Nomadilogue: Hong Kong

Showing posts with label Hong Kong. Show all posts

Visiting Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery in Hong Kong

Overwhelming, beautiful, impressive – these are some of the adjectives that best describe the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery. I’ve visited other temples in Hong Kong, but this one is on the top of my list, hands down!

Situated above the hillside in Sha Tin in New Territories, the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery houses nearly 13,000 Buddha statues of different shapes and sizes, with various poses and expressions.

Walking up the hill to the temple can be very exhausting, so don’t forget to bring a towel and bottled water. There are over 400 steps up the hillside before you’ll be able to reach the summit. On the way up are life-size statues of Buddhas lined up on both sides.

Similar to the famous Terracotta Army in Xian, China, no statues look identical there! Each gold-plated Buddha has its own unique pose and expression. Wow!

How to Reach Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery

To get to this temple, take the MTR and board at the Sha Tin Station. Take Exit B then turn left onto Pai Tau Street. Follow the road down then turn left again and keep walking until the end. On the right, you will find a signage that says “10,000 Buddhas.” The temple is located at the back of Central Home Plaza Mall and Sha Tin Government Office.

Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery is open to the public from 10am to 5pm. Admission is free, although donations are always welcome.

Hong Kong

Walking Along the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong

Modeled after the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Avenue of Stars is testament to Hong Kong’s reputation as the “Hollywood of the East.” It pays tribute to a number of Chinese and Asian actors, actresses and directors that have made huge impact in Hong Kong’s film industry.

Since its grandiose opening in 2004, The Avenue of the Stars has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Hong Kong. The place is very accessible by public transportation. It is located along the waterfront of Victoria Harbor in Tsim Sha Tsui and only minutes away from Nathan Road.

Walking along the Avenue of Stars, visitors can see a number of red pillars with inscriptions that talk about the rich cinematic history of Hong Kong. There are also film-related statues and floor plaques/tablets, some of which contain handprints and autographs of the celebrities themselves, including Jackie Chan, Jet Lee and Wong Kar Wai. There’s also a huge iconic bronze statue of Bruce Lee.

Moreover, tourists can also get a stunning view of skyscrapers at the harbor. Avenue of Stars is a perfect place to see the renowned skyline of Hong Kong and the popular A Symphony of Lights which is shown at 8pm everyday.

How to Get to the Avenue of Stars

If you’re taking the MTR, alight at the East Tsim Sha Tsui Station then follow the signboard to the Avenue of Stars. As simple as that. Once outside the subway, look for the Salisbury Garden.

At the entrance, you’ll see a huge replica of the statuette given to winners at the Hong Kong Film Awards. You can also take the ferryboat to your destination at the Star Ferry Pier.

Hong Kong

Family Trip to Hong Kong Disneyland

Visiting Hong Kong Disneyland with my family for the first time was a memorable and fun experience. It felt like I became a kid all over again!

It was a Chinese holiday when we went to Disneyland. Big Buddha was celebrating his birthday that day, so all four themed lands were, as expected, overcrowded and queues for the rides were quite long. But we’ve got no complaints really.

After all, we didn’t spend a single dime for our tickets, thanks to Josh and Rowell who gave us complimentary passes worth 350 HK$ each.

How to Get to Hong Kong Disneyland

Getting to Disneyland Park is pretty easy via MTR. From Tsim Sha Tsui, we just took the Tsuen Wan line to Lai King, then transferred to the Tung Chung line and boarded at Sunny Bay. Finally, we rode the Disney Metro Train to the park.

We were all excited to have finally boarded on this train. There were lots of “hidden mickeys” – in the windows, walls, and even train hangers.

Exploring Hong Kong Disneyland with my family was absolutely a fun experience. The themed park is definitely not only suitable for children, but for the young at heart as well. In fact, my 20-something-year old friend, Jeamie, was eagerly thrilled to take photos with Stitch, her favorite Disney character.

For me, the main highlight was the Disney on Parade which features a lot of Disney characters, such as, among others, Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, Buzz Lightyear, Cinderella, etc. dancing and marching along to iconic Disney songs.

The indoor theater productions, particularly the Festival of the Lion King in the Adventureland, are also a must see, and the fireworks display at night. Even my parents enjoyed watching it!