The Star Ferry is a hark back to the romantic colonial days of Hong Kong when it was the means of traveling across the ocean between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. During its 100 years in existence the Star Ferry has seen many changes take place in Hong Kong, its transformation from a sleep fishing port into a trading hub and subsequent industrialization, the hand over to China and now the economic slump.
The Hong Kong Star Ferry is operated by the Star Ferry Company Ltd. which has been in existence since 1898, since then its ferries have been busily shuttling passengers between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. Today a fleet of twelve ferries are in operation and more than 26 million passengers travel on them annually at a rate of 70,000 passengers daily.
Even though there are other means of crossing the channel, the Star Ferry still provides an efficient and cost effective method of travel. The main route runs between Kowloon’s Tsim Sha Tsui and Central on Hong Kong Island, the two main points of tourist interest. The ferries are popular because they are enjoyable and fast- it takes only 10 minutes to cross the harbor!
Since the year 2003, the Star Ferry Company has introduced a custom built ferry to be used for sight seeing in Victoria Harbour. The ferry has been modeled on boats that were used in the 1920’s and takes guests back to the days of the British colonialists. The ferry also features a coffee house and an open deck for sun bathing. A hotel in Hong Kong known as the Hotel Jen is located extremely close to the starting point of the ferry and thus provides easy access for travelers to get to Kowloon.
