Cycling in Hong Kong: Lantau: Cycling on South Lantau

Tai O - The Buddha - Mui Wo

The South side of Lantau Island is a country park, and only buses, taxis and cars with a permit are allowed to go there, so the roads are relatively quiet.

To get to South Lantau you need to travel from Tung Chung up the steep Tung Chung Road (known to cyclists as "the Beast' because of its maximum 20% slope); or via the Sham Wat road further west. There is also a third way for mountain bikes through Sham Wat to Tai O along the coast but there are steps!

These routes are described in another post on routes from South to North Lantau.

The statue of the Buddha, at the Ngong Ping village and monastery sits on the top of the Lantau mountain range which goes the length of Lantau west to east. It is a tough but worthwhile climb by bike. Tai O is a delightful fishing village in the west, and Mui Wo a nice seaside village in the east. There are plenty of steep hills so cyclists should take it easy and take care especially going downhill.

Km 5 and 20 is Tung Chung; Km 15 is Haeco Engineering Base at the end of the HK Airport Runway; Km 25 is at the highest point on the road from Tung Chung to South Lantau, after a climb up 'the Beast'; Kms 28 to 35 is the Water Catchment road which runs parallel, just to the north of and well above the South Lantau Road; just to the right of Km 55 is the Buddha ; Tai O is at Km 50 ; Mui Wo at Km 75. All roads on South Lantau covered!

Coming down from the Beast to the south side of Lantau

Water Catchment Road

Shek Pik Reservoir Dam

Shek Pik Reservoir - the Buddha can just
been seen in between the two hills
on the left side of photo

Sherman on the dam of Shek Pik Reservoir
with Prison behind

Ride from South to North Lantau: Beast (300m/Km 25), then Buddha (420m/Km 40) down to Tai O (Km 50), back up to the Buddha again (!) at Km 58, and to Mui Wo at Km 75