Lantau Island

Understand

With the opening of the Lantau Link, a road and rail connection between the airport and central Hong Kong in 1997, Lantau Island is now firmly connected to the mainland of the Kowloon peninsula. The new airport at Chek Lap Kok has led to the establishment and rapid expansion of a new town, Tung Chung, and the improved transport links have brought further development in the shape of Disneyland, a cable car to Ngong Ping monastery, and an entire new road to southern Lantau. Sizeable sections of Lantau Island are country parks, though the island seems poised for more development. There are four sizeable communities on Lantau:

Discovery Bay – a resort-style residential district approximately 30 minutes by boat from Central District, 20 minutes by bus from Tung Chung and 10 minutes by bus from the nearest MTR metro station (Sunny Bay). It is home to about 15,000 people, including a large portion of expatriates. Tung Chung – brand new apartments close to the airport Mui Wo – large, quiet village popular with expatriates who are not taken with the sterility of Discovery Bay Tai O – traditional fishing village, with most houses on stilts in the river. Very scenic and crowded with tourists on weekends.

Getting there

From the airport Lantau Island is adjacent to 1 Hong Kong International Airport, and linked to the airport island by two short bridges. The best ways from the airport are taxi and bus. There is no train service from the airport to Lantau, and it is probably cheaper to take a taxi than to take the Airport Express train to Tsing Yi and come back via the standard MTR. Blue coloured taxis from the airport to anywhere in Lantau are relatively fast and pleasant, however they can be in short supply on weekends. (You can call a number displayed at the taxi stand to try to get one faster). Red and green taxis are (only) allowed to take you to Tung Chung and Disneyland on Lantau, although their use for short distances is generally discouraged by the airport staff and despised by the drivers. Alternatively, there are frequent buses that travel towards Tung Chung MTR station, including S1, S56 (express), S64 (less direct) and N64 (night service) from the airport terminal. Although you can use the A35 or N35 (night service) for traveling to Mui Wo directly from the airport, the frequency of this particular route is sparse. It's usually better to change on to local buses at Tung Chung MTR interchange, where you can find buses to most destinations across Lantau island. It's about a 5-km walk from the airport to Tung Chung. The main (northern) bridge is a highway that doesn't allow pedestrians, but there is a nice walkway over the southern bridge. Considering the bus fare is around $4, you shouldn't have to consider this option.

By train

The Tung Chung MTR line is the fastest way to get to Lantau if you are going to the north of the island. The Tung Chung line also connects with special rail services at Sunny Bay that take visitors directly to Disneyland. The trip to Tung Chung takes around 30 minutes all the way from Hong Kong station and costs $22.4-25.5. Children 11 years and under get a 50% discount. There is a monthly ticket for this line available at the MTR stations, a

Getting around

By car Getting around Lantau Island by car is possible, but motor vehicle traffic is heavily restricted south of Shek Mun Kap. To drive in southern Lantau Island, you will need to obtain a Lantau Closed Road Permit, which is not available for rental cars. Under the Driving on Lantau Island Scheme, the Transport Department issues 50 permits (10 quota for electric vehicles) per day for drivers visiting southern Lantau Island. Permits under the scheme are only valid 8AM to 7PM from Monday to Friday, and are issued on a first-come, first-served basis. The fee for the permit is $75.

By bus On Lantau seemingly short distances on a map (e.g. Tung Chung to Ngong Ping, less than 6 km by cable car) can take a while by road, due to the twisty mountain roads and their circuitous routes. The major bus interchange in Lantau locates nearby the Tung Chung MTR Station. New Lantau Bus serves many bus routes which connect to most of the attractions and villages along the Lantau Island. Bus routes traveling within south Lantau region connect places including Tai O and Mui Wo. A few routes worth knowing are:

1 (and its night service N1) connecting Mui Wo and Tai O; 2 connecting Mui Wo and Ngong Ping; 3M (and its night service N35) connecting Tung Chung and Mui Wo; 11 connecting Tung Chung and Tai O; 21 connecting Tai O and Ngong Ping; and 23 connecting Tung Chung and Ngong Ping.

By taxi Blue taxis are allowed to take you anywhere on Lantau Island. There are not so many of them, so be careful to rely on them during busy times. The fares are slightly cheaper than the red Hong Kong taxis. Red taxis are allowed to serve Lantau except the roads in southern Lantau and Tung Chung Road. Green taxis can only pickup/drop off passengers at the airport, Disneyland and Hong Kong Section of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.

By bicycle Southern Lantau Island is an excellent place for cycling as motor vehicle traffic heavily restricted on its roads and consequently light, but you will need to

See

1 Hong Kong Disneyland, ☏ +852 1 830-830. Asia's second Disneyland was opened in September 2005 and features some of the Disney favourites. The park is accessible via the MTR. Change at the Sunny Bay station on the Tung Chung MTR line for the Disneyland Resort Line. It has nine themed areas: Main Street USA, Adventureland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Toy Story Land, Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Point, World of Frozen and Stark Expo. Tickets are $639 for adults, $475 for children, and $100 for Seniors over 65. There are fewer rides than the other Disney theme parks. A few rides have a slightly different take on them, but there is little unique here. Some rides are simply identical to other parks. If you get there at opening time on a weekday, it would be possible to do all the rides and shows by mid-afternoon. English speakers are well catered for, with all attractions narrating in both English and Cantonese. The Jungle River Cruise, however, which depends so much on the English language delivery of the guide doesn't fare well. There is a choice of Cantonese and American cuisine around the park. The Fantasyland Banquet Hall offering the broadest range of food types and kids meals to keep everyone happy. Meals around $55. There are a plenty of drinking fountains in the park. Bring a water bottle to fill, or pay a bottle in the park. On weekends and holidays the tickets are $350 for adults and $250 for children. Children under 3 are free. Visit on weekdays to avoid the crowds. 2 Inspiration Lake Recreation Centre (迪欣湖). 9AM-7PM, daily.. Inspiration Lake is the largest artificial lake in Hong Kong, and has a 1500-m jogging trail. It also has an arboretum, and rents paddle boats and surrey bikes. It is in Penny's Bay, a 15-minute walk from Disneyland Resort MTR stat