The Ngong Ping Cable Car up to Big Buddha offers stunning views over Lantau Island's mountains and coastline — Worth every penny of the HK$245 round-trip fare for that ascent. But here's a literary traveler's secret: take bus #23 back down to Tung Chung for just HK$17, saving yourself HK$100+ while experiencing a completely different perspective of the island.

The bus descent winds through Lantau's interior on narrow mountain roads, past villages and forested hills that the cable car passengers never see. It's reminiscent of those winding bus journeys through Welsh valleys that Chatwin wrote about — Slow, contemplative, revealing the landscape's true character rather than just its postcard views. The 45-minute ride gives you time to digest the spiritual experience of the Big Buddha while watching rural Hong Kong unfold outside your window.

Practically speaking, the bus deposits you directly at Tung Chung MTR Station (just a 2-minute walk), while the cable car station requires a longer trek with your potentially tired legs. Use that saved money for a proper meal instead of the overpriced tourist fare in Ngong Ping Village. Bus #23 runs every 15-20 minutes from the Big Buddha area, and accepts Octopus cards.

I've done this descent while reading Ackroyd's writings on London's hidden paths — There's something beautifully fitting about taking the road less traveled, even when leaving one of Hong Kong's most visited attractions.