How Victoria Harbour’s red-sailed junk boat serves as iconic reminder of Hong Kong’s heritage
- Dukling – a wooden, 65-year-old former fishing boat – remains last original antique vessel still sailing in local waters
- City's skyline has changed dramatically as it develops into global financial hub, says ship captain Kwok Wah-hei
The iconic three red sails and wooden hull of the Dukling – the only original antique Chinese junk boat still cruising off the coast of Hong Kong – remain a familiar sight on the skyscraper-flanked waters of Victoria Harbour.
Originally built to fish the seas off the coast of Hong Kong in 1955, the restored vessel, which was given a new lease in life in 2015 when it began offering harbour cruises, serves as a vivid reminder of the vibrant city’s humble origins as a fishing village and its journey of rapid development into an international financial centre.
Dukling’s operations rely heavily on its 60-year-old captain, Hongkonger Kwok Wah-hei, who has more than three decades of experience as a seaman.
Tourists often ask questions such as, ‘What did the harbour look like in the past?’. We cruise slowly and take our time while explaining its history
“We point out places of interest around Hong Kong,” Kwok says. “Tourists often ask questions such as, ‘What did the harbour look like in the past?’. We cruise slowly and take our time while explaining its history.”
Hong Kong’s high-rise skyline
Kwok, who has been sailing around Victoria Harbour for decades, is no stranger to Hong Kong’s distinctive skyline.
“There have definitely been dramatic changes [to the view], if you compare it with the old days. Back then, the harbour was much wider. Now it’s been narrowed by at least one-third because of land reclamation on both sides.”
