Beneath the bleaching glare of a thousand naked light
bulbs, tourists and locals alike pick their way among the stalls
crowding the narrow lanes of Yau Ma Tei’s Temple Street. The
overwhelming array of cheap goods includes clothes, shoes, accessories,
designer fakes, copy CDs, bric-a-brac and a generous helping of junk.
Prices here may be a bit higher than in Shenzhen, just over the Chinese
border or in some of Hong Kong’s less well-known markets, but Temple
Street is unbeatable for atmosphere.
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Remember, prices
given are mostly starting points and the mark-ups are significant. The
merchandise here is far cheaper in China, so haggle hard (but do it with
a smile), and remember the vendor is making a profit whatever price you
both agree on. Begin below half the asking price and you should be able
to knock 50% off many items, and often a good deal more.
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Browsing shoppers
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A good way to tackle the
night market is to start at the top by taking the MTR to Yau Ma Tei and
walk south from Portland Street. This way you’ll end up closer to the
restaurants, hotels and bars of Tsim Sha Tsui when you’ve finished
shopping.
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Snack at the dai pai dongs (street stalls).
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Top 10 Sights
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Fortune Tellers
A
dozen fortune tellers operate around the junction of Temple and Market
streets. Most are face and palm readers. The caged white finches are
trained to pick a fortune card from the pack in return for some seeds.
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Canto Opera Street Performers
On some evenings musicians and singers perform popular Cantonese Opera numbers next door to the fortune tellers.
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Dai Pai Dong
Tighter health regulations have made dai pai dong
food stalls a rare sight, but they are alive and well at Temple Street,
selling a variety of Chinese snacks, savoury pancakes, fishballs,
seafood kebabs and unspecified meat offerings.
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Reclamation St Canteens
If you haven’t had your fill from the dai pai dong,
try the cheap noodles and rice-based food at the covered stalls on
Reclamation Street. Don’t mind your neighbour’s table manners, it’s the
done thing to drop or spit gristle and bone onto the table-tops here.
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Best Watches
It’s
likely to be a decent timekeeper but with no guarantees. The local
makes and Western fakes are usually good value for money. One stall
offers genuine, secondhand watches.
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Best Clothes
Amid
the naff and poly-fabric horrors (beware naked flames), good buys
include cheap t-shirts, elaborate silks, beaded tops and cotton dresses.
Have a look at the stall on the corner of Kansu St. Further down,
tailored trousers can be ordered with a four-day turnaround.
Silk jacket
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Best Leather Goods
Leather
is not really Temple Street’s strong point. But belts are cheap, and
there are plenty of leather handbags and shoulder bags, including fake
Gucci, Elle and Burberry items. Some are more convincing than others.
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Best Shoes
From
the very cheap flip flops to the reasonable suede or leather shoes,
bargain footwear is available almost everywhere on Temple Street,
although the variety is not huge and the styles not that elegant. Don’t
forget to check the shops behind the stalls. A few stalls sell designer
fakes.
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Best Accessories
Cheap
sunglasses are easy to find in the market. Embroidered and beaded
handbags and shoulder bags are also worth looking out for.
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Best Knick-knacks
Mao
memorabilia, old posters, coins, opium pipes and jade are found on
Public Square Street. Temple Street’s northern extremity is rich in
kitsch plastic Japanese cartoon merchandise, including Hello Kitty
clocks, Afro Ken and Pokémon.
