HONG KONG · LANTAU ISLAND
If you are in Hong Kong, the places to stay and practise are almost all on Lantau Island: a night at a temple, a ten-day silent course or a winter Zen retreat. Two temples are good for a quiet half day.
Lotus Pond Temple, Lantau Island, Hong Kong Photo credits
Updated ·
Five places on Lantau Island publish residential practice. Lotus Pond Temple in Ngong Ping offers one- or two-night temple stays for a suggested HK$200 a night. Dhamma Muttā runs free ten-day Vipassana courses. Fa Hong Monastery hosts seven-day Insight Dialogue retreats for HK$1,750 each from 19 December 2026. NLB bus 23 from Tung Chung reaches Ngong Ping in 50 minutes.
Ask us about a stay near Hong Kong| Place | Type | Getting there from Hong Kong | Price | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lotus Pond Temple / Plum Village Hong Kong | Plum Village Buddhist temple | Ngong Ping, Lantau Island. NLB bus 23 from Tung Chung takes 50 minutes end to end; bus 2 from Mui Wo Ferry Pier takes 45 minutes. | Suggested contribution HK$200 a night; bring your own sleeping bag. Its five-day retreats cost HK$2,500 in 2026. | Retreats have been taught mainly in English with Cantonese and Mandarin translation; ask about temple stays. |
| Place | Type | Getting there from Hong Kong | Price | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earth Healer Buddhist Retreat | Residential Buddhist retreat | On Lantau Island; the organiser names only the island, so ask for the venue when you register. | HK$2,480 or HK$2,680 for 9–12 April 2027, with three nights in shared rooms, meals and activities; adults aged 18 and over. | Not stated; ask the organiser. |
| Place | Type | Getting there from Hong Kong | Price | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dhamma Muttā | Vipassana meditation centre | Tung Wan, near Shek Pik Reservoir on South Lantau. NLB buses 1, 2, 11 and 23 stop at Shek Pik; ask the centre how to reach Tung Wan. | Free: the ten-day course, food and lodging are paid for by donations from past students. | Yes: courses are taught in English, or in English and Cantonese. |
| Fa Hong Monastery (Hong Kong Insight Meditation Society) | Buddhist monastery retreats | Tei Tong Tsai, Lantau Island; the last stretch is a hillside walk. Ask HKIMS for directions when you register. | HK$1,750 for seven days (HK$250 a day): 19–25 December 2026 and 28 December 2026 – 3 January 2027. For meditators who have done a residential retreat of three days or more. | Yes: the first retreat is in English with Cantonese translation, the second in English only. |
| Su Bong Zen Monastery — Hae Su Zen Center | Zen retreat centre | Luk Wu (Deer Pond), Lantau Island. The retreat page gives no directions; ask when you apply. | By donation. Stay one week or more within the Winter Kyol Che, 24 October 2026 to 24 January 2027, arriving and leaving on a Saturday. Not for walk-in beginners. | Not stated; ask the monastery. |
The large Chan monastery at Ngong Ping, beside the Big Buddha. It is open from 9:00 to 18:00, and its vegetarian kitchen serves from 11:30 to 16:30. NLB bus 23 from Tung Chung takes 50 minutes.
A Buddhist nunnery at Diamond Hill in Kowloon, built in timber in the Tang style, with Nan Lian Garden beside it. It is open from 9:00 to 16:30, and its Lotus Garden from 7:00 to 19:00. The nunnery closes when typhoon signal No. 3 or higher or a black rainstorm warning is issued.
From Hong Kong, many travellers go on to Taiwan or the mainland for a longer retreat. Compare the options in our guides:
We have not visited these places. Travel times are the timetable figures for the date shown; confirm dates, prices and admission with each host.