Hong Kong/Lantau

LantauIsland_Mountains2 - Misty mountains on Lantau Island

Lantau (Chinese: 大嶼山; Cantonese: Daaih Yùh Sāan) is the largest island in Hong Kong and despite having both the Hong Kong International Airport|airport and Disneyland it offers quiet mountains and villages that seem a world away from the busy pace of life in Hong Kong/Kowloon|Kowloon].

An introduction to Hong Kong/Lantau

With the opening of the Lantau Link, a road and rail connection between the airport and Hong Kong/Central|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 vehicle 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.

There are four sizeable communities on Lantau:

• Discovery Bay – a resort-style residential neighborhood roughly 30 minutes by boat from Hong Kong/Central|Central District, 20 minutes by bus from Tung Chung and 10 minutes by bus from the nearest MTR metro station (Sunny Bay). It is home to roughly 15,000 people, including a large portion of expatriates.
• Tung Chung – brand new apartments close to the airport
• Mui Wo – large, quiet village popular with expatriates who are not taken with the sterility of Discovery Bay
• Tai O – traditional fishing village, with most houses on stilts in the river. Very scenic and crowded with tourists on weekends.

Get in

From the airport

Lantau Island is adjacent to Hong Kong International Airport GPS 22.309,113.914, and linked to the airport island by two short bridges. The best ways from the airport are taxi and bus. There is no train service from the airport to Lantau, and it is probably cheaper to take a taxi than to take the Airport Express train to Tsing Yi and come back via the standard MTR.

Blue coloured taxis from the airport to anywhere in Lantau are relatively fast and pleasant, however they can be in short supply on weekends. (You can call a number displayed at the taxi stand to try and get one faster). Red and green taxis are (only) allowed to take you to Tung Chung and Disneyland on Lantau, although their use for short distances is generally discouraged by the airport staff and despised by the drivers.

Alternatively and there are frequent buses that travel towards Tung Chung MTR station, including S1, S56 (express), S64 (less direct) and N64 (night service) from the airport terminal. Although you can use the A35 or N35 (night service) for traveling to Mui Wo directly from the airport and the frequency of this particular route is sparse. It's usually better to change on to local buses at Tung Chung MTR interchange, where you can find buses to most destinations across Lantau island.

It's about a 5km walk from the airport to Tung Chung. The main (northern) bridge is a highway that doesn't allow pedestrians, but there is a nice walkway over the southern bridge. Considering the bus fare is around $4, you shouldn't have to consider this option.

Travel by train to Hong Kong/Lantau

Lantau MR route map 2010 - The portion of the Hong Kong MTR network on Lantau island

The Tung Chung MTR line is the quickest 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 30 minutes all the way from Hong Kong station and costs $22.4-25.5. Children 11 years and under enjoy a 50% discount.

There is a monthly ticket for this line available at the MTR stations, although you would have to use it every day to make much saving from it.

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 New World First Ferry.

• Discovery Bay: Pier 3, $31 (fast only), every 10-30 minutes. Ferry Link
• Mui Wo: Pier 6, $13.00 (slow) / $25.50 (fast), every 40 minutes.

Ferries to the island, as well as buses to/from/within the southern parts, impose a 50% extra charge for travel on Sundays and public holidays. It's cheaper, and less crowded, to visit during the week or on Saturdays.

Tuen Muen->Tung Chung->Tai O: There is a small ferry that runs between Tuen Muen in the New Territories to Tung Chung on Lantau to the touristic fishing village of Tai O on Lantau every day in the mornings and afternoons. If you are visiting Tai O then this ferry might be a nice way back to Tung Chung. (The Tung Chung ferry pier is however a long walk from the MTR/Bus station; a feeder bus service 37S is provided on Saturday, Sundays and public holidays.)

By bus

There are buses from all parts of Hong Kong that go to the Hong Kong International Airport|Airport, and are cheaper than taking the Airport Express. (A bus from the airport to Hong Kong Island will cost around HKD $21-40, compared with $110-115 for the AE.)

Tung Chung has some bus connections to Hong Kong as well. Although slightly slower and they are usually a cheaper and more comfortable option than taking the MTR train. Worth noting are:

• the E11/E11A to Central, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay
• the E21/E21A to Sham Shui Po, Mong Kok
• the E22/E22A to Wong Tai Sin, Kwun Tong
• the E33 to Tuen Mun
• the E34A to Tin Shui Wai (via Wetland Park)
• the E34B to Yuen Long
• the E41 to Tai Po
• the E42 to Sha Tin

On Sundays and public holidays there are direct services (route 1R) from Hung Hom Ferry Pier in Kowloon to Ngong Ping via Tsim Sha Tsui, Jordan, Yau Ma Tei, Mong Kok and Sham Shui Po.

Rent a Car or Limousine in Hong Kong/Lantau

Whilst you can drive your vehicle onto Lantau and the road system is limited and much of the island is zoned as a country park and is off limits to normal vehicles. If you really want to see Lantau you should get out of your car. The Disneyland is however still accessible by vehicle and connected by the Lantau Link expressway.

From Mainland China

• Airport: There are many buses connecting the bus stations in Terminal 2 of Hong Kong International Airport|Airport to various locations on the mainland, including Shenzhen and Guangzhou
• Tung Chung: There is a frequent direct bus connection between the Citygate Shopping outlet in Tung Chung and the Huanggang border crossing in Shenzhen

From Macau

There is a ferry between Macau and the Hong Kong International Airport a few times a day, although it appears you can only use this if you are going to board a flight and not to disembark on Lantau itself.

Get around

HK Lantau Island sunrise - Sunrise over Lantau Island

By bus

On Lantau seemingly short distances on a map (e.g. Tung Chung to Ngong Ping, less than 6 kilometers by cable car) can take a while by road, due to the twisty mountain roads and their circuitous routes.

The major bus interchange in Lantau locates nearby the Tung Chung MTR Station. New Lantau Bus serves numerous of bus routes which connects to most of famous attraction and villages along the Lantau Island. Some bus routes traveling within south Lantau region, connecting places including Tai O and Mui Wo.

A few routes worth knowing are:

• 1 (and its night service N1) connecting Mui Wo and Tai O;
• 2 connecting Mui Wo and Ngong Ping;
• 3M (and its night service N35) connecting Tung Chung and Mui Wo;
• 11 connecting Tung Chung and Tai O;
• 21 connecting Tai O and Ngong Ping; and
• 23 connecting Tung Chung and Ngong Ping.

By taxi

Blue taxis are allowed to take you anywhere on Lantau island. Note that there are not so many of them, so be careful to rely on them during busy times. The fares are slightly cheaper than the red Hong Kong taxis.

Red taxis are allowed to serve only the airport, Tung Chung and Disneyland. They are not allowed anywhere else on Lantau island.

By bicycle

Mui Wo: There is at least one bicycle shop in Mui Wo (just opposite the main bus station), where you can rent bicycles hourly or for the whole day.

Yat Tung: There are a few bicycle shops in Yat Tung (close to Tung Chung) with bikes for rent.

By foot

If you are not going too far and there are generally convenient footpaths all over the island. There are paved paths all around Mui Wo to some of the villages, many of which are within a 30 minutes walk or less.

Be careful walking too far in summer months since most routes do not have any amenities and it can get very hot! Hiking between June and October is not recommended, although people do it.

Popular routes include:

• Tung Chung -> Mui Wo: 3-4 hours with easy climb through the nationside
• Tung Chung -> Tai O: 4 hours walking around the coastal path. (Note very limited facilities and exit points on the trail itself)
• Discovery Bay -> Mui Wo: 3 hour hike past the Trappist Monastery
• Tung Chung -> Ngong Ping: 4-5 hours. Very difficult climb following the cable vehicle route. Walk past the Yat Tung estate and follow the path to Tai O. The trail directly up the mountain should be obvious and is well signposted.

By cable vehicle

Ngong Ping 360 is a spectacular 5.7 km cable vehicle journey between Tung Chung and Ngong Ping on Lantau Island, which is easily accessible from Tung Chung MTR station.

A single trip costs $94 ($135 round trip) on normal days and more 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.

This is one of Hong Kong's main tourist attractions, and lines can be very long. Tickets can be pre-purchased online.

Watch out for people trying to sell you tickets outside the station. The latest trend was to sell you a single tour on the cable vehicle and an all-day pass for the Lantau bus system. While it might be nice to take the cable vehicle up to the Buddha (the line for the cable vehicle can be long), and the bus back and the all-day pass for the bus is probably a waste of money.

What to see in Hong Kong/Lantau

HK Gate to Hong Kong Disneyland Resort - Gateway to Hong Kong Disneyland

• Hong Kong Disneyland | Asia's second 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 and 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, are simply identical to other parks. If you get there at opening time on a weekday, it would be feasible to do all the rides and shows by mid-afternoon. English speakers are well catered for, with all attractions narrating in both English and Cantonese. 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 Cantonese 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 plenty of soft-drinking fountains in the park. Bring a water bottle to fill, or pay 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 - 迪欣湖 | Inspiration Lake 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, or take the R8 bus.

• Ngong Ping 360 - Spectacular 5.7 kilometers cable vehicle 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 purchased 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 vehicle station is adjacent to the Tung Chung MTR. Note that there are often lengthy queues to go up the mountain, especially on weekends - if the queue extends downstairs, expect a two hour wait. To avoid you can take a bus up the mountain and the cable vehicle back (queues are much shorter, especially if buying the Crystal Cabin). Alternatively, buy a guided tour or the Journey to Enlightenment package, both of which bypass most of the queue for the cheaper tickets.

Lantau_tian_tan_buddha - Tian Tan Budda - The largest seated Buddha in bronze

• Tian Tan Buddha - 天壇大佛 | 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 vehicle are bus #2 from Mui Wo ferry pier or bus #23 from Tung Chung (both $17.20/27 on weekdays/Sundays).

• Po Lin Monastery - 寶蓮禪寺 - The monastery was founded in 1906 by three monks from Jiangsu|Jiangsu province. The main temple building houses three bronze statues representing the Buddha of the past, present and future.

Silvermine Bay Beach at Mui Wo, Lantau Island (1351052506) - Silvermine Bay Beach

• Tai O - 大澳 | A traditional fishing village with houses built on stilts over the sea. Tai O also called "Eastern Venice".

• Discovery Bay - As a residential neighborhood, Discovery Bay is not really a tourist destination. However, it boasts a 400m beach, a golf and marina club for members and guests, meaning that the area attracts day trippers. It also holds a number of festivals, including most notably, Dragon boat races at the beach in May/June and a multicultural festival in November.

Mui Wo - Dragon Boat in Mui Wo

• Mui Wo - traditional Chinese: 梅窩, Pinyin: Méiwō, lit. "plum nest" | a rural town on the eastern coast of Lantau Island. The main beach in Mui Wo is known as Silver Mine Bay (銀礦灣). There are fast and slow ferry services from Central to Mui Wo. Central - Mui Wo Ferry The fast ferry costs $25 and takes 30 minutes. The slow ferry costs $15, takes 50 minutes and you can go outside. The 3M bus takes you from Tung Chung to Mui Wo. There are a number of temples and old buildings. There is also a waterfall, an old mining cave (sealed off) and numerous hiking trails. Close to the Ferry Pier there are three bicycle rent shops where you rent bikes from between $30 to $150. At the beginning of Silver Mine Beach there is also a place to rent bicycles.

• Chinese White Dolphins. In the waters just off Tung Chung on Lantau Island, live the Chinese White Dolphins . These dolphins are naturally pink and live in the wild, but their status is currently threatened, with it current population estimated to be between 100-200. Take a boat trip with Hong Kong Dolphinwatch to see these pink dolphins, and if you're lucky you can watch them jumping and playing.

What to do in Hong Kong/Lantau

• Cheung Sha beach which is about a 20 minutes bus ride away has windsurfing and canoe rentals.
• 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. There are many other hikes on Lantau, some of which are listed below.
• Mui wo-Discovery bay trail, 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Crosses several hills and valleys and the tops of which can give views of the Hong Kong skyline on clear days.
• Sunset Peak, 869 metres, 1-1/2 to 2 hours, approx. 7km. This hike starts at the Nam San base station (approx. 300m altitude), an outdoor area with picnic tables, a vending machine and flushing toilets. Follow the sign for the Nam San tree walk, a relatively flat trail through a forest with signs describing the trees seen along the route. About 5 minutes into this walk, you will come to a junction. Here you can either take the tree walk back to Nam San, or follow the trail marked "Sunset Peak". The trail first follows some switchbacks through the forest and then ascends above the treeline and runs along a ridge. On clear days and the summit offers spectacular views of the whole of Lantau Island and the southwestern new territories. There are cabins at the summit, which can be rented by following the URLs painted on the side.

• Lantau Peak At 934 metres and the second highest point in Hong Kong and the highest point on Lantau Island. You can also stay overnight at the Ngong Ping hostel, and wake up very early to reach the summit in time for the spectacular sunrise. Although not particularly high by international standards, this is a fairly hard climb and you should make full preparations, especially during summer.

• Swim at Silvermine Beach in Mui Wo or at any of the other beaches around the island.
• Have a BBQ on the beach
• Discovery Bay : This expat community has some special events and festivals worth seeing, including Dragonboat races (around May/June), Halloween Festival (October) and the Multi-Cultural Festival (usually in November).

Muslim Friendly Shopping in Hong Kong/Lantau

Tung Chung: There is a large mall called CityGate Outlets, next to the MTR Station, that has many 'factory shops' of many famous clothes and fashion brands, such as Adidas (currently on the BDS List so for the time don't purchase any Adidas products), Esprit, Giordano, Levi's, Nike, Quiksilver and Timberland. This mall is very popular with mainland Chinese tourists. The prices are cheaper, although the items for sale may not be the latest. The best prices are during the end-of-season sales. Note that in most shops in City Gate there is no refund policy. Next to CityGate is a more downmarket mall called 'Fu Tung Plaza', which has a limited number of local shops, many local restaurants and a Hong Kong style wet market.

Tai O: There are lots of tourist shops selling local food and delicacies.

Mui Wo: There are some novelty and food shops, although generally not a great deal here.

Discovery Bay: At the heart of the community lies the commercial centre, DB Plaza, where residents and visitors gather for socializing or functions. As a residential neighborhood, most shops serve residents' needs - including supermarkets, banks and chemists; but there also exist a sizable number of independent and novelty shops. For the tourist there is very little here.

Muslim Friendly Food & Restaurants in Hong Kong/Lantau

• The Po Lin Monastery'svegetarian restaurant is well worth a visit for a taste of Chinese Vegetarian food, an art form devoted to turning soybean products into very passable imitations of Meat and fish. Meals served from 11AM Monday - 4:30PM. A regular meal is $60, a deluxe meal is $100, enquire at the Big Buddha ticket booth.

• Bombay Cafe, Mui Wo. Great Curries at a reasonable price.

Tung Chung

• Food Republic | A large food court that is incredibly busy at lunch and dinner times on weekends with a lot of mainlanders hungry after a hard day of shopping.

Buy Muslim Friendly Condos, Houses and Villas in Hong Kong/Lantau

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Ramadan in Hong Kong/Lantau

Ramadan 2025 in Hong Kong/Lantau

Ramadan concludes with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which may last several days, usually three in most countries.

The next Ramadan shall be from Friday, 28 February 2025 to Saturday, 29 March 2025

The next Eid al-Adha shall be on Friday, 6 June 2025

The next day of Raʾs al-Sana shall be on Thursday, 26 June 2025

The next day for Mawlid al-Nabī shall be on Monday, 16 September 2024

Muslim Friendly Hotels in Hong Kong/Lantau

There are several small cabins for hikers at Sunset Peak which go for $300 per cabin/night (sleeps about six people, but very old). There is also lodging at Disneyland, at the Disneyland Hotel and the Disney Hollywood Hotel, and the Disney Explorer's Lodge.

• alal.io//2023-09-16&checkOut=2023-09-17&30161&&Novotel+Citygate+Hong+Kong&hotelId=502477&&.Zz275aadacca0b4b4b8d78b04-206204 Novotel Citygate Hong Kong - Novotel Citygate Hong Kong Hotel is a popular choice amongst travelers in Hong Kong, whether exploring or just passing through. The hotel offers a wide range of amenities and perks to ensure you have a great time. 24-hour front desk, facilities for disabled guests, luggage storage, Wi-Fi in public areas, valet parking are on the list of things guests can enjoy. All rooms are designed and decorated to make guests feel right at home, and some rooms come with television LCD/plasma screen, slippers, internet access – wireless, internet access – wireless (complimentary), non smoking rooms. The hotel's peaceful atmosphere extends to its recreational facilities which include fitness center, outdoor pool, solarium, swimmingpool (kids). Novotel Citygate Hong Kong Hotel is an excellent choice from which to explore Hong Kong or to simply relax and rejuvenate.

Where to go next after Hong Kong/Lantau

Take the ferry/bus/train back to Hong Kong/Central|Central Hong Kong. There are also inter-island ferries to Peng Chau and Cheung Chau.

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