City centre:

• The Peak[2]— Overlooking the Victoria Harbour from the island side, it offers views of the Hong Kong and Kowloon skylines, as well as many other touristy but fun attractions. To get there, take the scenic 10-minute Peak Tram from Central ($20, 7AM-12PM), and then enjoy a high-speed rollercoaster ride down with green minibus #1 from below the Peak Galleria ($7). Get away from the hordes by taking a circular walk around the Peak. The walk starts along Lugard Road, and follows the beginning of the Hong Kong Trail. It finishes along Harlech Road. The walk along Old Peak Road is also recommended, but take the tram up and walk down unless you are fit. For the best view, you can either dish out $20 for access to the Peak Tower´s observation deck, or just hop into the 3rd floor terrace of the Peak Galleria for free, and get a view that´s almost as good.

• Man Mo Temple Hollywood Road — Nestled in amongst the antique shops of Hollywood Road, with air full of smoke from the hundreds of burning incense coils it was built in the 1840s and is Hong Kong Island’s oldest temple. While you’re there, pop into one of the many antique shops to see some of the best Chinese and South-East Asian antiques in the world, but beware that there are many very clever fakes for sale.

• Golden Bauhinia Square— Stands outside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, and was the site of the handover ceremony in 1997. Visit at night time for a stunning view of the neon lit skyline of both Kowloon and Hong Kong.

• Lan Kwai Fong— The main watering-hole for the Hong Kong expat community. Situated up the hill, just behind Central, it has some of the best bars and restaurants in Hong Kong and is lively until the early hours.

• Hong Kong Planning and Infrastructure Exhibition Gallery, 1F City Hall, Central [3]. Mostly of interest to architecture buffs, but to its credit, this small propaganda exercise manages to make even, say, sewage treatment reasonably interesting with well-presented exhibits, some interactive. The highlight, however, is the Infrastructure Walk, with a giant scale model of a wide swath of Hong Kong showcasing projects completed and planned. Free admission, open daily except Tuesday from 10 AM to 6 PM.

Out of town:

• Stanley on the south side of the island, has a souvenir market, a nearby beach and some seaside bars and restaurants. Several busses travel there from Central and Admiralty, and the route takes you through a winding, picturesque view of Hong Kong’s south side.

• Jumbo— A floating restaurant in the bay of the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter, it’s a nice place to relax with good drinks and food, and a view over the yachts in the harbour (particularly from the Top Deck).

By boat

The Star Ferry Star Ferry is the classic way to get to Hong Kong Island from Kowloon. There are four routes operated by The Star Ferry company.

• Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon - Central, Hong Kong Island — the busiest route by far, and only $2.2/1.7 on the upper/lower deck. The upper deck might get you air-con, but the views are better from the windowless lower deck.
• Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon - Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island.
• Hung Hom, Kowloon - Central, Hong Kong Island.
• Hung Hom, Kowloon - Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island.

New World First Ferry New World First Ferry operates some other routes between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.

• Hung Hom, Kowloon - North Point, Hong Kong Island.
• Kowloon City, Kowloon - North Point, Hong Kong Island.

Fortune Ferry operates one route.

• Kwun Tong, Kowloon - North Point, Hong Kong Island.

Coral Sea Ferry operates two routes between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.

• Kwun Tong, Kowloon - Sai Wan Ho, Hong Kong Island.
• Sam Ka Tsuen, Kowloon - Sai Wan Ho, Hong Kong Island.

The Transport Department also provides an online directory [1]on Hong Kong’s ferry services.

Note that, due to an ongoing reclamation and redevelopment project in Central/Admiralty that includes a new waterfront, much of the shoreline is presently a mess and access to the ferries can be a little confusing — take heed of signs warning about the ever-shifting arrangements.

By bus

For details of cross-harbour buses, see the Hong Kong section.

Bus fares range from $8.90 to $9.40 for routes linking the urban areas in Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. Some routes heading for more remote places are charged at a higher fare

By Metro

From more distant points the three lines of the MTR crossing the harbour may offer a faster alternative.

By train

If coming from the airport, the Airport Express’s Hong Kong station is in the heart of Central.

Get around

By escalator

The world’s longest outdoor escalator travels from Central through Soho to the residential developments of the Mid-levels. The escalator moves down in the morning rush hour but up the rest of the time, and using it is free — in fact, you can even get Octopus credits from machines along the way for being willing to use your feet!

By tram

Operated by Hong Kong Tramways Hong Kong Tramways, the narrow double-decker city trams trundling on the north coast of Hong Kong Island are a Hong Kong icon. Trams are slow and follow the coastline of a century ago which has been long since pushed inland by reclamation. Although these old trams lack air-con, a flat fare of only $2 makes them a real bargain; even if you travel the full 1.5 hours from end to end, they’re the cheapest sightseeing tour around.

In a league of its own is the Peak TramPeak Tram, Hong Kong’s first mechanised mode of transport, opened back in 1888. The remarkably steep 1.7-km track up from Central to Victoria Peak is worth at least one trip despite the comparatively steep price ($20 one-way, $30 return).

On foot

Your own feet remain one of the best ways to get around the crowded northern shore of the Island. In Central, there is a comprehensive network of elevated walkways and pedestrian bridges that link major buildings. Unlike other cities, here you are encouraged to walk through major office buildings. In some instances, the walkways are the only route and heading down to pavement level can lead you into a dead end. Unfortunately, there are no useful maps to help you learn your way around these walkways but they do have the advantage of enabling people to walk above the traffic pollution.

Hong Kong IslandHong Kong is the island that gives this SAR its name. Although it is not the largest part of the territory, it is the place that many tourists regard as the main event. The parade of buildings that make the Hong Kong skyline has been likened to a glittering bar chart that is made apparent by the presence of Victoria Harbour. To get the best views of Hong Kong leave the island and head for the Kowloon waterfront.

The great majority of Hong Kong Island’s urban development is densely packed on reclaimed land along the northern shore. This is the place the British colonisers took as their own and so if you are looking for evidence of the territories colonial past, then this is a good place to start. Victoria was once the colonies capital but has been rebranded with a more descriptive name, Central. Here you will find the machinery of government grinding away much as it always has done, except Beijing, not London, is the boss that keeps a watchful eye. Seek a glimpse of government house (香港禮賓府) which was formerly home to 25 British governors and is now the residence of the Chief Executive. Nearby, the Legislative Council (Legco) continues to make the laws that organise the territory.

Leading up from Central is the Escalator and the Peak Tram (see Get around), which pass through the hip district of Soho and the residential Mid-Levels. Up top is the The Peak, the tallest point on the island where foreign diplomats and business tycoons compete for the best views of the harbour from some of the most expensive homes to be found anywhere. Most tourists don’t go much further than the Peak Tram, but take a short walk and you will escape the crowds and be rewarded with some of the best harbour views. It is worth investing in a good map from leading bookshops in Central if you want to enjoy some of the superb footpaths that crisscross the island.

The southern side of the island has developed into an upmarket residential area with many large houses and expensive apartments with views across the South China sea. The islands best beaches, such as Repulse bay, are found here and visitors can enjoy a more relaxed pace of life than on the bustling harbour side of the island.