Mong Kok

Located to the north of Nathan Road in Kowloon, Mong Kok is home to Hong Kong's largest population. Here along the crowded streets you will see grand shopping malls, open-air markets, and delicate boutiques. Whether it is from large fashion malls like Langham Place and New Century Plaza to the old style shopping streets like Ladies Market, you can find almost everything imaginable here. The great variety of restaurants promises delicious enjoyment during your visit. A visit to the "Upstairs" culture that has originated in Hong Kong is also very worthwhile.
 There are many shopping centers in Mong Kok, the largest among which is Langham Place. It’s a beautiful 3 in 1 complex with a colorful Digital Sky and a corkscrew design, comprising of a mall, a hotel and an office tower. Inside are more than 200 shops  that, in the main, offer fashions for the young. Sino Center and Sin Tat Plaza are clusters of fashion items, CDs, comic books, Japanese magazines, and second-hand objects.
 

Ladies Market

Ladies Market lies at the back of the center of this district. In early days, this street mainly sold discounted women's clothing, cosmetics and accessories for all ages; however it has become a must-go destination for your Hong Kong trip and a popular local shopping spot. In the one-kilometer (0.62 mile) Ladies’ Market, at midday vendors set up over 100 stalls along the street under blue and white canvas awnings, selling not only things mentioned above, but also household products, trinkets, CDs and souvenirs including replica relics and T shirts. You need to bargain with the vendors to get the lowest price while paying attention to the quality of what you take a fancy to.
 If you are interested in gardening and flowers, you can’t miss the Flower Market with nearly 100 flower retail and wholesale flower outlets. Rows of shops along the Flower Market Street selling fresh blossoms and houseplants imported from all over the world make this place a gardening supermarket. Ahead of the Chinese New Year local people gather here to buy lucky flowers so it’s worth visiting at this time to soak up the festive atmosphere. You are suggested to visit here on the early morning or at dusk, as this is when imported flowers are usually delivered.
 On Fa Yuen Street is the Sneakers Street. Since 1980s, shoes and sportswear stores have gathered here gradually and became a sports store special street. Activities are held here when foreign football teams or basketball stars come to Hong Kong for competitions. You can find the newest and limited-edition sneakers and sportswear as well as casual shoes, hiking shoes, skate shoes here.
 

1. You are suggested to visit there in the afternoon for most stores there open after 2pm.

2. Use your bargaining skills to get the lowest price in these shopping streets.

3. July to August and November to the end of December are the discount seasons. If you want to buy the cheapest goods you should visit here during these periods.

 

A Snack Booth in Mong Kok

Distinctive restaurants are numerous here, including Southeast Asia restaurants, Japan restaurants, dessert houses, Sichuan cuisines and tea houses. Famous dessert stores include Hui Lau Shan, Shek Moh Fong, Yee Shun Milk Company, and One Dim Sum. Visitors can taste local snacks in Feijie Snack Store. Also you could visit Satay King for an authentic curry. If you are tired of the strongly flavored food, come to Fu Kee Restaurant or Mui Kee Restaurant to eat delicious sliced fish porridge.
 
Below are their detailed addresses:
Hui Lau Shan: Dundas Square, on the corner of Dundas Street and the southern end of the Ladies Market.
Shek Moh Fong: No. 88, Hak Po Street.
Yee Shun Milk Company: No.246-248, West Yangcai Street.
One Dim Sum: Shop 1 & 2, G/F, Kenwood Mansion, 15 Playing Field Road, Prince Edward.
Feijie Snack Store: 4A, No.55, Dundas Street.
Satay King: 4^th floor, No. 655 of Nathan Street.
Fu Kee Restaurant: No.104-106 of Fa Yuen Street.
Mui Kee Restaurant: 3/F, Fa Yuen Street Market.
 Upstairs book store is an unusal aspect of Hong Kong culture. Going upstairs in Mong Kok has been listed as one of the best things to do in Kowloon by many travelers. Famous upstairs book stores include Tianyuan Book Store and Lewen Book Stores on Sai Yeung Choi Street.
 
Due to low profit margins and high rents in Hong Kong, some book stores have been forced to move up to the higher floors of the buildings along streets. Prospective customers are obliged to seek out their signboards through oceans of colorful boards and find the narrow entrances to the buildings to get to these stores. Most of these book shops have different genres of collection: some specialize in literature, some sell second-hand books, some sell comic, and some sell avant-garde art. You may attend exhibitions and lectures held by the shopkeepers. Visiting the upstairs book stores is a unique experience.
 

Take metro Tsuen Wan Line or Kwun Tong Line and get off at Mong Kok Station. Or take East Rail Line and get off at Mong Kok East Station. Buses are also available to take you there from other parts of Hong Kong. For most visitors, the best means of transportation around this area is on foot, for it’s not large and its real essence is on its streets.

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