Mong Kok and Yau ma Tei, north of Tsim sha Tsui, are characterized by a mixture of old and new multi-story buildings, with shops and restaurants at street level and commercial or residential units above.
The atmosphere around here is less touristy than in TST or Hong Kong Island and prices, accordingly, are usually lower... Some of the metropolis' best open-air markets can be found here and the hawkers sell almost everything... From authentic Chinese products to cheap fashion accessories and from reasonably priced electronics to imitations of expensive watches... The two districts are very popular among locals and tourists alike, both for their low prices and for the authentic atmosphere.
Here are some of the "must see" shopping venues in Mong Kok and Yau ma Tei :
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♦ The Night Market is one of Hong Kong's most famous attractions and a relatively good place to fetch a few bargains.
Stretching along Temple Street in Yau ma Tei, it boasts long rows of brightly lit market stalls where you can buy almost everything... From Asian antiques and costumes to footwear and clothes, and from electronic gadgets and watches to cassettes and CDs... You name it. There are also more than a few food-stalls and eateries around, where you can indulge on simple, delicious Chinese food, and although it is very touristy, it is still worth visiting ...
The market is open daily from 4 pm to 11 pm (although it gets busy only at around 7 pm).
To get there: From MTR-Jordan, Take exit A to Jordan Road West and walk along it for less than five minutes. The third turn on your right is Temple Street, where the famous Night Market is held nightly.
Walking all the way from Tsim Sha Tsui is also possible and can take 10 - 15 minutes: You should walk up Nathan Road (away from the waterfront), turn left to Jordan Road West and the third street on you right is Temple Street.
♦ A visit to Jade Street and the Jade Market is a unique experience, especially if you admire gemstones. The market is located in Yau ma Tei and, as its name suggests, Jade and Jade artifacts are the specialty of most of the shops. You can easily spend a long time here, admiring the perfectionism of some of these artists, but be careful not to invest a substantial amount of money unless you are familiar with gemstones, or accompanied by an expert.
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The market is open daily from 10 am to 4 pm, but you should come early if you want to put your hands on the best stuff, before it disappears.
To get here: Canton Road (the section of which that is popularly known as Jade Street) is the sixth street on your right, when coming from exit A of MTR-Jordan (three corners after the entrance to Temple Street and the Night Market).
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At the far end of Canton Road (opposite the police station), turn right to Kansu Street and and you will immediately see the Jade Market on your left (The small red-painted structures under the flyover).
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A tasty tip from Metropolasia-Man
Housed within some sort of art-deco building on the corner Public Square Street and Temple Street, opposite the old Tin Hau Temple, Mido Café is a "culinary institution" that has changed very little (if at all) since it first opened its doors, almost sixty years ago... Even the old cash till is still there... no wonder this place was used as a backdrop for many Hong Kong movies.
Food wise, they serve the traditional Cha Chaan Teng fare, which is basically Hong Kong style café fare... From nice and simple sandwiches and toasts, to more "serious" fried rice and noodle dishes, like their signature Baked pork-chop rice, Baked spareribs rice, Spicy Eggplant & Minced Pork with Fried Noodles and Shredded Chicken Fried Noodles... everything is nice (and there is a nice street-view from the windows...)
Prices are quite reasonable: HK$ 50 - 75 per person for a nice meal
Open from 8:30 am till 10pm
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♦ Ladies' Market - stretches along Tung Choi St. in Mong Kok and is one of Hong Kong's most popular open-air markets. As its name denotes, this market specializes in women's clothing, accessories, cosmetics, and the like. However, the products here are not only for women: many men's and children's products are for sale as well. Soft toys, clothes, bags, jeans, watches... just to name a few.
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The market is open daily from 10:30 am to 10:30 pm.
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To get there: Take exit E-2 of MTR-Mong Kok to the east side of Nelson Street and proceed to the market (2 minutes walk), Exit D-3, on Argyle Street is also close to the market.
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A tasty tip from Metropolasia-Man
If you feel like refreshment after strolling the market, Hui Lau San is one very popular dessert shop located right next to Ladies' Market (in Dundas Square, on the corner of Dundas Street and the southern end of the market). They sell cold beverages like Pearl tea, Iced chocolate and Lemon tea, alongside some very nice desserts.
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♦ Fa Yuen St. (also known as Sportswear Street) is a small street that runs parallel to Ladies' Market, with many small retailers which sell sports equipment and clothing. It has a wide diversity of sports shoes. Many shoes of rare or special editions from different places are available here.
♦ Goldfish Market - is located along the north part of Tung Choi St. (the street of Ladies' Market). There are dozens of shops and hawkers here that sell various tropical freshwater or marine fish, as well as different types of aquarium equipment. Open daily from 10 am to 9 pm.
♦ Fa Yuen Street market is situated along the north part of Fa Yuen street. It is full of shops selling bargain-priced trendy fashion and casual wear for men, women and children and they usually open between 10:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. daily (the market also stretches along Nullah Road, all the way to Prince Edward Road West).
♦ Flower Market - is a street market in the northern part of Mong Kok, where many flower shops and street hawkers can be found. It opens daily from 7 am to 7:30 pm, and there are two ways to get there: A) If coming from Ladies' Market: continue northward with Tung Choi Street (Goldfish Market) till you get to the corner of Prince Edward Rd., cross it to the other side and turn right, then enter the second street on your left (Sai Yee Street) and the first street on your right is the market. B) Take exit A of MTR-Prince Edward to Playing Field Rd. and walk along it to its end. Turn right to Sai Yee St. and left to Flower Market Rd. and you are there...
♦ At the far end of Flower Market Rd., turn left and enter Yuen Po Street Bird Garden (or, simply, the Bird Garden), where dozens of bird shops are located and hundreds of colorful songbirds in exquisitely crafted cages can be seen... The market also makes a popular meeting point for elderly bird owners... Open daily from 7 am to 8 pm.
♦ From here, you can walk back to the other end of Yuen Po Street, from where you can turn right to Prince Edward Rd. and walk along it, back to Nathan Road and the MTR.
♦ Sai Yeung Choi Street South is a hot spot for Hong Kong people. The section south of Argyle Street concentrates shops of consumer electronic products at street level and upstair bookstores above. Some good cosmetics shops can also be found here. To get here: take exit D-3 of MTR-Mong Kok and you are there...
The shopping malls and arcades in Mong Kok are not as glittering and stylish as the ones in TST, Causeway Bay and Central but they are definitely worth visiting, especially if you are price-savvy...
♦ Yau Shing Commercial Centre is located right next to exit E-2 of MTR-Mong Kok (on your left side). The center's six floors are packed with electrical goods, gadgets, cameras, DVD players and what have you...
♦ Argyle Center is situated right next to exit D-2 of MTR-Mong Kok and specializes mostly in cheap fashion and accessories.
♦ Not far from Argyle Center and exit D-2, on Argyle St., you can find Sincere House shopping centre, where the shops specialize in Cellular phones and their accessories.
♦ Mong Kok Computer Center is the place to go to for everything that is computer related. This three-storey mall has dozens of computer shops, selling various kinds of products including laptops, software, hardware and computer accessories. all at very competitive prices. The center is located on 8 Nelson St., near exit E-2 of MTR- Mong Kok and is open daily between 11 am and 11 pm.
♦ Langham Place is a 3-in-1 complex, comprising of shopping mall, hotel and office tower. The huge shopping mall has a modern, "high-tech" look, and houses more than 300 shops, including many trendy boutiques that specialize in international brands. Otherwise, there are quite a few little shops here run by young people, where you'll find the most individualistic fashion items. The mall also has the longest escalators within a shopping mall in Hong Kong, called the "Xpresscalators". A pair is located on the 4th floor leading up to the 8th and another pair leads to the 12th floor. The mall is located on the corner of Shanghai St. and Argyle St. and is connected to MTR-Mong Kok via Exit C-3. Open daily from 11 am to 11 pm.
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Kowloon Tong - is a residential area in north Kowloon. Tourists don't have much interst in the area and pass through it only when travelling on the KCR to the Chinese border and the New Territories.
Nevertheless, if you love shopping, Kowloon Tong has something good for you... The huge Festival Walk shopping mall houses hundreds of shops, many of which specialize in famos brand names. Excellent restaurants, cafés, Cinema and an ice skating rink can also be found here. To get here: Take Exit "C" of Kowloon Tong MTR station.
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You may also want to read about other shopping districts nearby...
Tsim sha Tsui
Sham Shui Po and Kowloon Tong
