Kowloon Bay is a bay within Victoria Harbour and a neighbourhood within Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Geography
The bay is located at the east of the Kowloon Peninsula and north of Hong Kong Island. It constitutes the eastern portion of Victoria Harbour, situated between Hung Hom and Lei Yue Mun. The bay was divided into two halves when the 13/31 runway of the former Kai Tak International Airport was constructed in the middle of the bay in the mid-1950s. The bay has undergone extensive land reclamation over the past century; areas such as San Po Kong, now located far from the coast, were reclaimed from the bay in the early period.
Neighbourhood
The reclaimed land of north-eastern Kowloon Bay near Ngau Tau Kok is also referred to as Kowloon Bay. Originally known as the Ngau Tau Kok Industrial Area, it came to be called Kowloon Bay after the construction of the MTR Kowloon Bay station. The area near the MTR station is primarily residential, while the area nearer the shore is industrial. It is traditionally considered an extension of Ngau Tau Kok.
Administration
Administratively, the reclaimed land of Kowloon Bay and the waters east of the former runway (excluding the airport area) fall within Kwun Tong District. The former airport and its surrounding waters belong to Kowloon City District.
Notable Features
The former Kai Tak International Airport was built on reclaimed land in Kowloon Bay, with its single runway jutting out into the bay, surrounded by water on three sides. The airport closed in 1998, and the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal now occupies part of the site. The Kowloon Bay Depot, the first MTR depot, is also located in the area.
Buildings and Landmarks
Notable buildings include Amoy Gardens (a large private estate), Enterprise Square Five (comprising the MegaBox shopping mall and two office buildings), the Goldin Financial Global Centre, Kowloonbay International Trade & Exhibition Centre (KITEC), Telford Gardens (a private housing estate built atop the MTR depot), and the East Kowloon Cultural Centre.
Transport
The area is served by MTR Kowloon Bay station on the Kwun Tong line, located beside Telford Plaza, along with numerous bus routes along Kwun Tong Road.
Economy
Fung Seng Enterprises has its head office in Kowloon Bay.
Education
Schools and educational institutions are relatively scarce in the district. Notable ones include the SPACE of the University of Hong Kong, the Town Center of City University of Hong Kong, and YCH Law Chan Chor Si College. Kowloon Bay falls within Primary One Admission (POA) School Net 46.
Future Development
In the 1990s, plans existed to convert the bay and former airport site into an in-city new town housing 240,000 to 340,000 residents, along with a sports stadium. However, reduced land demand, environmental concerns, and public opposition led to revisions. The subsequent Kai Tak Development plans do not include further land reclamation, in compliance with the Protection of the Harbour Ordinance.
