The beautiful vistas of Victoria Harbour

Victoria Harbour Hong Kong is perhaps Hong Kong's most famous attraction; the harbour is famous for its panoramic city views and exhilarating cityscape. A number of public shows are organized here on the waterfront such as firework displays and laser shows.

This history of the harbour dates back to the British Colonial days of the 19th century. The harbour's natural depth and location was what initially enticed the British to come to Hong Kong during the First Opium War in the mid 1800s. Victoria Harbour became a recreational area, following the establishment of Hong Kong's first sports club; the Victoria Recreation Club. The local gentry and the colonial masters engaged in sports such as water polo, swimming and rowing in the waters of the harbour. But during recent times excessive pollution has ended any sports activity in the water.

Apart from being a focal point for city dwellers and a notable geographical landmark much loved by tourists and Hong Kong citizens, Victoria Harbour is also the heart of commerce in the country. Thousands of ferries, ships and tugs can be seen moving to and fro on across the harbour. In fact Victoria Harbour is one of the world's busiest ports handling over 220,000 ships an year on average.

Among the best places to enjoy the beautiful panorama of Victoria Harbour and the cityscape is from Victoria Tower on The Peak, from here it is possible to appreciate the stillness of the water, the vastness of the harbour and the beauty of the jagged mountain range that towers above the Hong Kong sky scrapers. Being a place of scenic beauty as well as a focal point for the city it is no wonder that many public events are held here. Among them is the annual pyrotechnics display that is held on the second day of the Lunar New Year.

Recently opened tourists attractions include the Avenue of Star which is modeled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Beverly Hills and the Symphony of Lights which lights up the harbour with a dazzling array of colourful lasers. Being a place of great interest to travelers a Kowloon hotel is easy to locate nearby, such as the Langham Hotel Hong Kong which maintains the lofty standards of hospitality expected of hotels in Hong Kong.