5 hours in Hong Kong
 

I have 5 hours between flights is it possible to visit The Po Lin Buddha and take the skyrail and still have time to return to the airport for my onward flight, I am staying in Hong Kong for 2 nights on my return flight to the U.K.

What time do you land and take off? The monastery closes at about 5:30 pm. What day of the week is your layover? This makes a big difference in terms of crowds for the cable car. What is the actual day of your layover? If it is a public holiday this would make a difference in terms of crowds.

If you land bang on time, encounter no lines at Immigation on arrival, have your onward boarding pass before you land, have no luggage to collect or store, and don't want to eat/wash etc before heading to the Buddha, IMO you have about 3.5 hours AT MOST to do this trip. Probably closer to 3 hours. That is, IMO, pushing it for someone who has never been to the Buddha and does not know their way around, or tricks on how to do this quickly (like working out alternate transport options if you encounter lines).

Many thanks Cicerone It would seem to be to tight for the time avaliable.Perhaps the time at the airport would be more useful in familerising myself .

Plus, that skyrail ride (which is AWESOME) takes about 30 minutes in each direction; that, after waiting in a line to get on it! You should do this when you have no time limit.

I’d still like to know the date and time of your layover, but generally think this is not a great idea to try to do the Buddha in that space of time – too rushed to appreciate it. That being said, with 3 hours, you could easily hop the train into Hong Kong and at least see the waterfront vista from Kowloon and have a meal or tea at the Penn, or get up to the Peak and have a ramble there and a meal/snack. 3 hours is plenty of time for this. If you get a great clear (hot!) day like we have had recently it would be a shame to waste it sitting at the airport. If you provide info on date and time we can provide reccos (if it is a public holidays I might have other reccos to go see something like dragon boat races on June 23)

Guess I should also mention that the cable car suspended service several times in December and earlier this year, in some cases with people on board. The last thing you would want would be to be on it on a rushed 3 hour layover when it broke down <i>again</i> (it has had a somewhat long history of break downs)....

Hi Cicerone Arrive 29th Mar 13 at 11:15am I now realise that time would be tight A train into Kowloon or Hong Kong Island sounds ideal Thanks

OK so you have a year....I will write back with some thoughts shortly. March 29 2013 is Good Friday which is a public holiday here which does not mean much -- except lines will be long at the Buddha. Everything is open per usual and nothing unique to observe like dragon boat races; unless you want to see some passion plays at Catholic churches.

Have to correct my own post above and say that you could not really get to the Peak and back in 3 hours (new self-imposed rule: no posting on Fodors after dinner with 2 glasses of wine...) You'd <i>really</i> be pushing it to do that. But getting to Kowloon to see the view is certainly possible. Tea at the Penn probably not included due to time, but could stop by, and certainly a coffee at the Starbucks on the Esplanade with the billion dollar view. Will write with some other thoughts.