Mid-Autumn Festival merrymakers will have a new place to go this year, apart from the usual choices of Victoria Park and the city's beaches, with the Lantau cable car to operate until late next Saturday.
For the first time since opening in 2006, the Ngong Ping 360 will run until 10pm to fetch thousands of passengers to a lit-up Big Buddha. It usually closes at 6.30pm on weekends.
The Po Lin monastery and Ngong Ping village will also stay open until 10pm.
Passengers have been warned not to burn candles or eat mooncakes inside the cabins, where no food is allowed, but they will be able to enjoy uninterrupted views of the lights that dot Lantau Island and Chek Lap Kok airport from five revamped crystal gondolas that have had bars removed from their transparent bases.
Passengers will be greeted by a lantern-strewn village and an illuminated Big Buddha after nightfall.
Ngong Ping 360 managing director Li Yun-tai, who took over the top job two months ago, said he wanted to inject more colour and variety into the Lantau attraction.
'The extended National Day golden week plus the Mid-Autumn Festival offer us an excellent chance,' he said. 'We believe the turnout will be good as many tour groups have already made reservations with us.'
