Heya! How are you, dear reader? Oh! And before I forget, Happy March! Although, I still somehow can't let go of February. As I've mentioned in one of my previous post (click here: Entering the Love & Luck Month (2019)), Adrian and I was celebrating our 8th year anniversary in Hong Kong. Not the first time we did, but it was the first time Adrian visited the pretty little Ngong Ping Village. I went there last 2015 with my family and I remembered how amazed I was with the village and Tian Tan Buddha. Since then, I've always wanted to bring Adrian there and now, I finally did! Spoiler alert: he loved it too!
This post is a guide for those who might want to visit Ngong Ping one day. I'll share with you the whole rundown, where we booked our tickets, how much our budget was, and everything else that comes with! So buckle up, keep reading, and see all the beautiful photos we took while we were there because WE TOOK A LOT :)
Also, for those who prefer watching, go watch my vlog of our trip below:
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THE RUNDOWN:
Here's a quick run-down if you just want the details stat! Usually I find information like these useful when I travel and I really appreciate those who take the time to break it down. So I wanted to do the same:
- We went last February 16, 2019 (Saturday), the weather was perfect. Sunny yet breezy
- We rode the MTR to Tung Chung (around 30mins away from Sheung Wan and Central)
- I booked our 'Round Trip Crystal Cabin' tickets from www.klook.com for HKD $478 (total price for 2 people); it was cheaper than the regular price and our line up was shorter because there was a designated Klook line (normally ticket lines take 20mins or more)
- We reached Ngong Ping Village sometime around 11:30 a.m.; it wasn't that crowded yet
- You'll see cows and bulls near the Tian Tan Buddha grounds
- PLEASE DON'T FEED THE COWS AND BULLS; don't be like those other ignorant tourists
- Food stalls and souvenir shops are obviously slightly pricier than normal shops around Hong Kong
- Wear proper shoes since a lot of walking is required
- We ate lunch around 2 p.m. so that the restaurants were less packed
- Spent around HKD $150 in total for lunch in Ebeneezers Kebabs & Pizzeria
- Try to ride the cable car 1 hour earlier than the closing time to avoid long lines
- The duration of our whole Ngong Ping day trip was 5.5 hours (from 11:30 a.m. to 05:00 p.m.)
WHY RIDE THE CRYSTAL CABIN?
What makes the crystal cabin special? Well, nothing much except for that fact the you can see underneath your feet! Approximately 30-55 meters above ground, in a 25-minute cable car ride, it's definitely worth the thrill. For the two times I visited Ngong Ping, I rode their crystal cabin. Not unless you have a serious fear of heights, you must try riding the crystal cabin rather than the standard cabin. Although it is a bit more expensive, I personally think that it adds to the whole experience.
For those who'd appreciate a better and cheaper deal, but still want to try the crystal cabin, you can check their official website or www.klook.com for a 'Round Trip Standard and Crystal Cabin' option. You basically get to try to ride both cabin types.
WHICH ATTRACTION SHOULD I GO TO FIRST?
It really depends on how the weather is by the time you visit. If you're lucky like us, you'd enjoy clear blue skies, a refreshing breeze, and also very harsh natural sun light. Since it was just too sunny and bright to take Instagram-worthy photos, me and Adrian decided to let the sun set a bit. Therefore, we 1st walked around the village; went inside shops, looked at souvenirs, and bought some snacks.
We winded up at the Ngong Ping Piazza. Here, we sat and ate sio mai while watching the cows that wandered around the area. This was the pin point to where you can see all the nearby attractions within reach. About an hour later, we slowly walked up to the Po Lin Monastery and roamed around the temples. This was actually my favorite place to take photos in within the whole village. The temples were colorful and mesmerizing, and surprisingly there wasn't enough people. We decided to eat around 2 p.m. which was perfect because most of the eateries has available seats.
After a hassle-free meal, we walked back past the Ngong Ping Piazza, up to Tian Tan Buddha. 268 tiring upward steps later, we finally reached the three storey pedestal of the Big Buddha. Although I lost my breath on the way up, the view up there was definitely worth it. It was just 360 degrees of breathtaking views.
OVERVIEW:
Everything was just perfect. It was just one of those days when everything went right. Hopefully you get to experience the same happiness whenever you visit the beautiful Ngong Ping Village. This place is definitely one of my favorite non-city destinations in Hong Kong. I highly recommend you to reserve one whole day if you plan to visit, it'll help you appreciate the beauty and serenity of the place even better.
At certain points, I even forgot that I was in Hong Kong. The atmosphere of the village just makes me feel calm, even if it's swarming with tourists. I surely got to do a lot more this time compared to the first time I went. Wearing converse was probably not the smartest though since my feet started feeling pain right away when we left Ngong Ping.
Anyhow, I wish that this Ngong Ping Village Guide helped you with everything you needed to know. I aspire to do more of these this 2019 with my upcoming travels. I really believe that simple information about travel destinations can help travelers prepare better for their trips. It surely helped me a lot in the past, so this is me helping you in the present.
Destination: Ngong Ping, Hong Kong
Date: February 16th 2019
Date: February 16th 2019
1 comments
I really in love with culture and architecture of Hong Kong, it is the town that worth visiting at least once in a lifetime.
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