Ding Ding Tram and TramOramic Tour

The trams of Hong Kong Island have been running since 1904, and they are still the best-value sightseeing in the city. Locals call them Ding Ding after the double ring of the driver's foot bell, and the fleet of narrow double-deckers rattles along the north shore of the island between Kennedy Town in the west and Shau Kei Wan in the east, with a loop round the racecourse at Happy Valley. A ride costs a flat fare, paid by Octopus card or coins as you get off at the front, so you can hop on and off as often as you like. The trick is to climb the narrow staircase to the top deck and sit at the front: from there the city unfolds at a walking pace, through the dried-seafood shops and old shophouses of Sheung Wan, past the banks and towers of Central and Admiralty, the street markets and neon of Wan Chai, the crowds of Causeway Bay and the residential blocks of North Point, where the tram squeezes through the middle of Chun Yeung Street market. For a first ride with context, book the TramOramic tour. It runs on a specially built open-top tram styled on a 1920s design, takes about an hour and comes with an audio guide in English and many other languages, so you hear the history of the districts you pass and the stories behind the buildings. Tours depart from the Western Market terminus in Sheung Wan or from the Causeway Bay terminus, depending on your time slot, and the ticket includes a two-day unlimited ride pass for the regular trams afterwards. The open top deck is the attraction: no glass between you and the streets, the shop signs and the hanging laundry. Trams are not fast, they are crowded at rush hour and the seats are hard, but they are the gentlest way to see how the island actually lives.

How to ride: board at the back, through the turnstile, and pay as you leave at the front by tapping an Octopus card or dropping exact coins into the box. Trams come every few minutes on the main line, so there is no need to plan. Check the destination sign on the front before boarding, as some trams terminate early or turn into Happy Valley. The top deck front seats are the prize; morning and evening rush hours are packed, so mid-morning and mid-afternoon are the most comfortable times. On hot days the older trams have open windows rather than air conditioning, which is part of the charm.

Which way to go: the most interesting stretch for a first ride is from Western Market in Sheung Wan to Causeway Bay, which takes in the old trading streets, the business district and Wan Chai's markets. Continue east to North Point to see the tram pass through the middle of a street market, a scene that appears in countless photographs. A detour on the Happy Valley loop shows the racecourse; on race nights the area fills with racegoers. The TramOramic tour is a good introduction for the first day of a trip, after which the two-day pass makes the regular trams an easy way to get around the island.

Practical notes: the TramOramic tour runs a small number of departures a day from the two termini, and it is suspended during typhoon signals and rainstorm warnings, resuming once the signal is lowered. Tickets are typically non-refundable, so check the weather. The open-top deck has no roof, so bring a hat in summer. The trams are not suitable for wheelchairs because of the steps, but the lower deck is fine for most visitors. Pair a ride with Man Mo Temple and Hollywood Road at the western end, or with dinner in Causeway Bay at the eastern end.