After a comfortable night sleeping in a bed, we both felt revitalised this morning. For last night’s meal, we managed to find a Chinese Vegan Cafe just a few blocks away from the hotel and the food was damn good and also very cheap. We have struggled to find anywhere else this side of the Harbour so what was about the only option turned out to be the best. I never booked breakfast at the hotel as I assumed there were plenty of places nearby which hasn’t turned out to be the case. So, at about £12 a head for the hotel buffet breakfast, we decided to give it a go. Again, this turned out to be the best option and it will do just nicely for the 3 mornings we are here.
You might have noticed the hotel’s name includes “YMCA.” While there’s certainly a link, this hotel operates as an independent business. Sure, you’ll spot a few biblical quotes in the public areas, and there’s no bar, but what it lacks in nightlife, it makes up for in value and location. It’s cheaper than most hotels in the area and perfectly placed for getting around the city. For us, that balance of affordability and accessibility makes it a no brainer. And it’s right next door to The Peninsula which is the premier hotel in Hong Kong.
So, today we decided to venture further afield and returned to Lantau Island and visit the Giant Buddha.
To get there we took a 40 minute walk to Kowloon Station and caught the train to Tung Chung Station and then the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car over the hills to Ngong Ping where we then walked to the foot of the steps that take you up to the Giant Buddha itself.
What a great experience and with some amazing views along the way.
After making our way back to Kowloon, we took a late lunch and early dinner at another eatery which was vegan friendly for Nicole called the Light Vegetarian Restaurant where we enjoyed two delicious noodle dishes. This particular place was in the top 10 places to eat vegetarian in Kowloon and was full of locals. What made it more fun was none of the staff spoke any English. After a brief visit back to the hotel we ventured out for a couple of drinks before visiting the Space Museum which was free entry on Wednesday’s. We watched a film in the domed planetarium called “Building a Dream Palace” which was about the Chinese Space Station. Very interesting to see a different take on their space exploration ambitions.
Another full day tomorrow when we will venture over to the other side of the harbour and spend the day there.
Fitbit Steps – 20,600
Well you certainly had a different experience than we did at the Buddha. We did take the train which was fine. It was the cable car ride…thought we were going to die. Seriously, winds were a constant 25-30 mph with gusts up to 45. They should have closed it. Once we were up there the cars going back down were empty. Everyone was taking the bus. No one wanted to go through that experience again.
Did you know the monks that take care of the temple serve a completely vegan lunch? At least they did when we were there. Not being vegan, we weren’t impressed but I am sure your wonderful bride would have loved it.
Loving the trip so far. Glad you got rested up.
Yes, we were aware of the meal deal at the Po Lin Monastery but would decided to return to Kowloon. Your cable car journey sounds like an absolute nightmare, Nicole would have never got on the cable car if she had heard about your experience.