Giant Buddha, Po Lin Monastery

No trip to Hong Kong would be complete without a visit to the world's tallest, outdoor, seated bronze Buddha which sits serenely atop Ngong Ping plateau amid the spectacular mountain scenery of Lantau Island. The eyes, lips, incline of the head and even the right hand (raised to deliver a blessing to all), combine to lend great depth of character and dignity to this extraordinary statue. The majestic figure of the seated Buddha is 34 metres high, was cast in China and took over 10 years to complete. Weighing 250 tonnes, it was unveiled in 1993 amid deeply religious ceremonies. Visitors can climb the 268 steps to reach the platform where the Buddha is seated. Besides attracting Buddhists from all over Asia, the magnificent figure with its compelling presence almost instantly transformed the remote Po Lin Monastery with its devout monks into a must-visit on tourist schedules. The Po Lin Monastery is set amid spectacular mountain scenery on the 520-metre high Ngong Ping plateau.

Besides admiring the massive statue there is also much to see and do at the monastery itself with its various figures of gods and other colourful manifestations of aspects of the Buddhist religion. You can even enjoy a vegetarian lunch prepared by monks. From Po Lin Monastery, you can take a bus or taxi to explore other parts of Lantau Island, including the famous stilt houses of Tai O Village, the magic of Hong Kong Disneyland, and the interesting Mui Wo near the ferry pier. How to get there: 1. Catch ferry from Central Pier 6 (Hong Kong MTR /Airport Express Exit E1. Walk through ifc mall) to Mui Wo, then takebus 2. 2. Tung Chung MTR Exit B, and then take bus 23 from Tung Chung Town Centre.

(Source:China Daily , 2007-07-26)