The New Territories are one of the three main parts of Hong Kong, along with Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. They were also under British occupation between 1898 and 1997. Full history lesson on Wikipedia. The area is pretty big, so it’s getting two articles.

Let’s start with the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery. Well, it’s actually more like 13000, but who’s counting? The more, the golder, the merrier. All of them were donations, with the donor written underneath (I can see this similarity with Romanian churches: give to the church and your soul will be saved). You have to climb a little (the guidebook said 400 steps, but it felt like less).

Chi Lin Nunnery and the adjacent Nan Lian Garden. Didn’t see any nuns, but the temple there was pretty cool (and in stark contrast with the surrounding high rise buildings). Just south of it is a garden filled with neatly trimmed trees.

Wong Tai Sin Temple. It’s in walking distance of Chi Lin Nunnery (if you’re OK with walking 1.5 km). The guidebook described it as a place where you come to pray to the god of luck, so you will become rich by winning the lottery (I’m not making this up). Unexpectedly, it was packed full.