The Special Administrative Region known as Hong Kong is made up of Hong Kong island, Kowloon and what’s known as the “New Territories” (which includes Lantau Island, where Hong Kong Disney is located). While today, one can take the MTR (subway) or drive through a tunnel to get to Kowloon and the New Territories, until the 1970s, one could only travel by water, on the Star Ferry.
The Star Ferry, especially when crossing at night, gives travellers a view of the skyline. Today, it is mostly taken by tourists and some commuters who prefer water over underground transportation. Older generations outside of Hong Kong might know of the ferry from movies such as The World of Suzie Wong, where William Holden and Nancy Kwan’s characters meet for the first time. The fare to board the Star Ferry is a dirt cheap $2.50 or $3 Hong Kong (about $0.30 US or Canadian) while it’s about twice the cost to go the same distance on the MTR (Hong Kong, unlike Toronto, does not have a flat price for public transportation).
