Hong Kong Island Markets
The street markets on Hong Kong Island are much more than just a tourist attraction — they’re a can’t-do-without-it source of everyday necessities.
Central and Sheung Wan
Cat Street
Located in the Sheung Wan district, Upper Lascar Row — or Cat Street, as it is known to Hong Kongers — is a famous street market with a long history of selling curios and antiques. A trip to Cat Street is best paired with a visit to the nearby Hollywood Road, where home decor enthusiasts can continue their shopping along its many art galleries and antique shops.
Gough Street
Located in an area informally known as NoHo (north of Hollywood Road) is trendy Gough Street. This blink-and-you’ll-miss-it side street has become a homeware paradise with hip little boutiques selling all kinds of home comforts and furniture. Nestled among the shops are several fashionable restaurants and eateries, including Parisian transplant Agnes B Café LPG.
Li Yuen Street East / Li Yuen Street West
Collectively known to many English-speakers as “The Lanes,” Li Yuen Streets East and West are historical street markets in Central which have stood the test of time despite the area’s rapid modernization. Most of the fabric merchants who historically hawked their wares here have moved to Western Market in Sheung Wan; in their place you will find venders selling all sorts of everyday goods, from inexpensive fashion to kids’ face masks to traditional Hong Kong souvenirs and suitcases.
Pottinger Street (Stone Slab Street)
This street, which is identified by its unevenly-paved, granite stone slabs, is lined with small shops and stalls that sell hair accessories, shoes and clothes. It is best known among the expat community for its shops selling Christmas decorations and Halloween costumes for kids and kids at heart.
“Ladder” Streets
A name given to the series of steep, stone-stepped streets that link parallel thoroughfares in Central, Sheung Wan and Mid-Levels, “ladder” streets are lined with sidewalk kiosks offering a range of useful services. Somewhere along any of these streets you can find a tailor, a business card and rubber stamp maker, a locksmith and a cobbler.
Western Market
This 19th-century, Edwardian-style building was renovated and converted into a shopping complex in 1991. Today, it houses a number of fabric merchants who were originally located in the old alleys of Central. Along with fabrics, you will also find some souvenir shops and traditional Chinese handicrafts.
Causeway Bay
Fashion Walk
Although not a market in the traditional sense, no list of shopping streets in Hong Kong would be complete without mentioning Fashion Walk, the largest shopping plaza in Causeway Bay. Located along Paterson, Kingston and Cleveland Streets, the trendy plaza consists of a number of retail shops, many accessible from street level.
Jardine’s Crescent
Located almost directly opposite Causeway Bay MTR Exit F is the Jardine’s Crescent street market, which sells fashion and accessories at bargain prices. As you make your way down the stall-lined street you will also see indoor arcades on either side selling more of the same.
Wan Chai
In the Wan Chai district, you’ll find streets with retail stores selling goods in a consistent theme. For example:
Queen’s Road East
For furniture, homeware, curtains and upholstery. The street also has a small number of bathroom furnishing stores, but for a wider selection, head to Lockhart Road a short walk away.
Lockhart Road
For bathroom furnishings, selling everything from floor tiles to tap fixtures.
Morrison Hill Road
For your lighting needs, pay a visit to Morrison Hill Road in Wan Chai (on the edge of Causeway Bay). From sparkling crystal chandeliers to cleaner, contemporary fixtures, you are sure to find something that suits your home and budget.
Hennessy Road
Computer fans will love getting lost in one of Hennessy Road’s computer centers, whether they’re scouting for the latest laptop model or simply browsing for a funky new smartphone case. Wanchai Computer Center is located at 130 Hennessy Road, and 298 Computer Zone located at 298 Hennessy Road. (Gaming fans willing to venture to Kowloon should also check out Sham Shui Po’s Golden Computer Centre.)
Tai Yuen Street (Toy Street)
The shops here sell toy cars, Legos, bath and water toys, anime and character figures, kids’ stationery, and much more. Many also sell vintage toys that make unique and fun gifts. During Western and Chinese festive periods, this is a good place to look for holiday-themed items (paper lanterns at Mid-Autumn Festival, Christmas decor and wrapping paper during the winter holidays, etc.).
Lee Tung Avenue
This open-air stretch of stores and restaurants used to be known as Wedding Card Street for its many print shops. The original buildings were demolished in 2007 and redeveloped, and the street (including a basement arcade that connects to the MTR) reopened in 2015 as a luxury shopping and housing development. The new Lee Tung Avenue is undeniably pretty (if a bit sterile), and during Chinese holidays, strings of colorful lanterns, fire dragon dances and lion dances make this one of the most photographed streets in Wan Chai.
Southside
Stanley Market
Located in Stanley Village on the Southside of Hong Kong Island, Stanley Market is a largely tourist-oriented market where one can find a wide array of things including knick-knacks, inexpensive toys and souvenirs, and imitation designer goods. The upside of its tourist focus is you can easily find American and European sizes. The downside: expect to pay higher-than-typical market prices. Stanley Market was hit particularly hard by the downturn in tourism in 2019 and 2020, and at the time of writing, it remains to be seen whether the small vendors here will bounce back.
Kowloon Markets
In Kowloon, traditional streets and districts, specializing in everything from goldfish to kitchen knives to vintage toys, live on.
Tsim Sha Tsui
Canton Road
Running across the entire length of Harbour City shopping mall in TST is Canton Road. This main road is home to several large standalone designer stores including Coach, Gucci, Prada and Hermes, as well as one of the largest H&Ms in Hong Kong.
Park Lane Shopper’s Boulevard (Nathan Road)
Park Lane Shopper’s Boulevard is located on one side of a prime stretch of Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui. Anchored by the entrance of Kowloon Park to the north and the Kowloon Mosque to the south, this tree-lined boulevard provides shoppers with shady and easy access to ground-level retail shops that offer shoes, jewelry, sportswear and a range of fashion.
Granville Road
Popular with a younger crowd and the fashion-forward, this vibrant stretch of road is dotted with numerous outlets and boutiques selling reasonably priced fashion. With an array of styles and trends to choose from, it is challenging to leave empty-handed. Even if you don’t intend on shopping, wandering along this lively, neon-lit street at night is an authentic Hong Kong experience.
Kimberley Road (Wedding Dress Street)
Two streets away from Granville Road is Kimberley Road, known to locals as “Wedding Dress Street” thanks to its numerous shops selling or renting wedding dresses and other wedding-related services such as photography.
Mong Kok/Yau Ma Tei/Prince Edward
Mong Kok (along with the adjacent neighborhoods of Yau Ma Tei and Prince Edward) is one of the busiest areas in Hong Kong thanks to its dense population and beehive of shopping activity. Shoppers who dare to brave the crowds will be rewarded with bargains galore, as many retailers selling the same items at different prices gives rise to a buyers’ market. Whether you are on the hunt for gadgets, fashion or flowers, make sure to browse around first before committing to a purchase.
Jade Market, Yau Ma Tei
Located under the Kansu Street flyover in Yau Ma Tei, the Jade Market offers a wide selection of pearls and jade items (real and fake). Unless you have specialist knowledge, don’t part with big money for a piece. There is also a variety of semiprecious stones. Since this is a tourist destination, be prepared to haggle. Stall owners will always start at the “tourist price.”
Temple Street Market, Yau Ma Tei
See Explore > Hong Kong’s Top 10.
Ladies Market, Mong Kok
In the Ladies Market on Tung Choi Street in Mong Kok, you will find endless bargains on ladies’ fashion and accessories, computer and phone accessories, imitation designer goods, and other knick-knacks. Stalls open from lunchtime to late night, and are always bustling with people. The street is also lined with cheap eateries offering local, Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines.
Fa Yuen Street (Sneaker Street), Prince Edward
Fa Yuen Street runs from Dundas Street in Mongkok to Prince Edward Road, with a different focus at either end. The street’s northern section is lined with market stalls selling a range of different products, from clothing and accessories to fresh fruits and vegetables. The southern section, by contrast, is a known paradise for sports shoe lovers, with side-to-side stores selling a wide array of styles from well-known sneaker brands at competitive prices.
Goldfish Market / Pet Street, Mong Kok
Located a 10-minute walk away from the Ladies Market on Tung Choi Street is the Goldfish Market, a 160-meter long stretch lined with stores dedicated to the popular hobby of fish and aquarium keeping. Although you will see shops selling mostly fish (fresh and saltwater), aquarium supplies and equipment, there are a handful of pet stores which sell other animals too such as rabbits, hamsters, dogs, cats, and the occasional reptile.
Anyone interested in buying a pet from one of these stores should make sure to ask where the animals have been sourced from, though you may find most shop owners unwilling to give a clear answer. A kinder alternative is animal adoption, which you can do from local shelters including:
Shanghai Street, Jordan-Yau Ma Tei-Mong Kok
Stretched across the bustling districts of Jordan, Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok in Kowloon lies the historic Shanghai Street, famously home to a number of well-stocked and inexpensive kitchenware stores. From blenders and cast-iron pans, to gigantic woks and traditional bamboo steaming baskets, expect to find everything you would ever need for your kitchen (and more) along this street.
Flower Market Road, Mong Kok
This bustling collection of shops and stands is a trove of gardening supplies, seeds, plants and colorful cut blooms — perfect for both casual strollers and home gardeners in need of something specific. Come Christmas, choose from among a forest of imported trees lining the sidewalks.
Sham Shui Po
The heavily local shopping streets, independent cafes and cha chaan tengs of Sham Shui Po provide a refreshing contrast to the tourist-thronged markets of Mong Kok and Central. Although this working-class district to the northwest of Mong Kok is undergoing a process of gentrification, the designers and artisans it attracts tend to be protective of its heritage and community.
Cheung Sha Wan Fashion Road, Sham Shui Po
Best known for its wholesale garment stores and stalls, this is a place to find designer brand labels at discounted prices. Because the majority of outlets are wholesalers who don’t conduct retail sales, this road appeals to flocks of cost-conscious fashionistas and representatives from the retail fashion industry looking for fresh stock.
Bead Street/Button Street/Leather Street/Ribbon Street
Sewing and crafting aficionados will want to make a beeline for Sham Shui Po, with a variety of streets each specializing in a different type of material or embellishment. Parallel-running Yu Chau (selling beads), Ki Lung (buttons), and Tai Nan (leather) Streets are bisected by Nam Cheong Street (ribbons).
Fuk Wing Street (Toy Street)
Although similar to Wan Chai’s Tai Yuen Street, Fuk Wing Street has more vendors and better prices, so check it out if you’re heading to Sham Shui Po. You’ll find both brand name and no-name toys at bargain prices.
Pop-Up Markets
In the spring and fall, many private clubs and international schools hold fairs or bazaars where you can buy often handmade, one-of-a-kind, finely crafted goods, many of which are imported specially for these events.
The items range from clothing, silver tableware, wooden toys, jewelry and cashmere, to baskets, pottery, children’s books and much more.
Markets also pop up in various public spaces around the city throughout the year in celebration of Hong Kong’s public holidays and festivals. In the days leading up to the Lunar New Year, for example, Victoria Park in Causeway Bay transforms into a lively, colorful flower market that buzzes with activity. In November and early December, two popular Christmastime fairs are the American Women’s Association (AWA) Charity Bazaar, and the Conrad Fair at the Conrad Hotel.
Several times a year, the Hong Kong Markets Organisation hosts special themed market events around the city, which feature local and international vendors selling a jumble of things, from locally farmed sustainable produce to handmade artisanal goods. Past event themes have included a French market and a Christmas market. The markets include entertainment and activities for all ages.
Handmade Hong Kong hosts regular markets in Discovery Bay and around the city where independent artists and crafters can sell their wares.
Maximize your business exposure
