Po Lin Buddha, Lantau Island

View of the 268 steps up to the Big Buddha
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Lantau island is the largest of all Hong Kong's islands. It is twice the size of Hong Kong island (the island I live on). The international airport on its northeastern coast, built in 1998, has not greatly changed the rural quiet village life here. You can take the MTR (subway) to get to the island from Central district, or you can take a ferry from Central. We took the ferry and then a bus to the Pon Lin Monastery (about a 40 minute bus ride).

The Po Lin ("precious lotus") Monastery is well known for its "Big Buddha", Lantau's number-one attraction. It claims to be Asia's largest seated outdoor Buddha. How many other 85-foot, 250-ton bronze buddha's are out there that are not seated? That's what I want to know. The statue was built at the end of the 1980s and has turned this peaceful religious retreat into a tourist attraction (another book says it was finished in 1993). It took 3 years to build the statue and more than HK$60 million (almost $8 million US). It is a 268 step walk up to the big Buddha. The statue is encircled by a platform with 6 bronze bodhisattva statues, offering gifts to the Buddha. There is quite a nice view from up there, overlooking other islands and the South China Sea.

Asia's largest seated outdoor Buddha

bodhisattva statues making offerings to the Buddha
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To the left of the main temple are large dining rooms where your can enjoy a large vegetarian meal at the monastery for just a few dollars (US). We dined, then took a stroll through the gardens and temples. Despite the fact that this Buddha has turned into a money making scheme, it was worth the trip on a Sunday afternoon.