At a high level, Hong Kong has three "super" zones - the large, expat, upscale, tourist zone running from Causeway Bay to Sheung Wan, the large shopping and tourist zone of Tsim Sha Tsui and the Kowloon Victoria Harbor promenade, and another large shopping and local zone, Mong Kok, which sits slightly above Tsim Sha Tsui.
For me, Mong Kok is where Hong Kong starts to shred it's "Western Feel" and starts to develop an identity of its own. Unofficially I'm consider the neighborhoods boundaries to start on the southern end at Yau Ma Tei MTR Station and run north to the Sham Shui Po and Shek Kip Mei areas. The central "activity" area is Mong Kok MTR station at the major intersection of Nathan and Argyle Streets. This area seems to be the densest in Hong Kong, and it's not just your imagination...it holds the Guinness World Record as the Busiest District in the World. It helps to have some idea of where you are going to navigate through the crowds. Once you are off the main intersects the crowds start to dissipate.
The area is well known for its various markets and shopping street districts...the Ladies Market, the Goldfish Market, Flower Street, and the Bird Garden Market, which all run within a few blocks of one another, provide a unique Hong Kong shopping experience. The area also has several good dining options although you will want to research a place first instead of picking one that may only be full because it's in a high traffic area. At night Mong Kok provides a more local drinking experience (and slightly) than the Lan Kwai Fong and Tsim Tsa Shui areas.
Mong Kok is best explored on a weekend when it's at its busiest. The walking itinerary below hits up the major areas and a few off the beaten path destinations outside of the central core area.
For me, Mong Kok is where Hong Kong starts to shred it's "Western Feel" and starts to develop an identity of its own. Unofficially I'm consider the neighborhoods boundaries to start on the southern end at Yau Ma Tei MTR Station and run north to the Sham Shui Po and Shek Kip Mei areas. The central "activity" area is Mong Kok MTR station at the major intersection of Nathan and Argyle Streets. This area seems to be the densest in Hong Kong, and it's not just your imagination...it holds the Guinness World Record as the Busiest District in the World. It helps to have some idea of where you are going to navigate through the crowds. Once you are off the main intersects the crowds start to dissipate.
The area is well known for its various markets and shopping street districts...the Ladies Market, the Goldfish Market, Flower Street, and the Bird Garden Market, which all run within a few blocks of one another, provide a unique Hong Kong shopping experience. The area also has several good dining options although you will want to research a place first instead of picking one that may only be full because it's in a high traffic area. At night Mong Kok provides a more local drinking experience (and slightly) than the Lan Kwai Fong and Tsim Tsa Shui areas.
Mong Kok is best explored on a weekend when it's at its busiest. The walking itinerary below hits up the major areas and a few off the beaten path destinations outside of the central core area.
WALKING ITINERARY
From the Yau Ma Tei Exit C, Tin Hau Temple (the "Temple" in Temple Street, note there's literally 100 Tin Hau temples in Hong Kong) is only a block South. There's lots of burning incense but if your eyes and nose can handle the smoke you'll be rewarded with one of Hong Kong's better temples.
From the Yau Ma Tei Exit C, Tin Hau Temple (the "Temple" in Temple Street, note there's literally 100 Tin Hau temples in Hong Kong) is only a block South. There's lots of burning incense but if your eyes and nose can handle the smoke you'll be rewarded with one of Hong Kong's better temples.
Tin Hau Temple - Yau Ma Tei Area
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Burning Incense Cones
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West of the Tin Hau Temple is a pedestrian walking street with a movie theater complex that also includes a hipster shopping experience and Kubrick Cafe. The complex doesn't open until 11 so if you are here earlier in the morning skip over the block and start walking north on Shanghai Street. Mido Cafe, a nostalgic and old-school cafe is also nearby (63 Temple Street). Mido Cafe has views of Tin Hau Temple.
Shanghai Street runs parallel to Nathan Road but provides a much more local shopping experience with a various “district” blocks. At the southern end are cutlery and cookware items - stores offer a wide range of dim sum baskets and clay pots. As you head north to Mong Kok furniture and home decor stores start to appear.
Shanghai Street runs parallel to Nathan Road but provides a much more local shopping experience with a various “district” blocks. At the southern end are cutlery and cookware items - stores offer a wide range of dim sum baskets and clay pots. As you head north to Mong Kok furniture and home decor stores start to appear.
Kubrick Cafe
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Shanghai Street - Home Shrine Store
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Shanghai Street - Cutlery Store
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At the intersection of Shanghai and Argyle Streets is Langham Place, a modern mall and hotel complex. The fourth floor of the mall, on the eastern side of Shanghai street, has an impressive sky lit and open atrium. On the second floor of the western side of the street is a cooked food centre that feels more like a mall cafeteria. The pork cutlet from the first stall on the left at the entrance is one of the best sandwiches in Hong Kong. A second story walking path connects the two towers.
Shanghai Street - Langham Towers in the Distance
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Langham 4th Floor Atrium
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The Best Sandwich in Hong Kong - only $21HKD
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From Langham Place the easiest way to reach the Ladies Market is to head into the MTR underpass that runs below Nathan Street. There's not too much to the Ladies Market and it doesn't feel like a "traditional" shopping experience offering mostly tourist chotchkies and counterfeit goods. A better market environment is on Fa Yuen Street a few blocks north.
There are lots of restaurants around the Ladies Market but if you are looking for something quiet, Knockbox Coffee has good lunch combos (although only on weekdays) and Long Kee Noodle is a Muscle Man run restaurant - both are away from the mayhem on Hak Po Street.
There are lots of restaurants around the Ladies Market but if you are looking for something quiet, Knockbox Coffee has good lunch combos (although only on weekdays) and Long Kee Noodle is a Muscle Man run restaurant - both are away from the mayhem on Hak Po Street.
Ladies Market
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Knockbox Coffee
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Long Kee Muscle Man Noodle
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From the Ladies Market continue north across Argyle to the Goldfish market which starts to appear on the Western Side of Tung Choi Street after you cross over Mong Kok Road. I think this is the single best shopping blocks of Hong Kong - it may not be practical to purchase a fish tank and goldfish if you are a traveler, however, this market makes the best window shopping. All aquarium supplies are available and goldfish seem to be jammed into every conceivable space.
Goldfish Market
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Goldfish Market
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Fa Yuen Street runs parallel to the Goldfish Market and is a more local market street experience. From Fa Yuen you can cross over Prince Edward Road and make a right on the Flower Road side street. If flowers aren't your thing the Bird Garden on the eastern side of the street returns you to a unique Hong Kong market experience. It's the Goldfish Market...of Birds.
Flower Street
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Bird Garden
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Bird Garden
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After the Bird Garden you have a big decision to make...you are kind of in no mans land so do you continue north to Shek Kip Mei or backtrack a little to the Prince Edward MTR?
If you cross over Boundary Street and head north on Tai Hung Road (or pass through the park of the same name) you'll eventually wrap around to Shek Kip Mei, home to Shek Kip Mei estate, the first public housing estate in Hong Kong. On the ground level of the Mei Yin Building on Pak Tin Street are placards describing the history of the area and the building. In 1953, a fire ripped through squatter villages in nearby Sham Shui Po and over 50,000 people became homeless overnight. Realizing that housing concerns were a long-term issue, not just for those whose homes were destroyed in the fire, but the majority of Hong Kongers, the government started a public housing campaign that continues to this day and is one of the city's defining features.
If you cross over Boundary Street and head north on Tai Hung Road (or pass through the park of the same name) you'll eventually wrap around to Shek Kip Mei, home to Shek Kip Mei estate, the first public housing estate in Hong Kong. On the ground level of the Mei Yin Building on Pak Tin Street are placards describing the history of the area and the building. In 1953, a fire ripped through squatter villages in nearby Sham Shui Po and over 50,000 people became homeless overnight. Realizing that housing concerns were a long-term issue, not just for those whose homes were destroyed in the fire, but the majority of Hong Kongers, the government started a public housing campaign that continues to this day and is one of the city's defining features.
Public Housing Estate - Activities
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Skek Kip Mei -Mei Sang House
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Shek Kip Mei - Original Estate on the Right
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Five minutes heading down Pak Tin Street will bring you to Sham Shui Po another bustling neighborhood with several dedicated market streets. The area is also home to a few good noodle restaurants, such as Wai Kee Noodles, and the Pei Ho Cooked Food Centre, which has as raucous a nightly dining environment as any other centre. The Dragon Centre, a major neighborhood shopping mall with few Western brands sits on a block of Yen Chow Street.
Sham Shui Po - Market
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Sham Shui Po - Street Scene
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Pei Ho Cooked Food Centre
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To return home hop on the MTR at Sham Shui Po station.
The first part of this itinerary from Tin Hau Temple to the Bird Garden takes 3-5 hours depending upon window shopping, photography, coffee drinking, and eating times. The second part from the Bird Garden to Sham Shui Po takes a little under two hours depending upon how much local weekend neighborhood events and activities you stumble upon.
Depending your energy level and if you skip out on the Shek Kip Mei / Sham Shui Po piece you could hop on the MTR out to Sha Tin for the 10,000 Buddhas Monastery (this closes at five, you need at least an hour, and it will take about an hour to reach from the Bird Garden).
If you are doing this in the afternoon and it runs into the evening time it makes sense to stop at the Temple Street Night Market for dinner on the way home.
The first part of this itinerary from Tin Hau Temple to the Bird Garden takes 3-5 hours depending upon window shopping, photography, coffee drinking, and eating times. The second part from the Bird Garden to Sham Shui Po takes a little under two hours depending upon how much local weekend neighborhood events and activities you stumble upon.
Depending your energy level and if you skip out on the Shek Kip Mei / Sham Shui Po piece you could hop on the MTR out to Sha Tin for the 10,000 Buddhas Monastery (this closes at five, you need at least an hour, and it will take about an hour to reach from the Bird Garden).
If you are doing this in the afternoon and it runs into the evening time it makes sense to stop at the Temple Street Night Market for dinner on the way home.