NGONG PING 360

Description

Essentials about the Ngong Ping 360 in brief

Cable car fans and lovers of great views should have taken at least one ride on the Ngong Ping 360 in Hong Kong. The cable car connects the Tung Chung district on the north coast of Lantau Island with the Ngong Ping Plateau, which is home to the giant Tian Tan Buddha, also known as the “Big Buddha,” and the Po Lin Monastery, as well as a number of other tourist attractions in Ngon Ping Village.

The ride with the Ngong Ping 360

The ride on the 5.7-kilometer cable car to the Ngong Ping Plateau takes about 25 minutes and is thus much shorter than the journey by bus or car, which takes over an hour (and on top of that, with its great panoramic view, of course much more spectacular). From the gondolas you can enjoy a fabulous view of the planes taking off and landing at Hong Kong International Airport, the ships in the South China Sea, the nature of Lantau Island and the gigantic Tian Tan Buddha statue.

The history of the Ngong Ping 360

The construction of the Ngong Ping 360 cable car was triggered by the construction of Hong Kong’s new international airport on the north shore of Lantau Island and the construction of the Big Buddha statue on the island in the 1990s. Both construction projects caused a massive increase in traffic and tourism on Lantau Island, which could no longer be handled by the existing road network.

The Hong Kong government was therefore looking for a transportation alternative to carry tourists to the Ngong Ping Plateau. After a feasibility study and numerous discussions, it was decided to build a gondola lift in order to have the least possible ecological impact on the natural environment of Lantau Island. The construction of the Ngong Ping 360 cable car started in 2004 and took two years. The construction turned out to be an extremely complex project, as no construction roads could be built due to the nature park and cargo helicopters were often unable to fly due to poor visibility. A large part of the construction material therefore had to be brought into the mountains by mules.

The cabins of the Ngong Ping 360

By the way, those who want to travel with the Ngong Ping 360 have the choice between two types of cabins: The standard cabin and the crystal cabin. The two types differ from each other only in one detail: While the standard cabin has an opaque metal floor, the floor of the crystal cabin consists of about five centimeters thick glass. So if you like looking down, you should invest the few HK dollars extra for a crystal cabin. Those who suffer from a fear of heights, on the other hand, are better off staying away from it.