'''Lantau''' (____ ''Lantou'', also _____R ''Day? sh?n'') is the largest island in Hong Kong.

Understand

With the opening of the '''Lantau Link''', a road and rail connection between the airport and central Hong Kong in 1997, Lantau Island is now firmly connected to the mainland of the Kowloon peninsula. The new airport at Chek Lap Kok has led to the establishment and rapid expansion of a new town, Tung Chung, and the improved transport links have brought further development in the shape of Disneyland, a cable car to Ngong Ping monastery, and an entire new road to southern Lantau. Sizeable sections of Lantau Island are declared country parks, though the island seems poised for more development.

Get in

From the airport

Lantau Island is adjacent to '''Hong Kong International Airport''', the airport island is linked by two short bridges. The best way to Lantau from the airport is by taxi, by bus, or by foot. There is no train service from the airport to Lantau, although there is indirect service with Airport Express train and MTR via Tsing Yi. The premium charged by the Airport Express train for this trip will likely make it more expensive than a taxi if there are two or more people travelling.

Taxis from the airport to anywhere in Lantau are relatively fast and pleasant, but only light-blue taxis are allowed on the island. Ask at the reception desk at the airport taxi stand to call for a light-blue car for you. The more common red and green ones are prohibited to go to Lantau.

Alternatively, there airport bus services to several Lantau destinations. For example, A35/N35 go to Mui Wo. [http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/aguide/bus.html Check the schedules online. Frequent buses go to Tung Chung MTR station.

Its a about a 5km walk from the Airport to Tung Chung. The main (northern) bridge is a freeway that doesn't allow pedestrians, but there is a nice walkway over the southern bridge from the airport to Lantau.

By train

The '''Tung Chung MTR''' line is the fastest way to get to Lantau if you are going to the north of the island. The Tung Chung line also connects with special rail services at Sunny Bay that take visitors directly to Disneyland. The trip to Tung Chung takes around 25 minutes all the way from Hong Kong station and costs $20. Children 11 years and under enjoy a 50% discount.

By boat

The obvious way of getting to the island is to take a '''ferry'''. Ferries depart from the '''Outlying Islands pier''' in Central, to the west of the Star Ferry terminal. The largest operator is the '''[http://www.nwff.com.hk/ New World First Ferry]'''.

  • Discovery Bay: Pier 3, $27 (fast only), every 10-30 minutes.
  • Mui Wo: Pier 6, $11.30 (slow) / $22.20 (fast), every 40 minutes.
  • Ferries to the island, as well as buses, impose a peculiar '''50% surcharge''' for travel on Sundays and public holidays (with the exception of services to/from/within Discovery Bay, Disneyland and the airport). It's cheaper, and less crowded, to visit during the week or on Saturdays.

    By bus

    Since the opening of the Lantau Link, a number of buses also cross over to Lantau, although they are considerably slower than the MTR and less scenic than the ferries. The local bus timetable in Lantau island is available online. http://www.newlantaobus.com/nlb.html

    There is an extensive bus service from the rest of Hong Kong to the airport and Disneyland.

    By car

    Whilst you can drive your car onto Lantau, the road system is limited and much of the island is zoned as a national park and is off limits to vehicles.

    Get around

    By bus or taxi

    On Lantau you can travel by bus and taxi; note that seemingly short distances on a map (eg. Tung Chung to Ngong Ping, less than 6 km by cable car) can take a while (in this case over 40 min!), due to the twisty mountain roads and their circuitous routes.

    By bicycle

    There is at least one bicycle shop in Mui Wo (just opposite the main bus station), where you might be able to rent or at least buy for cheap.

    By foot

    If you are not going too far, there are generally convenient footpaths all over the island. For example, there are paved paths all around Mui Wo to some of the villages, many of which are within a 30 minute walk or less. Even if you are traveling a bit far, walking can be a healthy and enjoyable option. To walk from Mui Wo to the airport is only about 3-4 hours.

    By cable car

    Ngong Ping 360 [http://www.np360.com.hk] is a spectacular 5.7km cable car journey between Tung Chung and Ngong Ping on Lantau Island, which is easily accessible from Tung Chung MTR station. Be aware that there have been some technical difficulties, with the cable car closed and people having to wait for several hours. More information in the Ngong Ping 360 section below. A single trip costs $63 ($96 round trip) on normal days and $74 ($107 round-trip) on special days. The cabins glide over the South China Sea and the verdant mountainous terrain of the North Lantau Country Park for 20-25 minutes and provide some of the best panoramic views in Hong Kong, including the Hong Kong International Airport and the Tian Tan Buddha Statue.

    See

  • '''Hong Kong Disneyland''', Tel.''+852 1'' 830-830 [http://www.disney.com.hk/hkdisneyland/eng/index.html]. China's first Disneyland was opened in September 2005 and features some of the Disney favourites. The park is accessible via the MTR. Change at the Sunny Bay station on the Tung Chung MTR line for the Disneyland Resort Line. It has four themed areas: Main Street USA, Adventureland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. On weekdays tickets are $295 for Adults and $210 for children. Being relatively new, there are fewer rides than the other Disney theme parks. A few rides have a slightly different take on them, but there is little unique here. Some rides, such as Buzz Lightyear, are simply identical to other parks. If you get there at opening time on a weekday, it would be possible to do all the rides and shows by mid-afternoon. English speakers are well catered for, with all attractions providing translations, with the exception of the Stich adventure that has specific English session times. The jungle river cruise, however, which depends so much on the English language delivery of the guide doesn't fare well. There is a choice of Chinese and American "cuisine" around the park. The fantasyland banquet hall offering the broadest range of food types and kids meals to keep everyone happy. Meals around $55. There are a limited amount of drinking fountains in the park. Bring a water bottle to fill, or be prepared to pay $18 a bottle in the park. On weekends and holidays the tickets are $350 for adults and $250 for children. Children under 3 are free. Visit on weekdays to avoid the crowds.
  • '''Inspiration Lake Recreation Centre''' (______), also called '''Inspiration Lake'''. It consists of the largest artificial lake in Hong Kong, also 1500 metre jogging trail. It is situated in Penny's Bay, a 15-minutes walk from Disneyland Resort MTR station.
  • [http://www.np360.com.hk '''Ngong Ping 360'''] Hong Kong's newest tourist attraction combines a spectacular 5.7 km cable car journey that takes in an impressive cultural themed village and the Tian Tan Buddha. At the themed village there are a couple of attractions. The Walking with Buddha attraction gives an interesting introduction to Buddha, and has different stages, with headphones giving the narration in a variety of languages. The Monkey's Tail is simply a silent animated movie, with a simple moral. A little trivial overall. Combined tickets can be bought to cover all three attractions. There are about 10 restaurants in the village, serving a variety of food, all a little on the expensive side for what they are. There are some other restaurants in the true village, beyond the themed section. The cable car station is adjacent to the Tung Chung MTR.
  • '''Tian Tan Buddha''' (_V_d____), Ngong Ping. At over 250 tonnes and 34 metres in height, this is the largest, seated, outdoor bronze Buddha statue in the world. Open 10AM to 6PM, access to the Buddha itself is free, although entering the museum inside during busy times requires a meal ticket for the '''vegetarian restaurant'''; a snack costs $23 while full meals are $60 (normal) or $100 (deluxe). Less direct alternatives to the cable car are bus #2 from Mui Wo ferry pier or bus #23 from Tung Chung (both $16/25 on weekdays/Sundays).
  • '''Po Lin Monastery''' (___@_W__), Ngong Ping (below the Tian Tan Buddha). The monastery was founded in 1906 by three monks from Jiangsu province. The main temple building houses three bronze statues representing the Buddha of the past, present and future.
  • '''Tai O''' (___S). A traditional fishing village with houses built on stilts over the sea. Tai O also called "Eastern Venice". There is a direct bus from Mui Wo ferry pier or Tung Chung MTR station.
  • Do

  • '''Hikers''' may wish to try the 70-km '''Lantau Trail''', which does loops around the island. The full route would take several days but is divided into a dozen stages, some of which take less than an hour.
  • '''Citygate Outlet'''[http://www.citygateoutlets.com.hk/index.html] - Located right next to Tung Chung MTR Station, the Citygate is a rare outlet mall with tonnes of mid-priced brands, some of them being Adidas, Esprit, Giordano, Levi's, Nike, Quiksilver and Timberland.
  • '''Swim''' at Silvermine Beach in Mui Wo or at any of the other beaches around the island.
  • Eat

  • '''360 Forest Grill & Restaurant Bar''' - Overlooking the cable car, 360 Forest Grill & Restaurant Bar offers alfresco dining in a peaceful, garden setting; only moments away from the hustle of Tung Chung. 360 Forest_fs cuisine features a wide range of a-la-cart grilled meats and fresh sea foods, three course buffet sets, and standard Asian and European dishes. 360 Forest is often the last stop for tourists and locals after visiting Ngong Ping Monastery. The regular afternoon happy hour brings in expats, locals, and tourists. Happy hour starts daily at 3.00. To make a booking, phone: 2109 4360. Email: discoveryforest@yahoo.com.hk
  • The Po Lin Monastery's '''vegetarian restaurant''' is well worth a visit for a taste of Chinese vegetarian food, an artform devoted to turning soybean products into very passable imitations of meat and fish. Meals served from 11AM-4:30PM. A regular meal is $60, a deluxe meal is $100, enquire at the Big Buddha ticket booth.
  • '''The Stoep''', 32 Lower Cheung Sha Village, tel 2980 2699. Beachside restaurant with a good western menu and also specialises in serving South African dishes.
  • '''Cheung Sha Kitchen and Bar''', 35 Lower Cheung Sha Village, tel +852 2980 3002. Authentic Thai restaurant by the beach, perfect for a great meal after sightseeing or visiting the Big Buddha.
  • Sleep

    There are some guesthouses (a few of which call themselves hotels) and two hostels on Lantau. Lantau also has 10 campsites. When you get off the ferry pier in Mui Wo, there are some booths were you can rent apartments for the weekend. There are two hotels along the beach, the Silvermine Beach Hotel [http://www.resort.com.hk] and another one further up on the beach.

    There are several small cabins for hikers at Sunset Peak which go for $300 per cabin/night (sleeps about six people, but very old).

    The SG Davis Hostel at the Po Lin Monastery is quite nice and only $80 per person/night. Reservations made at 2985 5610 are not always acknowledged upon arrival, but sometimes when you're told they're booked solid you can still get a bunk.

    There is also accommodation at Disneyland, at the Disneyland Hotel, and the Disney Hollywood Hotel.