The harbourfront location of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre was once a favourite haunt for sailors. Nowadays, the neighbourhood has turned naughty-but-nice, with fun nightclubs, bars and eateries springing up amid the sample clothing outlets and electronics stores.
Where in Hong Kong can you find the cheapest and largest selection of clothes, toys, cosmetics and more? What is Ladies’ Street? Ladies’ Street is a street (or should I say open-air bazaar) famous in Hong Kong for cheaper goods. It is one of the busiest places in Hong Kong. Ladies’ Street, as it is nicknamed, is also known as “Ladies’ Market”. Its official name is Tung Choi Street. Despite its name, not only ladies’ products are sold there, even though it was once devoted to ladies’ clothing only. Ladies’ Street must not be missed by the tourist. But watch out for fakes or pirates. After all, like they say, you can’t be a tourist without being scammed!
Starting Time
The Market opens at about noon and operates up to around half past ten to eleven. It is said to be the “day version” of Temple Street’s night market. Along the stalls, you will find mainly inexpensive items such as clothing for men and women of all ages, watches, accessories, bags, cosmetics, small household items and toys. The market gets its name because it is particularly well known for fashionable ladies’ clothing and is renowned for good bargains. It makes a popular shopping place for both locals and tourists.
Location
Located conveniently near Mong Kok’s MTR station, Ladies’ Street is crowded with people at all times. Extending from Dundas Street north to Argyle Street, it shares a lot of customers with the Goldfish Market, on a different section of the same street. Walking down the street, besides people and more people, you can see many stalls set up along side the road. Hold your children’s hand tight as you squeeze in between crowds to look at the products each merchant has to offer. If you find something to your liking, you may bargain with the shop keepers, enjoying a different kind of pleasure. It is the delightful place of collecting cheaper goods. Absolutely don’t forget to haggle with the merchants. The owners are very competitive and may drop their prices, but don’t forget the law of shopping – “you will always find what you just bought cheaper somewhere else; that is, after you buy it”.
...If you’re a tourist coming to Hong Kong, you simply can’t miss this famed street. It may not be Hollywood Boulevard, but no visitor can leave Hong Kong without buying anything, and Ladies’ Market is THE place to buy Hong Kong style souvenirs: a mix of both oriental and western style. You may easily overspend your time there looking through the many accessories and might find some items you like. But remember “Hong Kong style” shopping is to look through all the stalls first!...
Transportation
Take the MTR to Mong Kok Station, then take the B2 exit. Walk east along Prince Edward West Road until you reach Tung Choi Street. The Ladies' Market is just next to the Goldfish Market.
Location
Temple Street is located in the Yau Ma Tei area of Kowloon in Hong Kong. It is the Night Market which is a perfect place to pick up a few bargains as well as to have a large meal.
History
It is named "Temple Street" because a temple to Tin Hau was built there. It was built during the Qing Dynasty. It settled at banyan at the middle of the street (the place is called jung syu tau). Contrast that with the Ladies' Market in Tung Choi Street, Mong Kok.
Attractions
Temple Street is known as "Men's Street" because it is very popular for men's clothing. Temple Street comes to life at dusk each day. Traffic stops going into the street and people begin to swarm there. Nearly a hundred little stalls appear with colourful lights along the street. Carts bulge with goods, from clothing to mobile phones and watches. Merchants sell inexpensive items mostly for men, from jeans and t-shirts to lighters and shoes. There are also old cassettes, video tapes, old newspapers, antiques and nearly any kind of cheap merchandise one can imagine. Shoppers can bargain for cheaper prices there. There are also Chinese street opera singers, fortune tellers, and food stalls. In the past, Anita Mui sang on stage on Temple Street, starting her fantastic career. Her performances are a legend of Temple Street.
This down-to-earth open bazaar usually opens at 2 p.m. It is not uncommon to see the street gradually become crowded with foreign visitors and locals in the evening. Unlike many other cities' flea markets, Temple Street is busiest at night. During weekends or on public holidays, it is extremely crowded with people.
One reason why Temple Street is so popular for men is because of the sexual activities inside the tentament houses. It is not difficult to see prostitutes wearing few clothes exchanging glances with the passers-by. Some hustlers on the street bring men upstairs, where there are many simple rooms with no more than a bed. There are lots of light boxes on the street that advertise those activities at night.
Thanks to its unique characteristics, Temple Street is often chosen as a location for films made in Hong Kong such as Queen of Temple Street in 1990. The street was used as a symbol for public life in Hong Kong at that time.
Clinics
There are old clinics using the traditional Chinese method for curing illnesses and diseases in this street. Instead of doctors, the practitioners are usually called 'Masters'. They have run the clinics for many years and their ability to cure patients is very reliable.
Food and necessities
Temple Street is famous for its midnight snacks and its street-side dining, featuring local cuisine. The busy food stalls offer a wide range of delicacies to tempt appetites.
There are also lots of restaurants selling seafood. These "hot pots" can be perfect for an intimate dinner. They are delicious as well as cheap. All of these culinary delicacies represent Hong Kong's traditional and unique food culture.
Interestingly, to find out if one wants to buy clothes, shoes, leather, watches and everyday items in Temple Street, one has to hunt for the shops hidden in the streets behind the stalls rather than looking in the stalls themselves. This is one of the characteristics of Temple Street.
Entertainment
In addition to the food and clothes collections available in Temple Street, bands of traditional Cantonese opera singers can also be found. These bands seem to be competing with the pop music bands, and they set up their own corners for entertainment in Temple Street where they have mini-concerts every night. Temple Street is a treasure island for collectors. Very old CD collections or nice audio instruments can easily be purchased for a reasonable price. Majong shops can also be found. 
There are a groups of fortune tellers who set up their stalls in Temple Street, key feature that makes the market feel typically Hong Kong. This group of people earns a living by telling the fortunes of people who want to know about their past and future. These fortune tellers charge HK$50-HK$500 depending on what subject people are willing to foresee. Apart from that, the jade market at Yau Ma Tei is a great place to find cheap jade stones for souvenirs.
Temple Street Festival
During September 2003, the first Temple Street Festival was organised and supported by local governmental authorities such as the Home Affairs Bureau and the Hong Kong Tourist Board.
Transportation
To visit the Temple Street in Yau Ma Tei, go from the Nathan Road MTR station exit and turn onto Nathan Road towards the Yue Hwa Chinese Products Emporium. Go north on Nathan and walk for two or three blocks. Temple Street can be found on the left. The best time to go is after 8:00 p.m. because you can experience the busy night market at its peak hour of the day.
Conclusion
Temple Street is an impressive place that attracts many tourists as well as local residents. This street is spiced up with the traditional culture of Hong Kong. Apart from the tourists, many locals go there for inexpensive items, such as T-shirts, jeans, luggage, etc. However, shoppers need to know how much they want to spend since the prices are negotiable, just as they are while shopping in Mainland China, such as in Shenzhen. Safety is also an issue here, so shoppers should be aware of their personal belongings. Girls should not hang out there alone.
Ap Liu Street in Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, aka Apliu Street, is like a flea market and a electronics shopping center all at one place. There are probably over 100 stores on that street and the side streets connected to it. Then in the middle of the streets, there are stalls selling both new and pre-owned stuff. Here is a list of the kind of products found in the area: (as of 2006.8.27)
audio equipment e.g. mixers, microphones (new)
automobile paraphernalia (new)
camera lenses (used)
cameras (used)
cell phones (new / used)
clothing (new / used)
consumer electronics (new / used)
electrical appliances (used)
electronic parts (new)
fishing rods (new)
florescent light tube, different colors, shapes, and sizes (new)
ham radio and equipment (new)
hand tools (new / used)
hi-fi (new / used)
phones, wired or wireless (new / used)
photographic accessories (new)
pots and pans (used)
power tools (used)
radio-controlled toys (new)
remote controls for TV, hi-fi, air-conditioners (new / used)
satellite dishes and reception equipment (new)
security monitoring equipment (new)
telescopes and binoculars (new)
TV sets (used)
tripods and monopods (new)
walki-talkies (new)
watches (used)
It is right outside the Sham Shui Po MTR.
With 2HKD, you can go from the western part to the eastern part of Hong Kong Island. Of course, you can learn some history of Hong Kong when travelling on th tram. Unfortunately, you cannot find this oldest transportation mean other than Hong Kong Island.
Venture back 120 million years when dinosaurs - including winged ones - roamed the earth. This exhibition features exotic dinosaur fossils as well as a variety of ancient animals and plants unearthed in China. Among the precious collection is a 9-metre-tall dinosaur and a 9-metre-long mammoth, one of the largest ever into be discovered in the world. This is one of the events under the HKSAR's 10th Anniversary Celebration Programme.
Date: 25 May - 25 Nov 2007
Time: 1pm - 9pm (Mon - Wed and Fri); 10am - 9pm (Sat, Sun and Public Holidays);
Close on Thursdays
Venue: Hong Kong Science Museum
Event Website:
http://hk.science.museum/
Organisation:
Hong Kong Science Museum
Des Voeux Road West
(Dried Seafood Street)*
Discover the surprising
varieties of exotic dried seafood
available on this street. You’ll find rare and expensive items, like
abalone, gathered from around the world.
