Cheap Hotels near Po Lin Monastery

One of Hong Kong's most serene landmarks is the Buddhist Po Lin Monastery, which towers above Lantau Island's Ngong Ping plateau. Three mainland Chinese monks first founded Po Lin Monastery more than a century ago. The giant 34m Tian Tan Buddha which stands next to Po Lin Monastery, however, was not completed until 1993.

Some of Po Lin Monastery's main halls are Maitreya, Weituo, and Banruo. Other important halls are the Sutra Collection Hall and the Hall of Ti-tsang Bodhisattva, which contains a 1,000kg bronze bell and a 200kg Ti-tsang Bodhisattva statue. The highlights of the Great Hall of Treasure, otherwise known as Da Xiong Bao Dian, are the three bronze Buddha statues which depict his past, present, and future lives.

Po Lin Monastery visitors can also purchase handmade wooden bracelets close to the Tian Tan Buddha statue, eat at a vegetarian restaurant, or simply soak in the sounds of birds singing and the scent of flowers while meditating in a tranquil garden. Another neighbouring landmark, the Ngong Ping 360, includes the village of Ngong Ping as well as a gondola lift which travels between Ngong Ping and Tung Chung.

Address and contact: Po Lin Monastery, Ngong Ping, Lantau Island, Outlying Islands; tel: (852) 2985 5248

Opening times and fees: Open seven days per week 08:00 - 18:00, admission fee of SG$4.44 includes a vegetarian snack

Hotels near Po Lin Monastery are located on Lantau Island, one of the most beautiful and peaceful places in Hong Kong. This lovely island is also conveniently situated south of Hong Kong International Airport and west of the far more crowded Hong Kong Island. Most hotels near Po Lin Monastery have higher end ratings of between four and five stars.

Despite their unspoiled surroundings, the majority of hotels near Po Lin Monastery are modern skyscrapers with hundreds of high quality guestrooms. Whether they belong to international luxury chains or are independently operated, hotels near Po Lin Monastery almost always contain flat screen televisions and comfortable work spaces complete with complimentary wireless internet access.

External amenities at many of these upscale places to stay include lovely gardens, outdoor swimming pools with lounge chairs, bars with live entertainment, and restaurants which serve a variety of tasty dishes from around the globe.