HONG KONG
Hong Kong is a gorgeous city and a top destination for luxury shopping. You will find that this city-state is rich in culture and history, and it has much more to offer than delectable local delicacies and an astounding skyline.
Hong Kong exudes an intensity that is hard to pin down. There’s something interesting around every corner, whether it’s an ancient temple, street food stalls, or a shop selling the latest gadget. It also boasts a more rural side, with forested mountains, stunning beaches, and islands.
The Pearl of the Orient offers intriguing insights both into ancient Chinese culture and into its own historical attitudes. With far more to see than meets the eye, taking a Free Tour of Hong Kong is a good idea to immerse yourself into this city that blends west with east, tradition with technology, and past with future.
Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery
Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery in Sha Tin provides a magnificent and serene respite from the hustle and bustle of urban Hong Kong, as well as a view of the countryside. The main entrance of the monastery, which is located on a hilltop, is approached by walking up a long and twisting series of stairs, which is lined with hundreds of golden sculptures.
The stroll is part of the attraction, and each of the statues is distinctive, with many having odd facial expressions and other fascinating features. When you reach the summit, the trail opens into the square in front of the main temple, which is a wonderful sight because it marks the conclusion of the climb with amazing structures and statues welcoming you into the open space.
Despite its name, Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery is actually not a monastery, and no monks dwell on the premises. It also boasts a lot more than 10,000 Buddhas!
Man Mo Temple
Long before you see the Man Mo Temple, you will smell the incense from it as you go along Hollywood Road. The temple, which was established in 1847, is famous for its smoke-filled interior, which features amazing coils of burning incense hanging from the ceiling.
Worshipers paid homage to Man, the deity of Literature, and Mo, the god of war, here. Fortune tellers are on-site and will advise you for a little fee if you want to see into the future. There are other Man Mo temples in Hong Kong, but this one on Hollywood Road is the largest and most well-known.
Big Buddha
The 34-meter-high “Big Buddha” towers over Lantau Island’s Po Lin monastery, which was once a somewhat remote location before the statue was completed in 1993. Being one of the world’s largest Buddha statues, its’ scale is simply mind-boggling. The environment is also spectacular, with views of the ocean and islands from the surrounding verdant forest.
Although you can take a bus, the picturesque Ngong Ping cable car, which takes you on a 25-minute ride over forest, river, and mountains, is the finest way to reach the Buddha. The trip ends in the little tourist-oriented Ngong Ping Village, through which you must walk before reaching the monastery. After passing past the settlement, a massive series of stairs climb up to the base but don’t be alarmed. The ascent is swift, and the stunning views from the statue’s base are well worth the effort.
Hong Kong
As well as these amazing sites, the Pearl of the Orient has all the amenities you would expect. Restaurants serving delicious food, fishing villages, ancient art, and luxurious hotels are all on display.
World Free Tours is your first sightseeing stop in Hong Kong. We can show you all the sites, and fill your trip with informative history and perfect Instagram moments. Click here for our whole list of Free Tours in Asia.
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