Top Things To Do on Lantau Island

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Nestled on the sweeping mountainside of Lantau, the picturesque Ngong Ping Village features traditional Chinese architecture, shops, restaurants and tea houses. It’s the perfect place to drop by for a light bite of dim sum, and perhaps a souvenir or two, before heading to the nearby Tian Tian Buddha and Po Lin Monastery.

A trip to the majestic Tian Tian Buddha is a must for first time visitors to Lantau. The 112 ft-tall, 250 metric ton bronze sculpture rests on a podium that visitors must climb 268 steps to reach.

Located right across from the Tian Tian Buddha, this tranquil, century old monastery complex is composed of palatial prayer halls, shrines, courtyards, gardens and a scripture library. Wander through the halls to admire the ornate gilding and colorful statues placed throughout. In addition to attracting many tourists, Po Lin Monastery is a popular place for practicing Buddhists come to worship and light incense.

This 70 kilometer hiking trail circles Lantau Island, passing many rural villages, beaches and waterfalls along the way. It includes Sunset Peak, which is renowned for its breathtaking vista of rolling hills partially shrouded in fog. The trail is divided into 12 sections of varying difficulty.

The old fishing port of Tai O offers a unique and authentic glimpse of what life was like in pre-colonial Hong Kong. Stilt house settlements, once prevalent across the coast of southern China, are now a thing of the past. A boat tour will take you past the stilt houses of Tai O, propped on wooden stilts along the estuary. It’s an enchanting and slightly ethereal sight.

This ever cheery American export is divided into seven themed “lands,” including Hong Kong exclusives such as Grizzly Gulch, which has an American Wild West theme, and Mystic Point, a mysterious rainforest with a haunted manor. There’s a daily parade on Main Street in the afternoon, and a nightly fireworks show at Sleeping Beauty’s Castle.

The Chinese white dolphin (known locally as the pink dolphin due to its attractive, mottled pink hue) is found in waters to the north and south east of Lantau Island, . Book a dolphin-spotting tour with Hong Kong Dolphinwatch to see these adorable creatures in the wild and learn about the plight of this endangered species.

Mui Wo is a sleepy rural town on Lantau’s eastern coast. At the Mui Wo Cooked Food Centre, you’ll find a row of waterfront restaurants specializing in cheap, delicious seafood such as deep fried squid, steamed mussels and more. You can also rent a bike and set off to explore nearby rural villages and waterfalls.

This sandy stretch of beach is Mui Wo’s most popular attraction. Compared to the packed beaches of Hong Kong Island, Silvermine is pleasantly unspoiled and uncrowded. Spend an idyllic day strolling along the water, barbecuing, playing volleyball and more.

If words like “bargain” and “sale” get your heart racing, Citygate Outlets is the place for you. At Hong Kong’s largest outlet mall, brands like Calvin Klein, Diane von Furstenberg, Kate Spade and Tommy Hilfiger offer discounted products all year round.