Visiting The Peak, Hong Kong

By alantvuong on January 10, 2018

so cheap to ride the ferry

The Peak is one of the top things to do while visiting Hong Kong. It is the highest mountain of Hong Kong Island and offers spectacular views of the city skyline, skyscrapers, the harbor and at night, all the bright colorful lights of the city. The tram to get to the Peak was amazing to do and at top, there is the tower, sky terrace, gallery, museum, and lots of shopping and dining. This was something that I really wanted to do and had to make sure it is somehow accessible for me. Being in December, it is quite cool here, so we are trying to go on a nicer day if possible.

can only stay on the main floor of the ferry

Our hotel was in the Tsim Sha Tsui area and not too far from Harbour City. This is a big area that includes shopping, dining, hotels and the Ocean Terminal. This is where we ride the Star Ferry to get to Hong Kong Island to get to the Peak. Fares were really cheap and they even have discount pricing for those in wheelchairs. The Star Ferry itself wasn’t too bad for accessibility, the staff put out a ramp so that my manual wheelchair could be easily wheeled on. I could not get up to the upper floor since there were only stairs but I was happy enough to be able to even get on the ferry. It runs every 10 minutes and the ride is about 25 minutes from Kowloon.

walkways and underpasses to help you get there faster

There are a lot of steep hills in Hong Kong Island so getting all the way to the Peak Tram could be a challenge. Luckily there is a raised walkway, then an underground tunnel that takes us about half way there. The sidewalks can be angled very steep so I am not sure how a powerchair would do. I was in my manual chair and that was already really tough for my companion to get me there. Line ups were really long to get inside to the tram and the lines were quite skinny with ropes and had a bad incline. Lucky a staff member spotted and ushered us in to skip the lines. Tickets can be bought which includes both the tram and the sky terrace or just the tram. We chose the combo ticket as we wanted to do both. There wasn’t a wheelchair discount but getting to skip the lines was already good enough for us.

ramp to get on the Peak Tram

The tram itself was pretty accessible. Staff members put out a portable ramp for me and helped me in. There was a spot for wheelchairs inside the tram and even straps for me to feel secure. The ride up the mountain was really cool and it was great to see all the views. Even with the steep incline going up, I never felt unsafe. Up top, there was a giant mall with so many shops and restaurants. There was a lot of things to do including Madame Tussauds wax museum, The Peak Tower, Peak Tram Historical Gallery, Nature Walks, Sky Terrace 428, and a free Madness 3D Adventure.

Madame Tussauds

To get to Sky Terrace 428, a staff member had to accompany us to elevators which were hidden away in “employees only” sections. It was quite windy and cold considering the time of month but the views were spectacular. I was really happy that the fence surrounding the rooftop was made of see-through glass. This makes it so much easier for someone sitting in a wheelchair to look out. There is even a wishing card hanging on a giant heart called the Wishing Corner where lots of people take photos with.

Sky Terrace 428

The free Madness 3D Adventure was a short fun stop to take pictures with 3D art sculptures and paintings but the second floor was only accessible by stairs. Overall, it was a great fun time to spend the day. We were told the views on the Sky Terrace at night will just be as beautiful with all they city lights on but we were ready to continue our adventure in Hong Kong. I will be back to visit this city, but next time I will go during the summer warmer months.