Lantau Island Tour - The Big Buddha and Tai O Hong Kong
A popular and amazing 8 hour private tour in Hong Kong
Me Jamie, your host, I am English and I have lived in Hong Kong for 53 years - I know the place.
I have personally completed 2,340+ Private Tours and Experiences (over 6,500+ guests) since April 2011 and I am considered one of the finest Private Tour Guides in Asia.
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I am a team of one, I created the website, I keep it updated, I write all the copy for the site and my blog posts and I am your Private Tour Guide. I use AI sparingly for research only
So when you contact me you are dealing with me Jamie, I am human and NOT an AI Chatbot
… and yes, it is true, I hate the terms “hidden gems” “secret spots” and “travel like a local” so beloved by AI chatbots and used by OTA’s (Online Travel Agency)
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Lantau Island Tour - The Big Buddha and Tai O Hong Kong
A popular and amazing 8 hour private tour in Hong Kong
click on the image to enlarge
I just love doing my Private Tours of Lantau Island, Hong Kong with my guests
Book Your Premium Quality Lantau Island Tour NOW!
Maximise your limited amount of time in Hong Kong
My Private Tours are done at a pace that suits YOU!
“The Big Buddha, also known as Tian Tan Buddha, is famed as the most iconic attraction of Lantau Island in Hong Kong. Sitting next to the old and venerable Po Lin Monastery, it is only a 10-minute walk away from Ngong Ping Village (NP 360) The majestic outdoor bronze Buddha statue sits solemnly atop the peak of Mount Muk Yue. It is seated south and facing North towards Beijing, the capital of China. Divided into two parts, the statue’s body is 26.4m tall and 34m in total measuring from the lotus throne and the base. It was cast with 250 tonnes of bronze and built over 12 years. The statue was modelled after Siddhartha, who achieved enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. The “imparting fearlessness” mudra of the right hand indicates compassion to save all sentient beings from their sufferings; the “fulfilling wishes” mudra of the left hand resting on the lap, implies the vow to grant blessing and happiness to all.The Big Buddha, also known as Tian Tan Buddha, is famed as the most iconic attraction of Lantau. Sitting next to the Po Lin Monastery, it is only a 10-minute walk away from Ngong Ping Village.”
Lantau Island in Hong Kong is a very specific tour that I do with the Big Buddha being the focal point and a quick search on Google will throw up thousands of articles and such about Lantau Island, there are seemingly hundreds of tour companies offering deals to Lantau Island and it can be a little overwhelming.
The typical Lantau Island tour covers 3 major things
The NP 360 Cable Car from Tung Chung to Ngong Ping where the rather regal Tian Tan Buddha holds court
The Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery
The Tai O Fishing Village
With all due respect to Travel Bloggers I would not put to much faith in what they write about when it comes to the Lantau Island Experience, in general they may have been once only and quite often their facts and suggestions are inaccurate - on the other hand I have been hundreds of times over the years and I specifically visit 4 times a year on my own to see what has changed if anything (and then I am doing tours there all the time) going on my own allows me to really explore and take notes!
Travel Blogger Inaccurate Quick Facts
Construction actually began in 1983 and was essentially completed in 1989 but only opened to the public in December 1993, the project was conceived in 1969 and the original plan was it to open in 1971!
Oh and you need 8 hours on Lantau Island, not 4 - 6 hours!
Yes, you can visit on your own, Google allows you to find any information you might need, many people purchase cheap tour packages where you will be with anywhere from 20 - 100 people with a generally young and inexperienced local guide with barely passable English, spouting inaccurate facts and figures through a microphone working to a pre set route and is more concerned about losing guests than doing a good job.
Let me be clear, my private tour of Lantau Island is an 8 hour tour, period and it is just you and me.
I have noted that some companies offer a 5 hour tour (my tour is simply NOT possible to do in 5 hours) a 6 hour and 7 hour tour, anything less than 8 hours means a superficial experience, for my 8 hour tour I pick you up at your Hotel and drop you off back at your Hotel, none of this meeting you at a subway station!
…. and yes, we take public transport, buses and the subway, I have been using public transport exclusively in Hong Kong since 1972, I have never owned a car, it is by far the most efficient way to get around and it is all part of the experience.
Ask yourself this very simple question, a family of 5 comes to Hong Kong, Mum, Dad and 3 Kids, which tour do you think will give them a better experience of Hong Kong and those memories to last a lifetime
A private tour, just the top quality private tour guide and the family with a flexible itinerary going at your own pace
A group coach tour with a bored, underpaid “local guide” with poor English, working from a prepared script, cracking awful jokes and you have another 20 - 100 tourists on the bus (buses) with you and you have no control of the tour itinerary including how long you spend at a particular place and no chance to interact one on one with the guide who generally has to screech to make themselves heard, the only thing that matters to them is to stick to the schedule and not lose anyone.
Frankly, what has gnawed away at me since 2010 is why people choose to book these group tours | free tours | coach tours, in general the tours are awful, for the paid tours they are very cheap and if ever there is a more apt phrase than “you get what you pay for” then I do not know of one.
Yes, Tripadvisor, Viator, Get Your Guide all have a “lowest price guarantee” which is nonsense by the way, you can easily pay less of you can figure out the company listing the tour on these platforms and simply book direct with them through their own platform as you can imagine the tour platform takes a huge commission from the tour company leading the tour and they simply jack up there normal price and have you noticed that these OTA’s always state the price from, FROM such and such which generally means you will be paying a lot more for the tour.
I do NOT have any listing on these OTA platforms (Online Travel Agent) they are a curse.
I was on Tours by Locals as a guide from 2011 - 2019 but I had to follow their rules which were not consistent with how I do things and they forgot the big thing - all guides are NOT created equal, some guides are more equal than others! so I gave them up and I was right to do so, they are now pretty much like Viator and Get your Guide,
This terrible business model has operated in Hong Kong for over 55 years and it is just recently (i.e. the past 18 months) that one or two poor quality tour companies are trying a new business model which is just a step up from free tours and a step down from coach tours and it involves a tour priced at a very low price and for them to make a profit they need numbers and basically they think a minimum of 20 people on the tour is the lowest going all the way up to 100 people., because the price is so cheap they cut corners on everything you can imagine and their slick tour itineraries need to be scrutinised as they leave out information that may impact on a decision to book one of their tours and they make it a half walking | have coach tour hybrid tour.
A visit to Lantau Island is one of the best things you can do when you visit Hong Kong but the quality of your day trip there is entirely dependent on the guide and | or company you choose.
… and for the record I do not consider the Lantau Island Tour to be touristy or a tourist trap in any shape or form but your day can range from brilliant to appalling depending on who you choose to go with!
13 reasons to book a Private Tour of Hong Kong
The size of the group is limited to 1 - 6 people
Itineraries customised to your personal specifications with unrivalled flexibility
Go at your own pace based on your personal dynamics and circumstances
You can choose the date and starting time and it can cost a lot less than you think!
Beat the crowds! you will absolutely maximise the time for actual sightseeing
You get a local resident | expert with an insiders knowledge of Hong Kong - the ultimate benefit
Flexibility on changing the itinerary during the tour if required
An opportunity to make amazing memories with family and friends
An in-depth learning and participation experience
You will get a great value for money experience and you will get the best guides
The undivided attention of your Private Tour Guide
Going from attractions A to B to C to D to E seamlessly and hassle free with an expert
You will absolutely have a lot more fun! (p.s. and someone to take your picture!)
Go to my Book Now Page for all details including a Booking Form, any questions? you can contact me for a prompt reply
J3 Premium Private Tours | Real Time Booking Calendar
You can check Jamie’s availability on the calendar shown below
Please note that this is a calendar updated daily and is simply to show my availability, you cannot click on the calendar to make a booking, you have to use my booking form further down the page or you can simply send me a short message using my contact form or an email
Pricing below and is also on my PRICES | BOOK NOW Page with Notes | FAQ and my Availability Calendar
In addition please ensure you review my Tours FAQ Page (see menu link) for information relating to my tours
J3 Consultants Private Tour Pricing
Please note that there is NO difference in pricing between a Private, Standard, Popular, Themed or Custom Private Tour
Prices are in US$
| Tour Fee US$ | 1 Person | 2 People | 3 People | 4 People |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Hours Day | $300 | $370 | $440 | $510 |
| 4 Hours Day (half day tour) | $370 | $440 | $510 | $580 |
| 5 Hours Day | $440 | $510 | $580 | $650 |
| 6 Hours Day | $510 | $580 | $650 | $720 |
| 7 Hours Day | $580 | $650 | $720 | $790 |
| 8 Hours Day (full day tour) | $650 | $720 | $790 | $860 |
| 3 Hours Night | $300 | $370 | $440 | $510 |
The private tour | experience fee is the TOTAL fee in US$ - see my FAQ Page regarding transport costs, food and such.
For family tours - Kids 17 and under at the time of booking are FREE OF CHARGE and are always welcome on my experiences!
This is my Hong Kong | Explore Lantau Island with Jamie
The Big Buddha | Tai O Fishing Village | NP 360 Cable Car
Book a Private Tour in Awesome Hong Kong
click on the image to enlarge
The Tian Tan Buddha or Big Buddha
No one calls it the Tian Buddha, it is simply the Big Buddha and it has an interesting history which I am more than happy to share with you on our tour. it was last cleaned and refurbished so to speak in 2022.
I have no control over the weather in Hong Kong, it is different 365 days of the year but sunny days (or non rainy days!) are a lot more common than rainy | stormy days - I was there in late April 2025 with guests and it was completely fogged in ( the elevation is well over 500m ) but after climbing the 268 steps the Buddha did become visible for a few minutes at a time, it is very surreal when it is foggy and I love it! The scenery is amazing by the way and do not worry if you would rather not do the steps, it is called the Big Buddha for a reason, it is very visible at the base of the steps!
… and yes there are wild cows roaming around, I guess they feel safe up there given that it is a vegetarian facility!
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The Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island
In the summer of 1972 I spent a week in the “hostel retreat” at the Po Lin Monastery as part of a school trip, this was long before the Big Buddha came on the scene, I would love to tell you I had a great time, I did not, I hated it passionately.. the hostel accommodation has been refurbished and certainly it is a much more interesting place to visit.
Wow factor does not even begin to describe the Po Lin Monastery next to the Big Buddha, I will not spoil the surprise but many people do not see the main image (which is a shock to the system) trust me the image does not do justice to seeing it with your own eyes, there are vegetarian restaurants available and the Koi fish on display are amazing.
click on the image to enlarge
The Tai O Fishing Village on Lantau Island
The Tai O Fishing village is about 25 minutes by bus from the Big Buddha, I have been going there since I was a kid back in the 1970’s and it has not changed that much, it really is something.
I should warn you now, everyone likes to take the boat ride which goes around part of the village but also goes out to sea in the quest to see the fabled pink dolphins. Please note there are NO guarantees about seeing them, they have a fickle temperament and the South China Sea is pretty large, a lot of group tour companies really push the Dolphin hunt which is wrong and leads to disappointment, I have only seen the dolphins once (and it was a brief glimpse) out of the hundreds of times I have been out on the boat, please do not get your hopes up! my tour of Tai O is far more detailed and interesting than that offered by the group tour companies and does NOT revolve around the Pink Dolphins.
The Hong Kong Government loves to promote the Tai O Fishing Village as the “Venice of the East” I have been to Venice and the fishing village is NOTHING like Venice but has it’s own very unique and distinctive charm and I love going there.
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The NP 360 Cable Car on Lantau Island
Everyone loves the cable car ride which is 25 minutes each way and offers some splendid views
personally I love it even more when it is foggy, it is quite surreal and as you go down the views come into focus
I generally only do the Cable Car one way as I always go to the Tai O Fishing Village first (to avoid the cable car lines in the morning) the cost of the cable car is quite expensive and you only need to do it one way
please note that going up there at 9am - 11am in the morning on any day generally means very long lines and it is quite common to wait for an hour or so, these days they seem to have 5 different lines going which then merge into 2 lines and it can be a very unpleasant experience, I always come down on the Cable Car in the afternoon and it normally means a wait of less than 10 minutes | please note that the skip the line line, has its own line and does not really cut the waiting time
my tip, book the crystal cabin and not the standard cabin, yes the price is higher but the line is a lot shorter and the crystal cabin experience is a whole lot better
from the cable car station it is a 10 - 15 minute walk to the Big Buddha through the Ngong Ping Village which is not a village but a purpose built collection of buildings and shops designed to make you part with money, it does serve a purpose, there are excellent rest rooms, a load of places to eat and drink and for some reason everyone wants to stop at the Chopsticks store to buy chopsticks! it does serve a purpose
So there you go and if you are interested in booking a Lantau Island, Hong Kong 8 hour tour then please contact me.
Please note I pick you up an drop you off at your Hotel.
If you have any questions then please use my simple contact form on my contact J3 page or send me an email for a prompt response.
Jamie, 53 years and counting living in Hong Kong
I am a Yorkshireman and English, we should have no communication problems!
My insider tip 1
Please note that in general if you book a tour on Viator | Tripadvisor | Get Your Guide etc you generally have NO control over what guide will lead your Tour of Lantau Island and this is the most important component of the tour. I urge you to check the actual company website and book via their website and do not forget to read Tripadvisor reviews as well.
My insider tip 2
For the Lantau Island tour, if you are researching tour companies you need to read what is offered and then read it again as many as the companies (Viator, Tripadvisor, Get Your Guide etc) offer tours of 5,6, 7 and 8 hours and it can get very confusing.
Anything that is less than 8 hours generally means that something is being left out, my tour is 8 hours and I have covered above what we will be doing and seeing.
My insider tip 3
Please check the NP 360 Website (see above) as quite a few times of the year the cable car is down for maintenance which can be anywhere from 3 - 21 days, they always have a banner on their home page advising of any down time - please note I can still do the tour by bus if it is down (which I have done more than a few times)
My insider tip 4
My Private Tours are a combination of walking and using public transport and we go at a pace that suits you, I have never owned or driven a car in Hong Kong and I am somewhat of an expert on public transport, you want to know what makes Hong Kong tick well, travelling on the subway, buses, ferries, trams etc gives you that insight an insight you will not get sat in the back of a car and it enables us to cover a lot more ground on our tour.
Sample Hong Kong‛s sights, culture and experiences with Jamie
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Yes, I do take last minute bookings subject to my availability, it is always advisable to check my booking calendar on my J3 Book Now page, simply click on the menu link above or simply send me a message using my message form or an email for a prompt response.
© Jamie Lloyd | J3 Consultants Hong Kong | J3 Private Tours Hong Kong |
| 2010 - 2025 All rights reserved. |
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