Lantau is the largest island in Hong Kong, twice the size of Hong Kong Island but with a fraction of the population. The contrast between its different parts is extreme: international airport on reclaimed land in the northeast, Disneyland on a separate stretch of reclaimed coast, and vast tracts of hill country in the interior that feel genuinely remote.
The main draw for most visitors is the Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha) and Po Lin Monastery at Ngong Ping in the centre of the island — a 34-metre bronze Buddha seated above 268 steps, with a monastery at its feet that has been here since 1906. The Ngong Ping 360 gondola from Tung Chung makes the approach dramatic; the vegetarian lunch at the monastery is good and good value. The surrounding Lantau Trail passes through excellent walking country.
Hong Kong Disneyland opened in 2005 at Penny's Bay in the northeast. It's the smallest Disney resort in the world but has expanded significantly and can easily fill a day, particularly for families. The Disneyland Resort Line connects directly from Sunny Bay MTR station.
Mui Wo (Silvermine Bay) on the east coast is the main ferry terminal for Lantau, with a relaxed waterfront and good cycling country on the flat land around it. From Mui Wo you can take buses across the island. Cheung Sha on the south coast has the longest beach in Hong Kong, relatively uncrowded even in summer.
The main town, Tung Chung, at the foot of the Ngong Ping gondola, is an MTR terminus with large shopping outlets — useful mainly as a transport hub.