Hong Kong’s Top 10 : Markets

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  1. Temple Street

    This
    atmospheric market comes alive at night. Hundreds of stalls are
    jam-packed by 9pm, offering pirated goods and all manner of, well, junk.
    It used to be known as Men’s Street, and many stalls still stock
    less-than-fashionable attire. Venture past the market and you’ll stumble
    onto a lamplit coterie of fortune-tellers and possibly a Chinese Opera
    recital. .




    Temple Street

  2. Western Market

    The
    Western Market (in the northwest of Hong Kong Island) is situated in a
    gorgeous old Edwardian building, but the pickings are slim. Best bet is
    the excellent selection of antique and second-hand watches on the ground
    floor. Also a good range of fabric shops, although bargains are scarce.
    In a former life it housed a meat and vegetable market.

    • 323 Des Voeux Rd Central, Sheung Wan

    • 10am–7pm




    Western Market

  3. Ladies Market

    No
    designer labels – unless they’re fake. What you’ll find here is
    inexpensive women’s clothing from lingerie to shoes. There’s a decent
    selection of jeans, cheap food and knick-knacks galore.

  4. Jardine’s Bazaar and Jardine’s Crescent

    An
    open-air market area in the heart of Causeway Bay, one of Hong Kong’s
    busiest shopping districts. All sorts of goodies here, from
    run-of-the-mill fashion shops to traditional barbers and Chinese
    medicine sellers. Sample a glass of fresh soy bean milk.

    • Jardine’s Bazaar, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Island

    • 11am–8pm

  5. Cat Street

    No,
    there are no more cats here than anywhere else in Hong Kong. Cat Street
    refers instead to the Chinese slang for odds and ends. This street and
    nearby Hollywood Road are chock full of antique and curio shops. This is
    the place for silk carpets, elegant Chinese furniture, Ming dynasty
    ceramic horsemen and Maoist kitsch.




    Antique Buddha image, Cat Street

  6. Jade Market

    As
    you might suppose, jade sellers abound – more than 450 of them at last
    count. Don’t attempt to buy the top-grade stuff unless you’re an expert
    and know what you are doing. But there are plenty of cheaper pieces to
    be found .

  7. Stanley Market

    Full
    of tourists of the badge-sporting, flag-following variety, this can
    still be a fun place to shop. If you’re not claustrophobic, join the
    hordes thronging the narrow lanes to gorge on tacky rubbish .

    • Stanley Main St, Hong Kong Island

    • 10am–6pm

  8. Bird Garden

    More
    than 70 stalls showcasing all manner of songbirds and (mostly legal)
    exotica, bounded by elegant courtyards, full of old men with white
    singlets rolled up to bare their bellies (one of Hong Kong’s odder
    fashion statements). A flower market is nearby.

    • Yuen Po Street, Mong Kok

    • 7am–8pm




    Bird Garden

  9. Goldfish Market

    A
    popular spot for locals, as a fishtank in the right spot is thought to
    ward off bad luck. Hook a bargain on underwater furniture with an
    oriental flavour, or just admire the colourful creatures on show.

    • Tung Choi St, Mong Kok

    • 10am–6pm

  10. Gage Street

    This
    market is worth a peek if you happen to be in Central but hardly worth a
    special visit. Lots of blood and guts, especially for early birds.
    Trucks disgorge fresh pink pig carcasses as squawking chickens ponder
    their final hours.




    Busy Gage Street Market