Part 10: Hong Kong - Macau Trip Day 4 - Cable Car Experience at Ngong Ping 360

On our last day in Hong Kong, we went to Ngong Ping 360 and fortunately experienced a great cable car ride!  Ngong Ping is one of must-see attraction in Hong Kong located in Lantau Island.

How To Get There

It is very easy to get there via MTR.  You need to go to the Tung Chung station, the last station of Tung Chung line. As soon as you get off at Tung Chung station, locate the Ngong Ping terminus/terminal to buy your tickets.   This is also the start of your cable car ride.  :)

TIP: If you plan on going here first thing in the morning, then leave your hotel early: 1.5-2 hrs before opening hours.  If you're coming from the mainland, allot one hour for the travel time, and 30 minutes to 1 hour for buying of ticket (because of long queue). 

You can check out the map provided by Ngong Ping website: http://www.np360.com.hk/en/visitors-information/gethere_map.html and the bus transportation here http://www.np360.com.hk/en/visitors-information/np360-transport-info.html

map source: http://www.hong-kong-hotels-network.com/

At Tung Chung station, City Gate Outlets mall is adjacent to Tung Chung Line.  

Stairs with welcome sign in Ngong Ping 360.  

Ngong Ping Ticket Prices

When we went there a long queue greeted us.  To avoid it,  book your ticket in their website, as they provided a dedicated fast lane for online booking of tickets.

Two of four types of cabin are mostly used: the standard cabin and the crystal cabin.  The crystal cabin is more expensive because the cabin is glass-bottomed. 

Some of the rates:
Roundtrip Standard Cabin
-(Adult) HKD 125
-(Children Aged 3-11) HKD 62
Roundtrip Crystal Cabin  
-(Adult) HKD 188
-(Children Aged 3-11) HKD 125
One-way Standard & one-way Crystal Cabin
-(Adult) HKD 168
-(Children Aged 3-11) HKD 106
Journey To Enlightenment Package (rountrip cable car + entrance to Ngong Ping Village's walking with Buddha & Monkey Tale Theatre attraction)
via roundtrip Standard Cabin
-(Adult) HKD 187
-(Children Aged 3-11) HKD 94
via roundtrip Standard Cabin
-(Adult) HKD 250
-(Children Aged 3-11) HKD 157 

You can go here for a complete list of packages:http://www.np360.com.hk/en/booking/np360-ticketing-information.html

left side: long line buying tickets  right side: fast lane for online booking.

We purchased the Journey Enlightenment Package via Crystal Cabin, but I think it's okay if you only purchase the cable car ride, as you can also buy entrance to Monkey Tale Theatre and Walking Buddha attraction at Ngong Ping Village if ever you change your mind and plan to check it out.

Cable Car out of paper

boarding! yipee!

The cable car ride is superb.  You get to see a lot of things below.  Because Lantau island consist of mountainous terrain, the green scenery is amazingly a feast for the eyes.

The Hong Kong International Airport

We're having a bottom-glassed cabin! Look at that!

okay, ang pangit ng paa ko haha

For hikers there's a long long pathway  to reach the mountain. 

The cable car experience!

You know you're already close when you're seeing the Bug Buddha from afar.

Landed!

Linong Tea House

You can take pictures here.

Souvenir & small cafes along the way

Walking With Buddha.  Cameras not allowed inside to pay respect.  You'll get to understand the teachings of Buddhism here. 

Ngong Ping Village

Souvenir shops

And so I bought this hat. Ang init eh!

More pictures taken at Ngong Ping

Tian Tan Buddha also known as Big Buddha is a huge Bronze statue of Buddha Amoghasiddhi, one of the Five Wisdom Buddhas of the Vajrayana tradition of Buddhism.

My friends noticed this sign of Adolf Hitler.  Apparently it is also the Swastika sign, a chinese character representing eternity and Buddhism.  There are lot of talks over the forum if Adolf Hitler is a Buddhist, but none proved it maybe it is just a coincidence.

It's time to go back for another cable car ride, as we go back to Tung Chung.  This time, it's as if we own the cabin to ourselves. :)

Few more shots before going back!

Hong Kong Ngong Ping 360
Lantau Island, Hong Kong
http://www.np360.com.hk/en/#
Weekdays: 10:00am - 6:00pm
Weekends & Public Holidays: 9:00am - 6:30pm

TIP: Take Note of the scheduled maintenance of cable car if you would like to ride one.  If it's closed, I guess you'll be taking a bus to get there.

Cable Car Service is closed for scheduled maintenance.
The Themed Village remains open as normal.

#Scheduled Servicing Days (2012)
17 to 21 September
5 to 6 December

No more pictures after! We were too busy shopping at City Gate Outlets Mall (also at Tung Chung).  This mall is full of branded shops, and now I know why lot of people love to shop in Hong Kong.  Some of our loved brands are way cheaper than Philippines.  We bought some shirts, went to Achi-ban, and grocery inside the mall for pasalubong for our friends and family. 

Note:  Bring your own reusable bags.  Grocery and 7-eleven stores will not provide any plastic bags for you. 

We took the MTR (train) back to Tsim Sha Tsui to get our luggages, and took the bus straight to the airport.  There were heavy traffic along the way, so when taking the bus, allow 1.5 hrs travel time going to the airport.

Thanks Hong Kong and Macau for a wonderful first time out of the country vacation!  Thanks to everyone who find time reading the series.  I get inspiration from my few readers so even if it's really time consuming, it became my motivation, blogging my trips. :)

Next would be my itinerary and expenses!


Check out my Hong Kong - Macau blog series!

Part 1: HK-Macau Day 1 - Getting to Hong Kong
Part 2: HK-Macau Day 1 - Our Accomodation: Golden Crown Guesthouse
Part 3: HK-Macau Day 1 - Hong Kong Disneyland
Part 4: HK-Macau Day 1 - Exploring Mong Kok
Part 5: HK-Macau Day 2 - Hong Kong Ocean Park
Part 6: HK-Macau Day 2 - Peak Tram, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, Sky Terrace at The Peak
Part 7: HK-Macau Day 3 - Macau Travel Guide | Getting to Macau
Part 8: HK-Macau Day 3 - venetian Hotel, Senado Square, Ruins of St. Paul's
Part 9: HK-Macau Day 3 - Grand Lisboa, Wynn Hotel, Fisherman's Wharf
Part 10: HK-Macau Day 4 - Cable Car Ride at Ngong Ping 360
Hong Kong - Macau Travel Guide | 4 Days / 3 Nights Itinerary and Expenses