kong