Lantau Island is home to some of the most notable tourist hotspots in Hong Kong such as the Big Buddha, Disneyland, Tai O fishing village and also the first stop visitors make, the airport (duh).
Tung Chung is a primarily residential area on the western coast of the island first developed in the 90s for the families of those who work at Chek Lap Kok Airport.
Nowadays, Tung Chung serves simply as a middle man to get to attractions straight out of your average Hong Kong tourist guide, but this former rural village and its surroundings house some of the city’s most gorgeous scenic spots, giving keen sightseers a glimpse into its military history.
What to do and see in Tung Chung
Citygate Outlets: Shop ’til you drop
Citygate Outlets outside MTR station. Photo: shankar.s via Flickr
There’s no questioning that Hong Kong has an abundance of shopping malls, but the Citygate Outlets in Tung Chung stands out thanks to its sheer size (as the largest outlet mall in the city) and its tenants’ eye-catching discounts.
These factory outlets offer year-round discounts of up to 70 percent on international brands such as Burberry, Coach, Kate Spade, and Ralph Lauren, so ditch those Ladies’ Market knock-offs and get the real deal. Make your way through the hundreds of mouse ears (inevitable due to the mall’s close proximity to Disneyland) at Tung Chung MTR Station and get off at Exit C to do your wallets a favour!
What: Citygate Outlets (more info)
How to get there: Tung Chung MTR Station Exit C
Opening hours: 10am – 10pm daily
Ngong Ping 360: Soar above Lantau
Ngong Ping 360 cable car ride. Photo: J Arron Farr via Flickr
Constantly making itself onto every top 10 cable car ride list (the Telegraph, CNN, the Daily Mail etc.), we couldn’t really skip the the Ngong Ping 360, though some may consider it a clichéd attraction (#sorrynotsorry). The 5.7-kilometre-long cable car ride lasts approximately 25 minutes and makes its way across Tung Chung Bay to North Lantau, home to the famous Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery.
The Ngong Ping 360 also ups the ante by holding the title of the world’s first glass-bottom gondolas so head to their Crystal Cabins for HKD325 per head and, if you’re afraid of heights, get ready to wipe your pee off the floor. For the less adventurous bunch, you can make your way onto their (boring) standard cabins for HKD255 per head and still enjoy the stunning view.
What: Ngong Ping 360 Cable Cars (more info)
How to get there: Tung Chung MTR Station Exit B
Opening hours: 10am – 6pm Mon – Fri, 9am – 6:30pm Sat, Sun, and public holidays
Cost: HKD255 – HKD325 per head
Tung Chung Fort: A historical monument used by Chinese emperors, Brits, and the Japanese
Cannons at the Tung Chung Fort. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Located in Ha Ling Pei, the Tung Chung Fort was built in 1832 during the reign of Emperor Dao Guang, mainly for protection against English troops as well as pirates. Ironically, the area was leased to Britain in 1898 and the fort was converted to a police station… until it was taken over by Japanese troops during the Second World War — this fort just couldn’t seem to get a break. The Tung Chung Fort was declared a historical monument in 1979 and is currently occupied by the Rural Committee Office and the Public Primary School of Tung Chung. Enclosed by a granite wall, it has six muzzle-loading cannons resting on a cement base with granite enclosures; an exhibition centre and an antiquities museum were also built for visitors in 2001.
What: Tung Chung Fort, Exhibition Centre & Antiquities Museum (more info)
Opening hours: 10am – 5pm daily
How to get there: Only 15 minutes from the Ngong Ping 360, you can take buses 3M, 11, or 34 to reach this fort
Cost: Free!
Tung Chung Battery: Rediscovered in 1983 after a century of being (literally) overlooked
The less loved Tung Chung Battery. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
A kilometre away, the Tung Chung Battery is the less popular sibling of the Tung Chung Fort; it was built in 1817 to protect Tung Chung Bay from the threat of pirates, especially in the seas near Southern China to make up for China’s lack of naval power at the time. The battery was declared a historical monument in 1983 when it was discovered buried under thick foliage for nearly a century. After restoration work, the battery now consists of an L-shaped wall that is said to have contained a corner platform most likely for a gun. Instead of facing an open sea as it used to, the battery now faces the airport — no pirates looming there, we suppose.
What: Tung Chung Battery ruins (more info)
Opening hours: 10:00am – 5:00pm daily
How to get there: Take buses 3M, 11, or 34 to reach this fort from Ngong Ping 360
Cost: Free!
Wong Lung Hang Country Trail
The heavenly Wong Lung Waterfalls. Photo: Savio Photography via Flickr
As Hong Kong Island’s hikes get more and more crowded, get off the trash-littered, selfie-stick-overloaded, beaten path and head to the Wong Lung Hang Country Trail. It’s set deep in Tung Chung Valley, which includes some of the oldest and steepest mountain streams in Hong Kong as well as a few rare species of wildlife. The valley also encompasses several hillside monasteries and deep gorges which all make for a very breathtaking hike, but the showstopper on this particular trail is the famous Wong Lung Waterfall.
The Wong Lung Stream is thus named as it apparently resembles a “yellow dragon” (“wang long” in Cantonese) ready to take off for heaven during heavy rainstorms, according to someone with a wild imagination and/or access to hallucinogenic drugs. Three hours into the trail, you’ll reach the majestic Wong Lung Waterfalls. Dive into the crystal clear water of the deep pool — it certainly beats swimming amongst plastic bottles and other muck on beaches.
To get to the Wong Lung Hang Country Trail, get off at Exit A from Tung Chung and walk towards the Tung Chung Fort, then walk along Wong Lung Hang Road. If your end goal is only to visit the waterfalls, the hike there and back from Tung Chung Station will take around six hours to complete. However, you can also continue hiking past the waterfalls and into Mui Wo, which takes roughly seven hours and involves some rock climbing and steep slopes.
What: Wong Lung Hang Country Trail (more info)
How to get there: Get off at Exit A from Tung Chung and walk towards the Tung Chung Fort along Wong Lung Hang Road
Cost: Free!
Where to eat in Tung Chung:
Amante Bar & Restaurant:
Seared Sea Bass filet with olive white wine sauce. Photo: KanLee via OpenRice
This beloved Western restaurant boasts itself as one of the highest rated restaurants in Tung Chung, serving (Hongkong-ified) Italian fare such as pizzas, pastas, seafood and more. The warm and cozy ambience of this restaurant is only amplified by the famously friendly staffers; both have managed to attract many visitors and locals to the area. Located only three minutes away from Tung Chung MTR station Exit A, the view of concrete buildings isn’t fantastic, but who’s got time to look at that when you have their delicious thin-crusted pizzas to dig into? Menu favourites include Seared Sea Bass Filet with olive white wine sauce, Sautéed Prawns with pesto in angel hair pasta, Four-Cheese and Spinach Pizza, and the Minestrone Soup.
What: Amante Bar & Restaurant (OpenRice)
Opening Hours: 11:00am – 12:00am, Mon-Sun
Address: Shop 1, G/F, Fu Tung Plaza, Tung Chung (Google Maps)
Price: About HKD120 to HKD200 per head
Wah Tao Restaurant:
Outdoor seating with one hell of a good view. Photo: four_month via OpenRice
If you aren’t blessed with bilingual abilities, take a friend who speaks Cantonese. If you don’t have friends, rely on your trusty index finger and point at your desired choices on this local restaurant’s menu and pray that gets the job done. This eatery is located near the old Tung Chung pier and delivers delicious Guangdong seafood to your table in its outdoor seating area (perfect for group dining!). There are also plenty of vegetarian options, so fear not, green foodie friends. The mesmerising views will help keep your attention off the rustic surroundings, and be assured the food is well worth it. Menu highlights include Grilled Squid with Black Bean Sauce, Stewed Barbeque Pork and Fish with bitter melon in hot pot, and Shallow-Fried Fish Cake, complete with an array of beers to choose from.
What: Wah Tao Restaurant (Yelp)
Opening Hours: 11am – 2pm; 5:45pm – 10pm daily
Address: 2 Tung Chung Old Pier, Tung Chung (Google Maps).
Price: About HKD100 to HKD150 per head
