The Star Ferry is the cheapest, most frequent, and best way to get to-and-from Kowloon from Hong Kong Island.

Upper deck costs HK$1.70 for the privilege. Avoid rush hour as the locals use it in droves.

The boats may have been built in 1947, but they are still going strong.

Identified by their white upper decks and green lower decks and hull, the ferries ply the harbour every twenty minutes.

The view of Hong kong Island becomes more impressive the closer you get to Kowloon.

This is an old tramp steamer that is a really neat ferry. It runs like new but is something completely out of the 1800's. To get from Hong Kong to Kowloon or vice versa, this is the way to go.

Starting as I did from the Kowloon side the Star Ferry is next to the Old Colonial Clock Tower. There are two levels to the green and white boats, the First Class level costing $2.20HK and the lower Second Class level costing $1.70HK. You can either pay at a token booth or by depositing coins in the slot which tends to be faster. Then the whistle blows, the gates open and people shove and barge on inorder to get the best seat. The seats are comfortable enough for the 5 minute ride to the other side and the ride seems to take you back in time to when the ferry was the only way to get across the harbour. At the other side (Hong Kong Island in my case) expect the pushing and shoving to begin as people exit the ferry just as quickly. On HK Island, the ferry docks near to the City Hall.

The ride is relaxing whatever time of day you take it and has to be done at least once to 'complete your HK experience'.

Since it was still so early in the morning, I took the alternate route back to Hong Kong: a bus to the Lantau village of Mui Wo and then a ferry ride to Central. The bus ride cost 16 Hong Kong dollars, and was a pleasurable drive with different scenery than we saw coming from Tung Chung to the monastery. In Mui Wo, also known as Silvermine, there wasn't too much to see while I waited for the ferry. Supposedly there is a waterfall not far from town, but none of the locals seemed to know its whereabouts. The ferry only cost 10.5 Hong Kong dollars and, unlike the Lamma ferry, had a place to sit outdoors for taking pictures. But the hazy weather was even worse out on the harbor, and I was downright cold by the time we landed at the ferry station in Central.

The white and green ferry cruising back and forth from Victoria Harbour is probably the single most recognized icon of Hong Kong, after the red rickshaws. Unlike the rickshaws, which are now extinct except for a few available to pose for photos, these ferries are still the workhorses, shuttling people back and forth from both sides of the harbour. Before the harbor tunnels were built ferries were the only connection between the two sides.

For me, the 5 minute ride across the harbour always evokes a feeling of nostalgia. So much has changed in Hong Kong and this is the best way to sit back to observe and digest these changes. There is a token booth to pay your ticket or you can just deposit the coins in one of the old turnstiles. Go up the stairs and follow the crowd to the entrance. If there is no ferry docked, just wait. When you hear a ferry starting to dock, walk over to the gates. There will be a loud whistle and the sailor will open the gates. Beware of people pushing and shoving to be the first to get on the ferry for a good seat!

Locals joke that only tourists take the upper level (called First Class and costs $2.20 HK.) The benches are nicer and you are on the higher second level. I do enjoy the lower level more (called Second Class and costs $1.70.) You can stand on the edge and watch the waves crash underneath you. Plus you also get a nicer view of the city as there are no glass windows in the bow as in First Class.

The sound of the waves crashing alongside the ferry, the coming and goings of ocean liners, fishing boats, barges and yachts in the harbour, the view of the skyscrapers and hills...it gives me a chance to sit back and take it all in. It's a great way to check out the physical changes, to note what was built since my last visit. Hong Kong is always on the go and there is never a dull moment. The ferry ride gives me a moment to look back at the city and admire her strengths and beauty. Day or night, this is a beautiful ride. For the price, you can afford to take this in as many times as you like.

On the Hong Kong side, the pier is right by City Hall. On the Kowloon side, it is by Ocean Center and the big old clock.