Sun path · Hong Kong
Sunrise & sunset direction in Hong Kong
See which way the sun rises and sets in Hong Kong, with the full arc showing elevation against compass direction. Dashed curves show the June solstice, equinox and December solstice for comparison.
Drag the timeline to see where the sun will be in the sky.
Sun path in Hong Kong on Thu, Sep 24
The sun rises at 90°, E and sets at 270°, W in Hong Kong, reaching a peak elevation of 67° at solar noon. Day length is 12h 6m, measured from sunrise to sunset.
The chart above plots the full arc of the sun across the sky. The horizontal axis is compass direction, the vertical axis is elevation. Dashed reference curves show the June solstice, equinox and December solstice so you can see how the arc shifts through the year.
Use the scrubber to walk through the day and read the sun's compass bearing and elevation at any moment. For photography, check which direction light will come from at your planned shoot time and whether your subject will be front-lit, side-lit or backlit.
Sunrise and sunset direction in Hong Kong
Bearings are measured clockwise from north and calculated from the sun path for this location.
| Date | Sun rises | Sun sets |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 90°, E | 270°, W |
| June solstice | 64°, ENE | 296°, WNW |
| Equinox | 90°, E | 270°, W |
| December solstice | 115°, ESE | 245°, WSW |
Shooting the light in Hong Kong
Hong Kong sits just inside the tropics, so day length only swings between about eleven and thirteen and a half hours - the real seasons are in the air. Summer is humid and hazy; October through January, under the dry northeast monsoon, brings the clear, contrasty skies the skyline photos are made in.
Victoria Harbour runs roughly east-west, which means golden hour light travels along the water rather than across it, sidelighting both skylines. The city’s density makes elevation the key move - most of the signature frames are shot from peaks and rooftops at blue hour, when the towers light up under a still-colored sky.
Where photographers go
Victoria Peak (Lugard Road)
The definitive blue-hour panorama over Central and the harbour; haze is lowest in autumn and winter.
Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade
The Island skyline across the water; stay from sunset through the 8 p.m. Symphony of Lights.
West Kowloon Art Park
Looks west up the harbour, so the sun sets over the water in front of the ICC.
Braemar Hill
The classic sunset perch: the sun drops behind Central and Victoria Peak from the northeast.
Frequently asked
- Which way does the sun rise in Hong Kong?
- On Thu, Sep 24, the sun rises in Hong Kong at 90°, E (east).
- Which direction does the sun set in Hong Kong in December?
- At the December solstice, the sun sets in Hong Kong at 245°, WSW (west-southwest).
- How high does the sun get in Hong Kong?
- On Thu, Sep 24, the sun reaches about 67° above the horizon at its highest point in Hong Kong.
