Lantau Island Bus Tour: Big Buddha, Ngong Ping & Tai O Dolphins

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Hong Kong SAR, China

Popular pick

Booked 5+ times last week!

6 to 7 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.4

· SUPARNA_S ·

Jun 2026

It is an experience different from the regular glitz and glamor of Hong Kong. Lantau, Po Lin Monastery and Tai O village were so serene, so idyllic...the Buddhist Monastery, the stilted houses but above all the food was wonderful. Strongly recommended

· Jeff_H ·

Jun 2026

The guide was knowledgeable and flexible in making adjustments during the tour. The big Buddha was mostly hidden in clouds when we got off the cable car, so she had us go to the fishing village right away, and later we toured the big Buddha, the clouds had cleared Wonderful day @

Overview

See the Tian Tan Buddha statue (Big Buddha) with ease on a visit to Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island. Ride the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car and enjoy a boat ride around Tai O, a quaint fishing village where the houses stand on stilts. You also have the option to upgrade to a glass-bottom crystal cabin, a private tour, or a dinner buffet cruise on Victoria Harbour.

A hassle-free way to visit top Lantau sites in one day
Save time with skip-the-line access to the cable car
Gain more from your visit with insights from a guide
Relax with convenient hotel pickup and drop-off Depart in the afternoon from your Hong Kong Island or Kowloon hotel. Meet your guide aboard the coach, which takes you to Tung Chung. From there, you'll hop on the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car for an aerial ride to Ngong Ping Village, a 3-mile (5.7-km) journey over Lantau Island. You're treated to 360-degree panoramic views of the South China Sea and North Lantau Country Park. If you upgraded to a crystal cabin, equipped with a glass bottom, expand your bird's-eye view of rolling grassland slopes right beneath your feet. Enjoy free time to walk around the cultural-themed village of Ngong Ping. Climb the 268 steps to reach the Big Buddha, one of the world's largest outdoor bronze Buddha statues. Gain admission to Po Lin Monastery. Afterward, stop at the fishing village of Tai O by coach. Once the largest inhabited settlement on Lantau Island, the village waterfront offers a glimpse into Hong Kong's past and provides a striking contrast with the modern city. A boat trip around the stilt houses of this tightly-knit fishing community is included. Don't miss the Tai O Heritage Hotel, built in 1902; formerly the Tai O Police Station, the hotel features a colonial design that represents its vintage architectural charm. At the end of your tour, you'll be dropped off in Hong Kong Island or Kowloon. Depending on the option selected, enjoy a buffet dinner cruise in Victoria Harbour or a private tour. [

What's Included

Meet tour guide & other tourists at a departure point
Fast Pass one-way Ngong Ping cable car (crystal cabin is optional with additional fee)
Kowloon Side: Holiday Inn Golden Mile.
Hong Kong Island Side: Renaissance Harbour View Hotel
After tour, you will be dropped off at one of the above Holiday Inn Golden Mile

Gratuities
Meals

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting points

Select a meeting point

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End point

Holiday Inn Golden Mile Hong Kong by IHG
50 Nathan Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Only private tours include hotel drop-off service. For all group tours, guests will be dropped off at this location.

Itinerary

Depart in the afternoon from your Hong Kong Island or Kowloon hotel. Meet your guide aboard the coach, which takes you to Tung Chung.

From there, you'll hop on the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car for an aerial ride to Ngong Ping Village, a 3-mile (5.7-km) journey over Lantau Island. You're treated to 360-degree panoramic views of the South China Sea and North Lantau Country Park. If you upgraded to a crystal cabin, equipped with a glass bottom, expand your bird's-eye view of rolling grassland slopes right beneath your feet.

Enjoy free time to walk around the cultural-themed village of Ngong Ping. Climb the 268 steps to reach the Big Buddha, one of the world's largest outdoor bronze Buddha statues. Gain admission to Po Lin Monastery.

Afterward, stop at the fishing village of Tai O by coach. Once the largest inhabited settlement on Lantau Island, the village waterfront offers a glimpse into Hong Kong's past and provides a striking contrast with the modern city. A boat trip around the stilt houses of this tightly-knit fishing community is included.

Don't miss the Tai O Heritage Hotel, built in 1902; formerly the Tai O Police Station, the hotel features a colonial design that represents its vintage architectural charm.

At the end of your tour, you'll be dropped off in Hong Kong Island or Kowloon. Depending on the option selected, enjoy a buffet dinner cruise in Victoria Harbour or a private tour.

Lantau island

3 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Tung Chung

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Ngong Ping 360

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Tai O

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha)

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Po Lin (Precious Lotus) Monastery

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Hong Kong

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
Coach transportation between Tung Chung and Ngong Ping will be arranged as a substitute when the cable car service is suspended due to maintenance, or severe weather warning.
Children aged 2 and younger are complimentary.

For the Superior Bus Tour, please provide your hotel name and address at the time of booking. The exact pick-up time will be confirmed before 20:00 on the day prior to departure.
Guests who fail to arrive at the designated pick-up location on time will be considered a no-show. The tour will be forfeited for that day, and a rescheduling fee of HKD 100 per person will apply for transfer to the next available tour date.
Complimentary rescheduling is available for guests booked under the Private Van Tour option.
If you have not received the pickup notification, please proceed directly to Holiday Inn at 09:30 AM to join the group; if you are unable to join today’s tour, we can offer a complimentary reschedule to the following day.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

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Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

kristina_g

Our trip to Lantau Island was an absolute breeze from start to finish. We were a bit worried about the logistics of the cable car and getting around the villages, but the entire experience was completely hassle-free. A huge shoutout to our amazing guide, Tella! She was incredibly knowledgeable, energetic, and made sure we didn't have to worry about a single detail. She knew all the best photo spots at the Big Buddha and gave us great insights into Tai O Fishing Village that we never would have found on our own. If you’re looking for a smooth, high-quality tour, this is it. Thanks, Tella!

Reviews

4.4

based on 52 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

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Great Hong Kong Tour.

ISAM_A, Jul 2026

I really enjoyed the tour. Daisy was very professional, on-time with everything, friendly and very informative. The bus was air-conditioned. I highly recommend this tour to solos, couples and families.

Knowledge and flexible guide

Jeff_H, Jun 2026

Lantau and Tai O

SUPARNA_S, Jun 2026

Great Tour

Karen_H, Jun 2026

Enjoyed our tour with Ingrid! She even climbed the steps to the Big Buddha with us! Would definitely recommend.

Jovial is the best! Super...

Poshan_R, May 2026

Jovial is the best! Super energetic, helpful, and knowledgeable. She makes sure we were given all the history, facts and culture throughout the tour. We were having fun anf learning till we all said Goodbye at the end of the day. I highly recommend this tour and Jovita.

Great Day!

Toya, Apr 2026

This was a great tour. I was able to see and experience so many things on my list without needing to figure it all out. If you're solo, bring a tripod. The guide doesn't offer to take your pics and you'll have free time to roam around on your own. This tour only offers hotel pickup from 2 hotels. So I had to catch the metro to get to the starting point.

Response from Host, May 2026

Group size too large for optimal experience

Sherri_P, Apr 2026

I was a bit disappointed in the tour operator not the guide. Yes, we got the tour, as far as places we went, that we expected. But we didn’t get the overall tour experience that we expected. We purposely chose a “small group” excursion! The tour guide was late because they were picking up a group at another hotel. We went into a very small seat bus with 20 people. And then we waited for another person of the group who was running late. We all were fine with that since Jonathan let us all know. But there was no opportunity for introductions from the guide or among the other people on the bus… which is usually what we are accustomed to with Viator small groups. I reached out directly to the tour operator and asked their definition of “small group” and the response was “normally 15 maximum” “sorry for the inconvenience”. But we didn’t get what we paid for! There were lots of logistics on this tour and Jonathan did the best he could with the different “levels” of paying customers he was trying to take care of in this larger group. Some had higher level cabins on the cable car, Some had paid for the lunch and some had not. He offered for all of us to join those eating lunch and he would buy us a soda. The restaurant was so crowded that we bowed out and went somewhere else to eat. If planning to book with this vendor, I would as specifics about size of group and the different type of options they have.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you for your detailed feedback. We’re glad to hear you appreciated Jonathan’s effort and that you were able to visit the key sites as planned. However, we’re sorry that the overall experience did not fully meet your expectations regarding the “small group” concept. Our tours are operated as shared group departures, and group sizes may vary depending on daily bookings, with a general guideline of up to around 15–20 guests. On some dates, logistics such as hotel pickups, cabin upgrades, and lunch selections can result in mixed service combinations within the same group. We understand your concern about introductions and group experience, and we will take your comments into consideration to improve coordination and guest communication at the start of tours. We appreciate your feedback and hope to have the opportunity to provide a more seamless experience in the future.

Lovely lantau

kchidley, Apr 2026

Good way to cover Lantau island as transport can be tricky. Fishing village quaint and boat trip was fab as we saw the famous dophins. Guide informative but also gave us time to explore area ourselves

Response from Host, Apr 2026

The ropeway trip was very...

SUDHAKAR_R, Apr 2026

The ropeway trip was very enjoyable, Hope Buddha was a wonderful sight, numerous pictures were taken . Guide was very good

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you for your kind feedback! We’re glad to hear you enjoyed the cable car experience and that the Big Buddha was such a memorable highlight for you. It’s great that you were able to take many photos and that your guide made the experience enjoyable. We hope to welcome you again on another tour soon!

Great tour guide, disappointing lunch

Walter_H, Apr 2026

Our tour guide, Becky Chan, was helpful, upbeat and knowledgeable. She went out of her way to help us and assist two other guests make their way to the airport after the tour. Our tour was great My only issue was the quality and price of lunch. The food was mediocre - noodles with minimal beef; fried rice; pork pieces with bones; U-peel shrimp; tofu; and small undercooked whole fish with bones. The food was overpriced at $25/pp USD.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you for your detailed feedback. We’re very pleased to hear that you enjoyed the tour and that Becky Chan provided helpful, upbeat, and knowledgeable service, including assisting guests beyond the tour itself. Regarding your comments on lunch, we’re sorry to hear it did not meet your expectations. The meal provided is a set local-style menu designed to reflect traditional Hong Kong flavors, and we understand that taste and value perception can vary. Your feedback regarding food quality and pricing has been noted and will be shared with our operations team for review and improvement. We appreciate your comments and hope to have the opportunity to provide you with a more satisfying experience in the future.

Lantau Island

Monique_P, Mar 2026

I booked a private tour with an English speaking guide and we got Harry who was exceptional! I love the thorough history and his guidance. 100% recommend Lantau Island to see! If you need and recommend Harry! We had a wonderful experience

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed your private Lantau Island tour and that Harry made the experience exceptional with his knowledge and guidance. We truly appreciate your strong recommendation and hope to welcome you again on another tour soon!

See Big Budda guided.

Kim_Z, Mar 2026

As a solo traveler this trip was perfect. The tour picks you up and then is all guided by a local. Daisy our guide was very informative and friendly. You get to see the big budda, delicious choices for lunch while you're there. The trip to the fishing village was fun, and you get to go on an old fishing boat ride. Well worth the money..

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted to hear the tour was a perfect fit for your solo trip and that you enjoyed the Big Buddha, lunch options, and the fishing village experience, including the boat ride. We’re especially happy Daisy made your day informative and friendly. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again soon!

She rocks!

Polona_P, Mar 2026

Our Guide was extraordinary! Experience was good, but she made it extra special! I’m afraid I didn’t catch her name - Tolla possibly- left today at 9.30 from Holliday in. First time a guide would share insight, take us to food stands, explain how to eat what… no one ever did that!

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted to hear that your guide made the experience extra special by sharing insights and introducing local food stands and culture in such an engaging way. This is exactly the kind of authentic experience we aim to provide. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you again soon!

Ingrid was a really good...

Sue_F, Mar 2026

Ingrid was a really good guide she gave us lots of good information about the destinations. The Buddha was very interesting to visit as was the fishing village. We really enjoyed the day.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you for your kind feedback! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the day and found both the Big Buddha and the fishing village interesting. It’s great that Ingrid provided you with so much helpful information throughout the tour. We truly appreciate your support and hope to welcome you again soon!

Awesome tour with Becky!

Megan_T, Mar 2026

Becky was super sweet and knowledgeable! We loved the tour! The lunch in the fishing village was amazing!!

I had a great experience...

Allison_R, Jan 2026

I had a great experience on this tour, thanks to Becky. She was attentive and made a real effort to understand what I cared about most. She asked thoughtful questions throughout the tour to tailor the experience to my interests, which made everything feel more personal and engaging. Becky’s approach added so much value to the day, and I truly appreciated her care and professionalism. I’d happily recommend her to anyone looking for a guide who listens and goes

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Thank you very much for sharing your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted to hear that you had such a personalized and engaging experience with Becky. Her attentiveness, thoughtful questions, and genuine effort to understand your interests are exactly the qualities we value in our guides. We’re so pleased that her care and professionalism added real value to your day, and we truly appreciate your kind recommendation. We will be sure to pass your compliments on to Becky. We hope to welcome you again on another tour in the future!

Hassle Free!

kristina_g, Jan 2026

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Thank you very much for your detailed and wonderful feedback! We’re delighted to hear that, despite initial concerns about the cable car and village logistics, the entire experience turned out to be smooth and hassle-free. A special thank you for your kind words about Tella. She will be thrilled to know that her knowledge, energy, and attention to detail made your visit to the Big Buddha and Tai O Fishing Village so memorable, and that her tips on the best photo spots and local insights added real value to your journey. We truly appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming you again on another high-quality tour in the future.

Disjointed and Frustrating

Howard_B, Jan 2026

The tour was originally set for 9:30 a.m. We received an email with a revised time of 10:10. We waited, with no contact until 10:45 when we finally heard back that they were running late. Another half hour before we were picked up. We had to collect a couple of other people, so our tour began 2 hours late. The tour guide was so confused how to organize the tour within the time. We didn't have time to eat and also toilet ourselves in 15 minutes and make it back to the bus area. Those who ordered the lunch as well missed it. We, subsequently on returning to the cable car were told that we could wait in line for 1.5 hours or pay more to get on the cable car with the crystal bottom for an additional 70 dollars and if not wait get back to our hotel in Kowloon from the cable car location on Lantau island ourselves. That is ridiculous! I would definitely not recommend anyone take this Viator trip.

Response from Host, Jan 2026

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you experienced on the day of the tour. Due to unexpected delays and last-minute changes from other participants, the overall schedule was affected, which in turn caused disruptions to the timing and flow of the itinerary. We understand that this led to confusion on site and placed pressure on the guide to adjust the program within a limited time frame. We regret that this impacted your experience, including the short break time and the situation at the cable car station. This is not the standard of service we aim to provide. Please rest assured that we take your feedback seriously and are continuously working with our operations and guiding teams to improve coordination, communication, and on-site contingency handling to avoid similar situations in the future. Thank you for sharing your experience with us, and we hope there will be an opportunity to serve you better on a future visit.

Great Experience

keith_w, Nov 2019

With the unrest in HK this company took extra efforts to make sure we were safe. They kept the full size bus for only eight people. This company puts customers safety above profits. Good for them!! The tour was excellent as well. Zero lines or crowds.

Great Tour of the Big Buddha but room for improvement

James T, Oct 2019

The tour combined our tour with tourist from South America that spoke very little English. This caused the guide to have her attention divided. Since our guide didn't speak Spanish, this made communications difficult. Also, our tour was diverted out of our way to take some tourist to Disneyland. This significantly reduced the amount of time we had to visit our scheduled sites. Additionally, we visited a fishing village and took a boat ride. However, there was no guide or explanation of what we saw or the significance of why we were there. That being said, the boat ride and visit to that village could have been eliminated. Thus allowing more time to visit the Big Buddha which was truly fantastic

Lantau with a bonus

Peter B, Oct 2019

Picked up on time by our guide that showed us to the bus. Once on our way, we were given a description of what was going to happen on the tour and what to expect from our great guide Cecilia. Started with the cable cart ride which was spectacular and took us up to the Buddha and the monastery. The Buddha is impressive and the monastery beautiful. After taking in the views we got on a bus and was taken to Tai O. A charming little village we walked through to board our boat. A small tour of the village then out of the harbour. Once out the captain heard that there was some dolphins close so we sped out and there they were. Saw quite a few of them before they moved on. That in itself was worth the whole tour. Great tour, fully recommended it.

Nice Tour!

Jon W, Jul 2019

We were in Hong Kong for a short time. We were deciding between this tour or a Hop On/Hop Off tour. This is out of the city, and shows a different aspect of the country. We even had an impromptu dolphin trip when we visited Tai O (fishing village). I would recommend over the Hop On/Hop Off tour...you get more of Hong Kong than just buildings.

Not enough time 😩

Carolyn H, Apr 2019

Cable car was brilliant but we only had 40 mins at the big Buddha which wasn’t long enough to climb up plus have lunch and look at the shops so had to miss out on food and shopping. Fishing village was a nice detour with the boat ride. We were lucky enough to see a dolphin. Needs longer time at each place

Good way to visit Big Buddha and Tai O fishing village

Brian_M, Apr 2019

We really enjoyed our afternoon tour with Andy. It made it easy to visit the Big Buddha and Tai O fishing village in about 6 hours. The price was reasonable with all tickets needed included. You also get to skip the long line to ride the cable car.

Budda

Vacation52259148257, Apr 2019

a very organised tour , tour guide entertaining, got to skip line at cable car. had fun time, got to see the bridge that goes from Hong Know to Macau (bonus) was not expecting to see that. i would recommend this tour company to my friends and would use them again for sure

Enjoyable and well executed

GrandTour21880967485, Jan 2019

Well advertised. Good communication for booking process and follow-up. Comfortable coach. Excellent guide. Pleasant and informative exposure to Hong Kong highlights.

The Big Buddha cable ride

Christine_S, Dec 2018

It was a lot of fun on the ride but it got so foggy when we got up to the top of the mountain that we could not see the Big Buddha. The temples up there were beautiful it is a must see.

Enjoyed this tour. It was well...

Eva H, Mar 2018

Enjoyed this tour. It was well organised. We had a clear day for the cable car with phenomenal views. The tour guide was informative and we were given time to explore the monastery and hike to Big Buddha. I opted to browse through the halls and then ordered food from the monastery cafeteria and sat on the tables provided to eat.The time was a bit tight for a hike up to the Big Buddha you would have to be very fit for that. I really enjoyed the walk through the fishing village. The boat ride ended with a trip out into the river to look for pink dolphins. Unfortunately we did not see any but the ride was pleasant. I think this was the better option than the whole day tour.

Guide was informative and cordial...

Art, Feb 2018

Guide was informative and cordial. Cable car ride was breathtaking.

Ross, our tour guide was awesome...

Jennifer_G, Feb 2018

Ross, our tour guide was awesome. We were able to skip any lines for the cable cars and Ross explained everything so well while giving us time to explore on our own. It was great!!