Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery, Hong Kong
Some places are just so whacky they stick with you and my favourite spot in Hong Kong was the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery. Lying in the north of the islands within the New Territories, it’s so worth visiting if you get the chance to add it to a stop in Hong Kong.
How to get to the 10,000 Buddha’s Monastery
The best way to reach the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery is by Metro. The site lies just a short walk from the Sha Tin metro station, on the light blue line. You can reach it directly from the Admiralty or Exhibition Centre stops on Hong Kong Island in around 30 minutes.
Once in Sha Tin metro station, take the bus terminus exit (don’t go in to the mall), and walk out so you’re looking at the bus terminal. Follow this round to the left (as you look at the buses with the metro behind you), down a rounding ramp until you reach Pai Tau village on your left. Keep to the main pavement, and then turn left up Pai Tau road, and right on to Sheung Wo Che Rd. At the end of the road, you’ll see Sha Tin government offices on your left, but keep walking – at the end of the street is a metal gate area leading to some woodland. Follow the path through the woodland and you’ll enter the Ten Thousand Buddha’s Monastery.
What to do at the 10,000 Buddha’s Monastery
What a place! Although first things first, it’s not actually a monastery as there are no monks. It was founded in 1951 by Yuet Kai who moved to Hong Kong from mainland China to teach Buddhism. He died in 1965 and his intact body is embalmed in the main hall of the monastery.
The walk up to the top is steep, so be sure to have suncream, a hat and water with you. I also got bitten to buggery so take some insect repellant too! The walk up is quite entertaining with lots of buddhas looking at you.
At the top is the main temple (which you can’t take photos of) and a beautiful open square which we had all to ourselves, housing ornate statues and a pagoda. We absolutely loved it. In total the site actually has 13,000 buddhas at last count, but I’m not sure that’s as catchy a name.
The site is open from 9am-5pm every day and entrance is free. In total, we spent 1.5hrs here, plus travel time.
What else to do nearby
We made a day of our trip to north Hong Kong, and chose to explore more in the area than just the ten thousand buddhas monastery. There are lots of interesting things to explore nearby:
Hong Kong Heritage Museum
The Museum is a must for any Bruce Lee fan, with an exhibit on his life and works which was super interesting. There are also exhibitions on Hong Kong’s pop culture, art and various other subjects. The Museum also has a good restaurant where we had lunch, and in total we spent 2.5hrs here (it was also a welcome break from the heat/rain)
Che Kung Temple
The temples here are dedicated to Che Kung, who was a general during the Song dynasty in the 11-1200s in Imperial China. According to legend, during an epidemic that broke out in Sha Tin in the late Ming Dynasty, local residents found out from historical writings that Che Kung was not only merited for his successful suppression of uprisings, but was also known for clearing epidemics. People therefore built a temple to house Che Kung, and the epidemic subsided on the day the construction of the temple was completed. I wonder if it worked for COVID!
Sha Tin Park
A lovely waterfront park is perfect for a rest before getting back on the Metro. We enjoyed sitting here and just watching the world go by with a drink.
New Town Plaza Mall
Sha Tin has an amazing mall, New Town Plaza. It’s home to lots of shops, restaurants and bars which we browsed (/got lost in) for over an hour. I bought a new book and dress and my husband went crazy in the sweet store. There’s also a Snoopy World in here, as well as a massive cinema should the mood take you!
