Chances are you will be crossing between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island a fair bit. There are several ways to do this, each of which come with its advantages and caveats.
You can take the MTR subway, which you should do if you are traveling farther distances (and not merely crossing the harbour). But we’re here to tell you that the Central (HK) - Tsim Sha Tsui (Kowloon) ride can be really annoying, because the Central Station is deep, labyrithine, and ENORMOUS; you may innocently enter from an above-ground escalator only to find yourself at your platform an eternity later, having embarked, unbeknownst to you when you signed up, on a subterranean odyssey longer than the width of the harbour itself. This is a general truism about the MTR — the stations and trains are efficient and clean, but damn if those things aren’t buried deep in the earth.
You can also cross Victoria Harbour by taxi, of course, via one of two tunnels located at either side of HK and Tsim Sha Tsui. You will need to do this if you’re out late (ferry service ends at around 11pm each night), but don’t fret — distances in HK are short, and fares are reasonable; in moderate traffic, a Central-TST journey will take about 10 minutes and cost about $10USD. In bad traffic, however, and it’s a different story — attempting a motorized crossing during the daytime is pure folly.
By far the easiest, cheapest, and most enjoyable way to cross the harbour is by the Star Ferry service.
Just walk to through one of the two ferry terminals if you are in Hong Kong (one pier is in Wanchai to the east — technically the Wanchai Ferry, and the other is in Central on the west, right in front of the ifc); or if you are in Kowloon, to the one terminal at the tip of TST near the Cultural Center. Just follow the signs — they will prompt you either to the top or the bottom deck of the ferry (personally, I think the upper deck is a bit nicer). Cost difference is negligible, in any case; lower deck is $0.25US, upper is $0.28. Madness. (I don’t think you can buy a loosie for that little in NYC).
Below is a shot of the, uh, interface for the token machine. Don’t get too bent out of shape about the design, though — just look at that sweet, sweet price. Drop your pittance in the coin slot below, collect your plastic token from the tray at the bottom, and you’re good to ride.
