Lantau Island Tour: Cable Car, Big Buddha, Tai O from Hong Kong

Cable car over Lantau, then down to the fishing boats of Tai O and up the steps to the Big Buddha.

A guided tour of Lantau Island's main sights — Big Buddha, Po Lin Monastery, and Tai O — combined with a full day of unlimited MTR travel across Hong Kong and a round-trip cable car ride. The tour runs with a live English-speaking guide and includes children from age 3. The cable car operates subject to weather; if conditions prevent it, you can reschedule to another date.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Lantau Island and Hong Kong sights

• Use MTR for travel
• Ride Ngong Ping Cable Car
• Visit Tung Chung
• Explore Po Lin Monastery
• See Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha)
• Walk around Ngong Ping 360
• Visit Tai O fishing village
• Explore Lantau Island
• Visit Tsim Sha Tsui

The Experience

You arrive in Hong Kong with a free day and no transit pass sorted. This tour hands you one day of unlimited MTR travel across the city, plus a round-trip ride on the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car — the standard cabin, or upgrade to the glass-bottomed crystal cabin if you want to see the island drop away beneath your feet. That gets you to Ngong Ping Village, where a guide meets you and leads a walking tour through the main stops: Po Lin Monastery, the Big Buddha (Tian Tan Buddha), and then down to Tai O, the old fishing village on the island's edge where the buildings sit on stilts over the water.

The MTR pass works anywhere on the system for the full day, so you're not locked into a fixed itinerary — you can move between Tsim Sha Tsui, Tung Chung, and the other stops on your own schedule before or after the guided portion. The cable car ride itself is the centerpiece: a 25-minute ascent over the island's ridges and valleys. Weather can shut it down, but if that happens, you can move your tour to another date instead of losing the booking.

You'll need a moderate level of fitness for the walking — the steps up to the Big Buddha are real, and Tai O involves uneven ground. The tour is wheelchair accessible, and children from age 3 can come along. Paper voucher only: bring it with you to the assembly point at Ngong Ping Village, which you reach via the cable car. The pass is valid for 180 days from purchase, so there's no rush to use it.

What’s included

• One day of unlimited MTR travel across Hong Kong.
• round-trip Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car ride (standard cabin, or crystal cabin if you upgrade).
• guided walking tour of Big Buddha, Po Lin Monastery, and Tai O fishing village.
• live English-speaking guide.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by Ngong Ping 360

Is this one for you?Book this if you're combining Lantau sightseeing with MTR exploration across Hong Kong—the pass gives you a full day of transit freedom beyond the island. Choose the crystal cabin upgrade if the cable car views matter as much as reaching the Buddha.

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Top questions

What exactly is included in the one-day MTR pass?

The MTR pass gives you unlimited travel on Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway system for a full day — you can ride between any stations as many times as you want, which covers most of the city's main neighborhoods and transport hubs.

Can I choose the crystal cabin on the cable car, or is it standard only?

You can upgrade to the glass-bottomed crystal cabin at checkout instead of the standard cabin — it's an option you select when you book, and it costs more but lets you see straight down through the floor as you cross over Lantau.

How do I get to Ngong Ping Village where the tour starts?

You take the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car from Tung Chung to reach Ngong Ping Village, where the guide meets you at the assembly point; a map to the exact spot is provided when you pick up your ticket.

What happens if the cable car doesn't run because of bad weather?

If weather closes the cable car, you can either reschedule your tour to another date or go ahead with a different itinerary on the same day — the choice is yours.

Is food included, or do I need to bring money for meals?

Food and drinks are not included in the tour, so plan to buy lunch or snacks at Tai O or elsewhere on Lantau, or bring your own.