Riding the Star Ferry and Peak Tram: Hong Kong's Best Views

Hong Kong's two most iconic rides — the Star Ferry across Victoria Harbour and the Peak Tram up to Victoria Peak — have both been running for over a century, and both remain genuinely worth doing purely for the views, not just as transport between two points.

For under a dollar, the Star Ferry crosses Victoria Harbour between Central (Hong Kong Island) and Tsim Sha Tsui (Kowloon), offering a genuinely great skyline view for a fraction of what any harbor cruise costs. It's still used daily by commuters, not just tourists, which is part of its charm — you're riding real Hong Kong infrastructure, not a tourist-only attraction.

Evening crossings are especially worth timing around the nightly Symphony of Lights show (8:00 PM), when the Hong Kong Island skyline puts on a coordinated light display visible from the water.

The Peak Tram climbs from Central up to Victoria Peak at an incline steep enough that buildings outside the window appear to lean at odd angles — a genuinely unusual sensation, and part of what makes the ride memorable beyond just the destination. At the top, the Peak offers arguably the best panoramic view of Hong Kong available anywhere, especially at dusk as the city lights come on.

The Peak gets significantly crowded, especially with tour groups arriving by the busload in the late afternoon — arriving right at opening, or alternatively well after sunset once day-trippers clear out, are both good strategies for a calmer visit. The Star Ferry has no real bad time to ride, though sunset and the 8 PM light show are the most scenic windows.

Several operators offer combined Peak Tram, Sky Terrace, and other attraction tickets that work out cheaper than paying for each separately if you're planning a full day around the Peak.