Po Lin (Precious Lotus) Monastery

If you ask around Hong Kong about the best attractions, chances are you’ll hear mention of the Big Buddha (Tian Tan Buddha) on Lantau Island. What you probably won’t hear mentioned is Po Lin (Precious Lotus) Monastery, yet this once remote monastery is one of the city’s most important Buddhist sites.

The monastery was established in 1906, long before the Big Buddha was erected, by three monks traveling from China. The three men discovered a flat stretch of land amid the verdant mountains and though it would be a perfect place for meditative religious practice. The monastery didn’t gain a spot on the global tourist map until 1993 when the Buddha statue was completed, and today it welcomes thousands of tourists who ride the cable car to see the statue and gaze out over the South China Sea.

The monastery itself is easy to overlook but is well worth a visit, particularly for the excellent vegetarian restaurant run by the monks. Dishes vary season to season and are made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients thought to help cleanse the body and spirit.