Day #143: Ngong Ping

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This is not the best time of year to visit Hong Kong: every day the islands are shrouded in thick cloud. I had been hoping for a clearer day to visit Ngong Ping, but none had materialised, so I gave up and went anyway. I have been on quite a few cable car journeys on this trip but this was by far the most vertigo-inducing, travelling way above the river and hills up to the Buddha.

The immediate area around the Buddha is very built up and full of sellers (Would I like to buy a ticket for lunch at the temple? A photo of myself on the cable car? A souvenir t-shirt?) and the temple is being re-developed into what looks like a several-story mega-temple so is covered in scaffolding, but most people don't venture beyond this point. Going further I discovered various well-marked hiking trails and was sorry that I hadn't dressed for walking, although I did climb for an hour or so in the direction of the Lantau Peak, a pleasant walk crossing streams and waterfalls, and offering what would be great views of the Buddha on a clearer day.

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Photos

Locals collecting shellfish in the river below
The cable car is so high up!