Big Buddha hosts Buddha You Run on 7 November

The Big Buddha (Tian Tan Buddha) in Hong Kong formed part of Buddha You Run 2026, a trail race organised by Po Lin Monastery on 7 November 2026. The event began and ended at Di Tan Square in Ngong Ping on Lantau Island, bringing a fixed sporting programme to the Buddhist landmark.

The English name Big Buddha is used by the Hong Kong Government for the bronze statue in front of Po Lin Monastery. The race therefore linked the site with a route that treated its steps and surrounding mountain paths as part of the course.

Buddha You Run reached the Big Buddha on 7 November

Po Lin Monastery organised three race categories for the event: 18 kilometres, 8 kilometres and 3 kilometres. The organiser listed Ngong Ping as the assembly point and gave Di Tan Square as the start, finish and prize-giving venue.

The course information placed the Big Buddha at a checkpoint on all three routes. The longest course also passed the Tea Garden, Ngong Ping Nature Trail, Tung Shan Famen, the Wisdom Path, Lantau Trail Section 3, Pak Kung Au and the summit of Lantau Peak before returning towards Ngong Ping.

Po Lin Monastery listed the 18-kilometre route as reaching a 934-metre summit. The 8-kilometre and 3-kilometre courses followed shorter circuits, but both also included the Big Buddha checkpoint before returning to Di Tan Square.

The organiser described the event as a trail run and set limits of six hours for the 18-kilometre course, three hours for the 8-kilometre course and 1.5 hours for the 3-kilometre course. These details identify the programme as a structured mountain race rather than a general public ceremony.

Buddha You Run programme lists Po Lin Monastery as organiser and gives 7 November 2026 as the event date. The organiser also states that the race used chip timing and that participants could return towards Tung Chung, Tai O or Mui Wo by the arrangements listed for the event.

The Big Buddha turns mountain access into a race route

The Hong Kong Government places the statue on Mount Muk Yue, in front of Po Lin Monastery. It records the figure as 26.4 metres high in the body and 34 metres from the lotus throne and base, with 250 tonnes of bronze used in its construction.

Visitors reach the pedestal by climbing 268 steps. The same staircase became part of the race experience described by the organiser, making the event route directly connected with the physical form of the monument rather than merely passing nearby.

The statue faces north and is modelled on Siddhartha beneath the Bodhi tree, while a three-storey exhibition hall occupies the pedestal. Government information says the Big Buddha opened in 1993, giving the November 2026 race a place within the landmark's continuing visitor history.

Government landmark information identifies Ngong Ping as part of Hong Kong's Islands District and directs travellers to the Transport Department's HKeMobility service for route planning.

Visiting Big Buddha: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Buddha You Run 2026 took place on 7 November 2026, with Di Tan Square in Ngong Ping serving as the start, finish and prize-giving venue.
• The event route used the Big Buddha as a checkpoint on the 3-kilometre, 8-kilometre and 18-kilometre courses; it was a trail race rather than a regular sightseeing programme.
• The landmark stands on Mount Muk Yue in front of Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island. The Hong Kong Government recommends HKeMobility for route planning to the site.
• Access to the pedestal involves 268 steps, while the race information describes rugged and narrow mountain paths. The longer route reached the 934-metre summit of Lantau Peak.
• Hong Kong uses English and Chinese as official languages, and the currency is the Hong Kong dollar.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Big Buddha

When did Buddha You Run take place at Big Buddha?

Buddha You Run 2026 took place on 7 November 2026. Po Lin Monastery organised the trail race at Ngong Ping.

Where is Big Buddha and how do you get there?

The statue stands on Mount Muk Yue in front of Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island. Hong Kong Government information directs visitors to HKeMobility for transport routes.

What is Big Buddha?

It is a bronze seated statue that measures 34 metres from its lotus throne and base. It opened in 1993 and is reached by 268 steps.