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When it comes to Hong Kong, you may not know about the Ocean park, you may not know about the Women Market, you my not know about the Peak. But you must know about our Victoria Harbor.

It is globally known that Hong Kong had been a crown colony of the United Kingdom before the handover on the 1^st of July in 1997. Due to treaties after wars, the United Kingdom gained control over some coastal area of China. And it is said that the British had picked up Hong Kong mainly because of this once deep and wide harbor, subsequently named as Victoria, in the hope to penetrate their marine trading market into China.

Hong Kong consists of three main parts: the New Territories at the North, Kowloon Peninsula at the middle embracing the Victoria Harbor with the Hong Kong Island at the South. In the old days, before the appearance of the undersea tunnels and MTR, Star Ferry was the only way to travel through the Harbor from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon, or vice versa.

Established in1888, the passenger ferry service provided by The “Star” Ferry Company Limited has become a trademark, even a famous tourism spot now. The National Geographical of Traveler recommends a crossing of Victoria Harbor as one of the “fifty places of a lifetime.

The ”Star” Ferry operates four routes in total, connecting Kowloon and Hong Kong Island with four piers. The most popular is the red one in the following route map, bringing you from Tsim Sha Tsui Pier to Central Pier in about 5 minutes

Star Ferry Company now organizes harbor tour to show you the old times when this ferry was still the only connection between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula. Have a ride on ”Shining Star” and catch the most memorable scene you can have in Hong Kong.

Star Ferry Company Website

Author: Alan Siu, Hong Kong