Asia Cruise

Boat trips on the Mekong are popular, especially at sunset. They also provide a great way for visitors to experience the traditional mode of transport in Cambodia. If you’re traveling to cities beyond Phnom Penh, these boats can also be a fun, if more time-consuming, way to travel. Whatever you do, don’t take a speedboat – they can be extremely dangerous.

For a unique waterborne experience, board Duk Ling, the last authentic sailing junk in Hong Kong. Duk Ling was originally built in Macau 50 years ago and owned by Chinese fishermen. The junk sailed Hong Kong waters for more than 25 years until the ‘80s, when it was restored to its original classic design and taken over by the China Pub Company Limited. Today, the craft takes tourists on free one-hour tours around Victoria Harbor. The rides are popular so register at least one day advance. Have your passport number ready when you call – you’ll have to prove that you’re a genuine “out-of-towner” to take advantage of the complimentary rides offered by the tourist board (locals who want to ride must rent the boat for a hefty fee). Be forewarned that the ride may be suspended in March for annual maintenance.

It might seem unlikely, but the sea off Lantau island, within sight of the international airport, is the natural habitat of the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, more commonly known as Chinese pink dolphins. Several mornings a week, Hong Kong Dolphinwatch offers cruises out to view the dolphins feeding and gamboling in the waves. The trip takes four hours total, which includes the time that it takes to transfer from the bus to the boat in Tung Chung, a satellite town by Chek Lap Kok airport. Book at least two days in advance.

During the summer months, one or more typhoons pass by Hong Kong, with some directly striking the territory. Water Tours runs a two-hour cruise to a typhoon shelter, where sailors take refuge, along with their junks, during the storms. The tour also passes by the Noon Day Gun in Causeway Bay at firing time which, as the name suggests, is at 12pm. The Noon Day Gun is operated by Jardine Matheson, Hong Kong’s oldest trading company. Tours run year-round, but are canceled when the threat of a typhoon looms.