Victoria Harbor has historically been the beating heart of Hong Kong, even as scores of skyscrapers have sprung up around its waters to become the defining image of this dynamic city in modern times.
Many of the most popular things to do in Hong Kong directly involve the harbor: A Symphony of Lights (the spectacular nightly laser light show projected on the aforementioned skyscrapers) and the Avenue of Stars (a collection of statues of regional movie stars) are two of the most popular.
To many, however, the real stars of Victoria Harbor is the fleet of Star Ferry ships that ply the water every day, carrying thousands of passengers back-and-forth between Hong Kong island and mainland Kowloon.
You simply can't come to Hong Kong without seeing the city's famous skyline from the water. Taking one of these cheap, cheerful cruises is the best way to do it.
A Star is Born
Star Ferries was founded by an immigrant to Hong Kong named Dorabjee Nowrojee around 1880. The rides started out as simply just a shuttle across the harbor for Mr. Nowrojee and his friends, but the word got out around town and soon others were offering to pay for a cruise.
Not long after, the service had its first named vessel, 'The Morning Star,' and this steamboat could be found chugging across Victoria Harbor on one-hour journeys, (which was considered speedy for the era). Around 1888, this craft was joined by a group of similarly named coal-powered ferries, second decks were added to the fleet, and the rest, as they say, is history.
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A Hunk of Hong Kong Heritage
Nowadays, the journey across the harbor on a Star Ferry only takes around 10 minutes. And while you can definitely cross the harbor even faster in an underground train or car via a modern tunnel, the ferries still remain wildly popular with locals and tourists alike.
One of the reasons they are so popular is the fact that they still look very much like they did over a century ago, thus offering a real slice of history on each trip.
The ferries of today may be diesel-electric hybrids, but they continue to sport the line's distinctive green-and-white color scheme and have names like Twinkling Star and Silver Star.
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Up Top or Down Below?
Everyone has their theory on which deck of the Star Ferry is best to ride on: Upstairs riders swear by the climate-controlled comfort while downstairs devotees love being closer to the sensory stimulation that is Victoria Harbor and the opportunity to take pictures from the outside deck.
Regardless of your preference, a trip on a Star Ferry won't break the bank-a journey across the harbor starts at around 25 U.S. cents for a downstairs ticket. Yes, you read that right, you can ride across Hong Kong's famous Victoria Harbor and take in the jaw-dropping views of this city for around a quarter.
If you do decide to splurge for the air conditioning upstairs, you can expect to pay around 33 cents.
Prices are around 10 percent higher on the weekend and public holidays, though, so bring an extra nickel.
And if you really want to splash out, Star Ferries also offers special cruises timed to coincide with the Symphony of Lights laser show that include refreshments. Tickets for these cruises are available for around $25.
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