Experience Exploration
Neon Nights
As Graeme Yates discovers, Hong Kong harbour by day is impressive, but by night, it’s absolutely spectacular
‘I confess. At first I was sceptical. To me it just didn’t seem logical to step off one ship straight onto another. Admittedly they’re worlds apart – one’s a sparkling 85,000 ton superliner, the other a considerably smaller rustic ‘junk’. But as we cast off and drift out into the harbour, I can see my worries waving at me from the shore. I’d love to say there wasn’t a soul to be seen, that we had the place to ourselves, but we all know that’s definitely not the case in Hong Kong harbour. That’s what makes it so special though – the incredible energy out on the water. Star Ferries zipping backwards and forwards, super yachts jostling for space with tiny fishing boats, bulging barges slowly plodding along, and all while Arcadia sits silently watching the chaos ensue.
They say it never really gets dark in Hong Kong and I can see what they mean - the neon lights are illuminating the sky with an eerie artificial twilight. And with the sparkling reflection of the city on the water, it’s almost as though there’s two skylines. Suddenly the city’s ablaze!
A sudden cheer erupts form the boat. Eight o’clock. Bang on time. When my wife told me there’d be a ‘light show’, I didn’t realise it would be quite like this. Wait. There’s music too!
I’m mesmerised. Red and pink neon races up and down the buildings. Brilliant white lasers pierce the sky. The towering Bank of China is enveloped in a cloak of sparkling diamonds that rise and fall in perfect unison with the music. The skyline transforms as previously invisible skyscrapers suddenly spring to life in flashes of yellow and blue. It’s dazzling. As soft searchlight fingers stretch out into the clouds, a solitarily green beam strikes out from high on the roof of the International Finance Centre II to remind you it’s still the tallest building on the waterfront. The pace quickens. Every single building is radiant in a rainbow of colour. The entire skyline pulsates to the rhythm. Buildings seem to erupt like fireworks. Faster. Louder. It reaches a crescendo...
I’m speechless.
What a performance! To give what I’d just witnessed its official title, this breathtaking multimedia display is known as ‘A Symphony of Lights’ – recognised as the ‘world’s largest permanent light and sound show’ by Guinness World Records. 33 separate buildings and a total of nearly 15,000 lighting fixtures (many in the lucky Chinese colours of red and gold) unite to complete this unique spectacle. And to think this happens every night!
Amazing.
As our junk returns to shore, the millions of shimmering lights hold my gaze. I’m still trying to comprehend the show I’ve just seen. It seems to be that in every single port, I’ve witnessed something which I firmly believe will be impossible to match. But the staggering experiences keep on coming.