Aqua Luna!

T o me, Hong Kong is a city of lights! And one of the best way to take in all the lights and sights of this magnificent city would be to go on a boat ride.

There are many options for a boat ride in Hong Kong but one of my favourites is the Aqua Luna. The Chinese red sail junk boats offer a relaxed 45 min ride across the Victoria Harbour. The boats leave from Central and Tsim Sha Tshui.

I have always taken the evening cruise from Central which is approximately  HKD 195 / person (includes one complimentary drink). It might seem a bit exorbitant to some but the crew on board do make you feel special and ensure that you have a great 45 minute cruise.

 They do have cruise to Discover Bay and Stanley in the afternoon. If you are planning to take the junk boat from Central - it leaves from Central ferry pier 9.

Big Buddha!

Ever since I moved to Hong Kong, one of places I really wished to visit was the Big Buddha! Finally after being here for almost 8 months, we made our first trip to the famous tourist attraction.

Tian Tan Buddha, popularly known as the Big Buddha, is right next to the Po Lin Monastery in Lantau Island. It was erected in 1993 and is a 34 meters high bronze statue. You have to climb around 260 steps to get the base of this majestic statue.

There are six smaller bronze statues at the base of the Buddha statue known as 'The Offerings of the Six Devas'. From the base of the Buddha statue you also get a panoramic view of Lantanu Island.

Opposite the statue is the Po Lin Monastery which houses the 'Grand Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas', which is an absolutely must see. 

Another must do at the Big Buddha is the Wisdom Path. It is a 15 - 20  minute walk from the entrance to the Buddha statue but it totally worth it.

Big Buddha is a very popular tourist destination, hence it is a good idea to get there early, especially if you are going on a weekend or public holiday. The Buddha and the monastery is open to public from 10 am to 6 pm. There are many ways to get there - you could take a bus from Tung Chung to the monastery or take the cable car. We took the cable car. :)

We opted for the crystal cabin cable car with the glass floor for our 25 minute ride to get to Ngong Ping. The bus ride from Tung Chung is about 45 minutes. While the cable car is more expensive, it is definitely worth doing it one way.