A trip to Hong Kong would not be complete without a visit to the Giant Buddha which sits serenely atop Ngong Ping plateau among the stunning mountain scenery of Lantau Island. The eyes, lips, incline of the head and even the right hand (raised to deliver a blessing to all), combine to lend great depth of character and dignity to this extraordinary statue.
The magnificent figure of the seated Buddha was cast in China and took 12 years to complete. It was unveiled in December 1993 in the midst of deeply religious ceremonies. Visitors can climb more than 200 steps to reach the platform where the Buddha is seated.
Besides attracting Buddhists from all over Asia, the magnificent figure with its compelling presence almost instantly transformed the remote Po Lin Monastery with its devout monks into a must-visit on tourist schedules. The Po Lin Monastery is set amongst spectacular mountain scenery on the Ngong Ping plateau.
Besides admiring the massive statue there is also much to see and do at the monastery itself with its various figures of gods and other colorful manifestations of aspects of the Buddhist religion. You can even enjoy a vegetarian lunch.