✈️ We landed in Hong Kong early in the morning, sleepy but excited to begin our 4-day adventure. There was no time to waste — we hit the ground running right after our red-eye flight! It was my third time traveling abroad, but the thrill of exploring a new city never gets old. 😍
Our flight from Manila departed right on time at 5:10 AM and
landed in Hong Kong around 7:11 AM. Thankfully, the immigration process was
smooth and quick — no long queues, probably because it was still early. My
travel buddy, who's been to Hong Kong many times, said that's a rare blessing!
🔗
[Hong Kong Arrival Procedure]
🔗
[How to Get Out of the Airport]
We skipped the hotel check-in and went straight to
exploring. First stop? 🚖 Citygate Outlets
in Tung Chung — not for shopping (yet), but for their super handy Self-Service
Lockers so we could store our luggage.
🧳 How to Use CitygateOutlets Self-Service Lockers | Luggage Storage Guide Hong Kong
🧳 Citygate OutletsSelf-Service Locker Pick-Up Guide | Ngong Ping Travel Tips
🧳 Self-Service Lockers atCitygate Outlets: Cheap Luggage Storage Near Ngong Ping 360
🧳 Luggage Storage at TungChung Cable Car Terminal: Ngong Ping 360 Travel Tips
After dropping our bags, we walked to the Ngong Ping Cable Car terminal — just a few minutes from Citygate. We arrived just in time before the lines got crazy. The views on this ride are absolutely breathtaking! The standard cabin costs HK$115, but if you're brave enough, try the Crystal Cabin with a glass floor. 😱
🎟️ Pro Tip: Book
in advance via Klook or KKday for discounted prices and
skip-the-line access.
🔗
[How to Get to Ngong Ping 360?]
🏞️ 10:00 AM – Exploring Ngong Ping Village
Ngong Ping Village is peaceful and picturesque, especially if you visit early. The cool mountain breeze, charming shops, and traditional architecture make it a perfect first stop. We strolled around the shops and took tons of photos!
🌸 More photos and tips:
🔗
[Ngong Ping Village Guide]
🌳 10:19 AM – Bodhi Wishing Shrine
Under the sacred Bodhi Tree lies the Bodhi Wishing Shrine, where people tie their written wishes hoping they'll come true. As a believer in signs and serendipity, of course I made a wish. 💫
📖 Legend says this is the tree under which Siddhartha attained Enlightenment.
🔗 [Bodhi Wishing Shrine at Ngong Ping]
On our way to the Big Buddha, we passed through Ngong Ping Piazza, lined with statues of the 12 Divine Generals — guardians of the Buddhist faith, each representing a zodiac sign. I spent a little time finding mine. Can you guess which one I am? 😉 (Hint: it’s fierce.)
🔗 [12 Divine Generals atNgong Ping]
After a quick 5-minute walk (plus photo stops), we reached the base of the Tian Tan Buddha. Climbing 268 steps sounds daunting, but honestly, the view — and the spiritual aura — at the top makes every step worth it.
📷 The Buddha’s calm face overlooking Lantau Island is something you’ll never forget.
Next stop: Po Lin Monastery, right beside the Big Buddha. The details in the architecture, incense in the air, and peaceful vibes made me pause and reflect. Don’t miss the Pai Lau Gate, Bauhinia-lined path, and the beautiful shrines within.
🥢 There are vegetarian restaurants here too if you want to try something authentic.
🔗 [Po Lin Monastery Highlights]
💡 If we had more time, we would have visited the nearby Wisdom Path — a meditative trail lined with wooden columns inscribed with Chinese scripture.
We headed back around lunchtime, and I’m so glad we went early — the incoming queue was now crazy long! 😳 The ride back was fun too. We shared the cabin with two friendly tourists from Brazil. We ended up recommending Boracay to them (Pinoy pride! 🇵🇭)
🔗 [Ngong Ping 360 Photos & Videos]
We picked up our bags from the lockers and headed to the food court. It was packed, so we chose a spot at the Steak House. The food was okay — a bit bland for my taste — but it filled us up. Looking back, we should’ve braved a local restaurant. 😅
From Tung Chung, we took the MTR to Hong Kong Station, then hailed a taxi to L’Hotel Island South. It was a bit chaotic — our driver bumped into another car! Thankfully, things were resolved quickly.
💡 Travel Tip: Always have your hotel name/address printed in Chinese.
We booked a night here since it’s near Ocean Park, and at the time, the South Island MTR line hadn’t opened yet. The hotel staff were helpful and even assisted our friends who arrived earlier to store their luggage.
🔗 [L'Hotel Island South Hong Kong]
Finally! I was SO excited to visit Ocean Park. We bought tickets from Klook, so we skipped the long lines. The place is massive — we needed a whole day just for this. First stop: Panda House, but the panda was shy and hiding. 🐼
🚠 The cable car here was smaller than Ngong Ping’s — scarier but fun! And for our descent, we rode the Ocean Express, a train inside the mountain.
🎆 We stayed until the evening show — tired but happy.
🔗 [Ocean Park Hong Kong Guide]
🚶♀️ 7:16 PM – Walk Back to
Hotel
We walked back to the hotel thinking it would be a short walk... 30 minutes later, we realized we should’ve trusted our instincts instead of following other tourists who “looked like they knew where they were going.” 😂
😴 7:49 PM – Bedtime
We planned to visit the famous Jumbo Floating Restaurant, but exhaustion won. We decided to get some much-needed rest for the next day’s jam-packed itinerary. 💤
📌 Read the rest of our Hong Kong travel series:
👉Day
2: Kowloon Walled City Park, Trick Eye Museum, Clock Tower & Symphony of
Lights
👉Day
3: Nan Lian Garden, Chi Lin Nunnery, Wong Tai Sin Temple & Disneyland
👉Hong Kong Day 4: FlowerMarket, BestMart 360°, and Crystal Jade Restaurant
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Hi! Very helpful post! However, I cannot find your day 2 blog entry :(
ReplyDeleteHi Ferry, thanks for checking my blog. I'm still working on the rest of the itinerary. I'm like several travels behind...lol Please follow my blog to be notified on the rest of the entries.
DeleteEffective post having an outstanding collection!!
ReplyDelete