Ngong Ping 360

Here's the last entry for our November getaway in Hong Kong. Since we're pressed for time, we decided to skip Ocean Park and head over to Lantau Island instead.  Lantau is the largest island in Hong Kong and apparently almost double the size of Hong Kong island itself. It is famous for its soaring mountains and lush valley. 

Ngong Ping 360  is must-see tourist destination in this island, located at the western part of Lantau Island is one of the highlights of our Hong Kong trip. Getting here was a breeze ( literally ) as it was windy inside the MTR.  From TST, alight at Tung Chung station and the cable car should be right adjacent to it.  We arrived at around 1030 am on a Tuesday morning. I had this slightly realistic expectation that it will not be crowded for 2 reasons. 1. It's a weekday 2. It's off peak.  But lo and behold, looks like everyone thought of the same thing and we walked into a long queue of people who were waiting their turn to buy the tickets. Yes, it wasn't even the queue to board the cable car. My fell face and heart sank. We're supposed to finish early and head back to TST for last minute shopping but I scrapped the idea as it would be close to impossible to make it back by 2:00pm. 

We bought the Crystal Cabin at $255HKD. Piece of advice should you want to visit to avoid long queues, purchase your tickets online. Advanced booking can be made up to 14 days prior to visits.

The 25-minute exhilarating cable car ride traversing to 5.7 km is not for those with a faint heart or fear of heights. But sure enough if you would dare to face your fears, I can assure it's worth every penny spent. The journey to Ngong Ping offers 360 degrees astonishing bird's view of South China Sea and lush greenery. 

As you step out of the cable car, you will be greeted by the culturally-themed village showcasing culture and spiritual integrity of Ngong Ping. 

Tian Tan Buddha or famously known as Big Buddha is 34 metres tall and weighs 250 tons. The right hand of the Buddha is held up as a “Fear-Not mudra” – a manifestation of the great vow to eliminate suffering from all sentient beings. The left hand is placed on the Buddha’s thigh with his palm facing out and fingers slightly pointing downwards. This is known as the “Wish-Granting mudra”, signifying the compassionate vow to grant happiness to all men. The Dharma cakra in the palm represents the everlasting turning of the Wheel of Dharma and the dissemination of the Dharma to every corner of the world.

A climb of 268 steps should take you to the Giant Buddha. I did this the first time I went but opted to wander around the area this time and explore the monasteries. And I couldn't be happier that I did. 

We spent the rest of the little time we've had roaming around the temples and taking photos of the area. For almost 3 hours spent queuing for the ticket alone, I'd say Lantau Island was well worth the experience. Be sure to include this touristy spot on your itinerary and spare an hour or two for shopping at the Citygate outlet. 

Xo,

Jhesy 

Travel Diary : Macau in a Day

Our Hong Kong Trip will not be made complete if not for a quick getaway to Macau.We agreed to leave early so we can make it in time for The Peak. That was the original plan or so we thought. Our first stop was the The Clock Tower. The one hour set for this spot was extended to a couple more hours leading us to reach the China Ferry by 09:30 am. Was about to go the counter when I realized that I left my passport at the hotel. Such a bummer.

After a series of delays, we finally reached the charming and vibrant city of Macau. We didn't have a planned itinerary so when a guy came up and introduced himself as a Filipino and a tour guide, we thought about it then agreed to his offer.

Kuya Delfin was indeed a blessing to us as we would have not been able to explore different parts of Macau (touristy and non-touristy spots ). He knows the ins and outs and schedule of free shuttles, best and cheap places to eat and perfect spots to take your snaps.

Note : Kuya Delfin works in a hotel and uses his spare time as a tour guide. Truly an inspiration for OFW like me. Should you happen to be in Macau, look for him and I can assure you that he delivers excellent customer service.

I was here in December 2013 and most of the hotels were still in construction. It's always good to go back to places that bring fond memories.I was surprised to see that a lot has changed since then.

First stop was the grand and majestic Wynn Hotel (these 2 adjectives would come in handy to describe all the hotels in Macau). A crowd gathered under the intricate ceiling. Waiting. Kuya Delfin went mum about the whole fiasco and we waited patiently for whatever was about to transpire. The ceiling opened and the last thing we knew was we're gasping in awe at everything before our eyes. It was incredible and truly a piece of art. Ceilings opening to trees rooting up from the ground down to the leaves changing from green to gold. Everything seemed magical. And for a good 5 minutes or so, we stood there, eyes opened, mind blown and mesmerised.

We made a pit stop to the Emperor Palace making goofy faces at the guards. They seriously didn't even blink an eye. Gold is one thing to describe the lobby of this grand hotel. Why you would ask?The lobby floors are literally adorned with gold bars enclosed in glass. Only in Macau yeah?

We've been aching or at least our tummy for some good, authentic Macau cuisine. And Kuya Delfin didn't fail us. We went to New Yaohan food court. For 315 HKD, we had to fight for space in our bellies to fit everything in. They were so good and I'd recommend anyone to stop by. Good food at certainly reasonable price.

Macau Heritage site is a beauty to behold. Standing at Senado square surrounded by old buildings and landmarks written in Portuguese is like being in an entirely different country and era. The site has colorful history written all over it.

Senado Square is paved with black and white cobbles surrounded by heritage buildings. It was past 4pm and everyone was trying to take a panoramic shot of the touristy spot. We, on the other hand decided to film a short music video stint featuring Tay's Welcome to New York. We didn't mind that we looked foolish amongst the tourists, we're in a different country and doing something random and spontaneous is a must.

Seeing Ruins of St Paul for the second time brings so much memories. It was almost the exact season when I came here in 2013. Nothing has changed really except for the crowd of course and the memory created with the people I was with.

Macau Tower wasn't part of our itinerary so we told Kuya Delfin that we can manage to go wander around on our own. Besides, it's late and he has already extended the tour hours. We went straight to 61st floor and soaked up to the beauty of Macau up above. It's like being on top of the world. We didn't have much time to spare and we knew that we'll never make it back to Hong Kong to see The Peak. But right there, time stood still and we let our jaws drop as we marvel at everything our eyes set on. I felt a sense of calm and part of me wished I have all my loved ones beside with me. ( insert cheesy line ).

We saved the best for last and head off to Venetian for our last stop. Everything about this hotel is so dramatic and certainly screams luxury. It's so picturesque that floors, walls and ceilings are all Instragram worthy. It's european interiors and mock up of Venice are just on point.

Macau in a day was absolutely exhausting yet a rewarding experience for us. It is such a beautiful place even for non-casino lover. I'm glad we were able to squeeze in this trip to our tight itinerary and spent this day with the best people I know. Cheers to our next adventure.