Sail away - Hong Kong Harbour Kai Tak Cruise Terminal

Hi - can anyone tell me the route that the ship takes if it is heading south from Kai Tak (i.e. to Vietnam). Just wondering if we sail out south between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island of if we head towards the east and Hong Kong Island. Thanks in advance for any responses.

We sailed from Kai Tak a few months ago (March) on way to Vietnam. Ship went east. It was becoming dark and mildly foggy, but we still managed to see the pretty lights.

Great thanks for your response - I was hoping that was the direction we'd sail - we depart at 7pm so lights should be in full swing. :D

We sailed from Kai Tak a few months ago (March) on way to Vietnam. Ship went east. It was becoming dark and mildly foggy, but we still managed to see the pretty lights.

Sorry to contradict you. If you sailed from the KaiTak Cruise Terminal and you sailed through the harbour, you would have been going west. If you left from the east entrance to the harbor, you would have been going south. You can only go east after you have cleared the eastern harbour entrance at LeiYuMun. If you had sailed from the Ocean Terminal in Kowloon, then you could have been going east to clear through the eastern harbour entrance.

Sorry to contradict you. If you sailed from the KaiTak Cruise Terminal and you sailed through the harbour, you would have been going west. If you left from the east entrance to the harbor, you would have been going south. You can only go east after you have cleared the eastern harbour entrance at LeiYuMun. If you had sailed from the Ocean Terminal in Kowloon, then you could have been going east to clear through the eastern harbour entrance.

I understand what you are saying. To be more precise, we did not sail back through the harbour towards Kowloon from Kai Tak. We sailed in a south easterly direction to LeiYuMun, and passing through Tathong Chanel, where the direction was then southerly. I apologise for not being more specific.:)

This is a aerial view from a nearby hill of the old Kai Tak Airport's runway as it was being converted into KT Cruise Terminal, look out toward the LYM Harbour out into the South China Sea or open waters. Hong Kong Island is on the right & Victoria Harbour - Central is to the right and behind the scene here. Basically, the ship will be moving away from the city/downtown, although there will be plenty of high-rise building (HKG's famous concrete jungles) and city lights in the evening during the sailway. Go higher up AFT on the cruise ship for best viewing (or, those with starboard balconies ... :D )

As the ship leave the terminal/port, it basically head out to sea and away from the very busy harbour, as illustrated in above picture.

Wow thanks for the photos

thanks for the pictures; that helps me get my bearings.

I have attached 2 photos to give you an idea what is at the east and west of Kai Tak. Both photos were taken in 2010 during the sail away of Diamond Princess from the container terminal. Luckily we sailed from west to east along the full length of the harbour. The first photo was taken west of Kai Tak, while the 2nd is east of Kai Tak, and is actually showing the building where I live in :D. So you get an idea. The east is nothing compared with the west. To enjoy the beauty of the harbour you better take the star ferry on the night before your cruise.