1 – The Star Ferry

The green-and-white Star Ferry (www.starferry.com.hk), linking the mainland district of Kowloon to Hong Kong Island, is the cheapest sightseeing cruise in the world: One-way fares are just 21 cents on the lower deck and 28 cents on the upper deck. The ferry is rarely less than packed and is an excellent place to get a feel for daily life. The voyage across busy Victoria Harbour takes just seven minutes, but it’s one of the highlights of any visit to Hong Kong; the route weaves between traditional junks and modern cargo vessels and provides spectacular views of the city skyline. Ferries run approximately every 20 minutes, 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

2 – Victoria Peak

For the definitive perspective on the city, take the funicular Peak Tram 1,224 feet up to the top of Victoria Peak on Hong Kong Island. It’s a journey that just about every visitor to Hong Kong has made since the tramway opened in 1888. Besides the jaw-dropping view down onto the jostling skyscrapers of the business district, there are many other attractions within the state-of-the-art Peak Tower (www.thepeak.com.hk), from shops and restaurants to the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium. The trams run from the terminus on Garden Road in Central District. The journey takes about seven minutes and costs $2.50 one way or $3.80 round trip, 6 a.m. to midnight.

3 – Open Markets

Hong Kong is the shrine of global capitalism, and there is no shortage of glitzy shopping malls to meet your needs for designer labels and cutting-edge electronics (for instance, Harbour City in Kowloon — www.harbourcity.com.hk). But if it’s local color you want, spend an hour or two in the open markets of Kowloon. The bird market on Yuen Po Street (nearest Mass Transit Railway station: Prince Edward) is well worth a visit. Nearby Flower Market Road lives up to its name: The stalls are a gaudy riot of color.The Jade Market on Kansu Street offers everything from the cheapest trinkets to the highest-quality jewelry. After dark, visit the Temple Street night market (MTR station: Jordan), open until midnight: You can snack cheaply at the numerous food stalls there.

4 – Mai Po Nature Reserve

If you need a break from the relentless downtown bustle, there’s nowhere better than the Mai Po Nature Reserve (www.wwf.org.hk/eng/maipo), which protects a world-renowned area of marshland, home to more than 60,000 water birds. Admission is by permit, which you must apply for in advance: Email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

. Prebooked guided tours cost $9; binoculars can be rented for $2.50. The easiest way to get there is by KCR (Kowloon-Canton Railway) from Kowloon to Sheung Shui, which takes about 30 minutes ($2.35 each way), followed by a 20-minute taxi ride to Mai Po ($8 each way).

5 – Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront

You will probably be drawn to Kowloon’s waterfront time and again throughout your stay. The view across the harbor to the skyline of Hong Kong Island may be the greatest manmade panorama in the world. Between 8 and 8:15 each night, 18 of the key skyscrapers are lit up in a choreographed display, The Symphony of Lights (www.tourism.gov.hk/symphony). You can watch the show from anywhere along the waterfront, which is within walking distance of the top Kowloon hotels.