Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha) — Base & the 268 Steps

High on the Ngong Ping plateau on Lantau Island, a 34-metre bronze Buddha sits cross-legged on a lotus throne above Po Lin Monastery. Tian Tan Buddha was completed on 29 December 1993. It was cast in 202 bronze pieces and weighs more than 250 tonnes. The right hand is raised to remove suffering, and the left rests open on the lap as a sign of generosity. Reaching it on foot is the whole point of the visit. From the square below, 268 stone steps climb straight up the hill. There are no escalators and no shortcuts, but each landing is a good excuse to stop, catch your breath and look back. At the top, a platform circles the base of the statue. You stand close enough to see the joins between the bronze panels. On a clear day the view runs over the green ridges of Lantau and down to the roofs of the monastery. It helps to know exactly what is free. Climbing the steps and walking around the outside of the Buddha costs nothing. The exhibition halls inside the base, the halls of the Universe, of Benevolent Merit and of Remembrance, charge admission, and at busy times entry comes with a meal ticket for the monastery's vegetarian kitchen. The Ngong Ping 360 cable car from Tung Chung is also a paid ride. Lantau bus route 23 from outside Tung Chung MTR costs far less and takes about 45 minutes. The plateau is high and often wrapped in cloud, even when the city below is clear. If you arrive and the Buddha has vanished into mist, walk down to the monastery and try the steps again later. Weather here changes quickly, and a short wait is often rewarded.