Man Mo Temple

Hong Kong has some thing in store for everyone. If you like spending time outdoors, you can explore the various hiking trails that Hong Kong offers or go cycling up the New Territories. If you like experimenting different cuisines - there is an option for every palate. If you like visiting scared places - then Hong Kong again has enough to offer for you to explore.

On a lazy Sunday afternoon, I decided to go explore one of the popular scared places in Hong Kong - The Man Mo Temple!

The Man Mo Temple is a temple for the worship of the God of literature (Man) and God of War (Mo). Built in 1847, it is said to e one of the largest Man Mo Temple in Hong Kong. The temple is situated in the heart of the concrete jungle of the Central / Sheung Wan business district.

My favourite part of the temple is the ornate arrangement of  the hanging incense coils. They are simply beautiful!

The temple is open Monday to Sunday from 8 am to 6 pm. You can either take a cab to Hollywood Road or take the MTR to Sheung Wan (Exit A2). If you are taking the Big Bus tour, Man Mo Temple is one of the attractions on the tours.

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.

Cruising along Hong Kong

Hong Kong is surrounded by over 250 islands and one of the best way to explore these islands is to charter / rent a 'Junk'. The term 'junk' was initially applied to traditional Chinese fishing boats, but now refers to  any motorized pleasure boat.

It's a good idea to hire a junk on a Saturday, so you have Sunday to rest before you start your work week.

 Boats / the junk can either pick you up from the Central Pier 9 or the Kowloon Public Pier. 

We had the opportunity to be on a junk this weekend. We started from the Central pier and headed east towards Tai Long Wan, Sai Kung. It took us roughly 2.5 hours to get there. There are many other islands that you will cross on the way. You could stop to explore those too.

Tai Long Wan has four beaches along the bay - Sai Wan, Ham Tin Wan, Tai Wan and Tung Wan.

While it's lovely to swim on the beaches in Tai Long Wan, one has to careful as the water has jellyfish. It might be a wise idea to carry a jellyfish sting relief ointment / spray with you.

Things to carry with you on a junk: Swimwear, Sun Tan Lotion, Extra pair of clothes, camera, food and plenty of water.