Lantau Island Private Tour: Big Buddha & Tai O with Guide

Walk Lantau at your own speed with a guide who knows where to linger

A full-day private walking tour of Lantau Island with a live guide in English, Cantonese or Mandarin, including cable car access to Big Buddha, the Po Lin Monastery, a boat ride through Tai O's stilt village, and lunch at Tai O Heritage Hotel. You walk between 5 and 10 kilometers depending on how much time you spend at each stop, at a slow pace across flat terrain, though reaching the Buddha statue itself requires climbing 268 steps. Hotel pickup is available with the Hotel Departure option. The Tung Chung MRT Departure option starts at the station.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Lantau Island7h · entry included
2. Ngong Ping 3601h · entry included
3. Po Lin Monastery1h · entry included
4. Big Buddha1h
5. Tai O1h

Full-day Lantau Island private tour

• Ride Ngong Ping 360 cable car
• Explore Ngong Ping Village
• Climb 268 steps to Big Buddha
• Visit Po Lin Monastery
• Bus ride to Tai O village
• Boat ride in Tai O
• Visit Tai O Heritage Hotel
• Enjoy lunch at Tai O Heritage Hotel

The experience

You start with a 25-minute ride on the Ngong Ping cable car, soaring over Lantau Country Park and the airport before arriving at the Big Buddha. The cable car is a one-way inclusion. Your guide leads you through the Po Lin Monastery and its hall of 10,000 Buddhas, then up the 268 steps to stand at the base of the Tian Tan Buddha itself. A 34-meter bronze statue that took 12 years to complete. The views from there stretch across mountains and sea. If the cable car closes for maintenance on your tour date, your guide refunds that portion and you travel by bus instead, so the day still holds together.

From Ngong Ping, a 20-minute public bus ride takes you to Tai O, a fishing village built on stilts above tidal flats where the Tanka people have lived for generations. Your guide shows you the stilt houses, the manually operated drawbridge, and the traditional shrimp paste production and seafood market the village is known for. You'll take a boat ride through the waterways, included in the tour, to see the village from the water. Lunch happens at Tai O Heritage Hotel, a restored 1902 police station with colonial rooms and a rooftop restaurant serving local specialties.

The tour runs 7 hours without hotel pickup, or 8 hours if you choose the Hotel Departure option. You'll use public buses between stops, and the pace is slow across flat ground, though how far you walk at Tai O depends on how much time you want to spend there. The guide speaks English, Cantonese or Mandarin. Choose your language at booking. If you're not comfortable with the 268 steps to the Buddha or prefer to skip them, you can stay at the base and still see the monastery and village.

What’s included

• Professional guide in English, Cantonese or Mandarin.
• one-way Ngong Ping cable car ride in a standard cabin.
• entry to Po Lin Monastery and the Big Buddha.
• boat ride through Tai O fishing village.
• public bus rides between stops.
• set lunch at Tai O Heritage Hotel or Tai O Cafe.
• hotel pickup if you book the Hotel Departure option.

Options for this experience

2 options

Departure from Tung Chung MRT stationGuide in English, Chinese or Cantonese · 08:40 and 09:40For 7-hour tours starting in Tung Chung, the meeting time is 9:40 am on weekdays (Monday to Friday) and 8:40 am on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

Hotel DepartureGuide in English, Chinese or Cantonese · 08:00 and 09:00For 8-hour tours with hotel pickup, the meeting time is 9:00 am on weekdays (Monday to Friday) and 8:00 am on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00, 08:40, 09:00 and 09:40

Book up to19h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Cantonese and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Hello Hong Kong

Is this one for you?Book the Hotel Departure if you're arriving without a rental car or prefer not to navigate to Tung Chung station. The pickup means you start the day from your accommodation. Choose the Tung Chung MRT Departure if you're already near the station or want to save on the pickup fee. You'll meet your guide there and end with a public bus ride to either Tung Chung or Mui Wo depending on where you're staying.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Chinese and Cantonese.

What's the difference between the Hotel Departure and Tung Chung MRT Departure options?

Hotel Departure includes pickup from your accommodation and runs 8 hours total. Tung Chung MRT Departure starts at the station and runs 7 hours. Both end with a public bus ride to either Tung Chung or Mui Wo, depending on your preference.

How much walking is involved, and can I skip the 268 steps to the Big Buddha?

You'll walk between 5 and 10 kilometers over the day, depending on how much time you spend exploring Tai O. The pace is slow and the terrain is flat, but you do need moderate physical fitness. If you can't or don't want to climb the 268 steps to the Buddha, you can stay at the base and still visit the Po Lin Monastery and see the statue from ground level.

What happens if the cable car is closed on the day of my tour?

If the Ngong Ping cable car is closed for maintenance, your guide refunds the cable car portion of the price and you travel to Big Buddha by bus instead, so the tour continues as planned.

Is lunch included, and what if I have dietary restrictions?

Lunch at Tai O Heritage Hotel or Tai O Cafe is included in the tour price. Contact the operator before booking if you have specific dietary needs so they can arrange accordingly.

Can I upgrade the cable car to a crystal cabin?

Yes, a crystal cabin upgrade is available on request. Ask about pricing and availability when you book or contact the operator before your tour date.