STAR FERRY PIER

Description

Essentials about the Star Ferry Pier in brief

The Star Ferry, which has connected Hong Kong Island with Kowloon since 1888, is definitely one of the most spectacular ferry connections in the world and an absolute highlight of a trip to Hong Kong. No visit to the Chinese metropolis of millions should end without having sailed across Victoria Harbour at least once on one of the legendary green and white boats. From the Star Ferry you can enjoy one of the best views of the breathtaking skylines of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. No wonder National Geographic Magazine named the Star Ferry crossing one of the “50 Places to Visit in a Lifetime”.

The buildings of the Star Ferry Pier

Starting point for a trip with the Star Ferry boats are the two Star Ferry piers in the districts of Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon and Central on Hong Kong Island. The pier on Hong Kong Island is the better known and also more beautiful of the two. In 2006, the Star Ferry Pier was rebuilt with the intention of turning it into a tourist attraction. With this in mind, the decision was made to build a pseudo-Edwardian style building with a clock tower that houses a café and restaurant in addition to the ferry piers and waiting rooms.

The trip with the Star Ferry

Although Hong Kong Island and Kowloon have been connected by a modern road and rail tunnel system for many years, the traditional way of crossing the harbor still enjoys great popularity among both tourists and Hongkongers themselves. Over 70,000 people use the ferry boats every day to get to the other side of Victoria Harbour.

A Star Ferry ride is already a real experience during the day. The real highlight, however, is a trip at night. Because every evening at 8 pm the so-called “Symphony of Lights” takes place. During the light show, more than 40 buildings on both sides of the harbor are spectacularly staged with light installations and laser beams. Accompanied by a soundtrack of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the Symphony of Lights is a gripping audiovisual feast and has meanwhile become one of Hong Kong’s most popular tourist attractions. By the way, there is no better place in Hong Kong to watch this spectacle than from a boat of the Star Ferry. The ferries even stop for a few minutes in the middle of Victoria Harbour to give passengers the opportunity to capture the light-music spectacle on film and photos.