Central is the central business district of Hong Kong. For two MTR Stations' distance, there is a…read morefamous Toy Street named Tai Yuen Street in Wan Chai. No matter how old we are, Tai Yuen Street can evoke our happy childhood memories. It is because every toy from the latest marvel heroes' figures, limited edition Japanese figures to Tin Toy are available there. Apart from toys, there is also a great place to pick up seasonal decorations. In the weeks before Chinese New Year, Halloween and Christmas, they sell festival decorations, party outfits, and accessories. In addition, many people in Hong Kong believe that good Feng Shui can attract prosperity and ward off bad luck. Feng Shui decorating can be found there. Honestly, there are just less than 10 toy stores in Tai Yuen Street, even it is known as a famous toy street. For someone who has a tight schedule during a business trip in Hong Kong Island, the location is perfect.

See, there are many things that I love about Hong Kong - all that density makes up for a diverse…read morescenery, and all that commerce means everyone is at each other's throats for your business. If you are a savvy shopper, you pretty much know where to go for certain things. I know that if you want remote control cars or airsoft guns, you hit Kwong Wa street (廣華街) - if you want Legos, you hit In's Point (現時點). If you want a crap-ton of Japanese figurines, you hit Richmond Shopping Arcade (皆旺商場) or Sino Centre (信和中心). If you like diecast display planes, you hit West Main trading (西幹線玩具) near Prince Edwards MTR. If you want diecast buses, that's 80M bus shop, which has multiple locations in the territory. If you got the money you can try hitting the spiral at Langham Place (朗豪坊) if you want to check out the latest fashion accessories from Shinjuku or Seoul. Me, I like collectibles - stuff like Rement food kits, F-Toys trade models, little double decker buses like the stuff that TinyHK (微影) put together. I enjoy collecting stuff like that for the display cabinet back in New York. Now, normally, you can hit Wonderland Superstores (奇趣天地) all over Hong Kong, but you could end up paying a lot, and their selection is often meh. That brings us to Tai Yuen street (太原街). If you know your Hong Kong history, you would know that Lee Tung Street (利東街) used to be right next door - it's a 3 block long street of little print shops and stores that were the go-to spot for doing wedding invitations. The Urban Renewal Authority of Hong Kong (市建局) tore that entire street down and replaced it with a shopping mall, which gentrified the place but also killed a crapload of those little businesses. The URA is not known for being nice and understanding to the little shop owners, and none of them were invited back. Basically, Tai Yuen is a peek at what that area looked like in the past, and frankly, the place is a freaking jewel. Just wait until past noon if you want to see stuff bloom here. First, check out the intersection with Johnson Road (where the Tramways run), the stalls in the middle sells all sorts of stuff like the Japanese fortune kitties. One of the stallkeepers there also has a really nice diorama of a Hong Kong Dai Pai Dong and a couple of buses, so thats cool. Then there's the toy stores. Well, there's really only, like 6, but if you have to choose one, check out Hung Hing Toys (鴻興玩具), which spans 2 storefronts and has nearly everything, from Gashopons, to Giant Robo figurines, to Legos, and to TinyHK/F-Toys/Rement figurines that I like so much. The others are still rather nice, but not as extensive as Hung Hing. You also got stalls with trinklets, bags, and stuff like that. Note that the usual crapload of cheap gaudy ugly Mainland products (ala Lady's night market) are kept to a minimum here. Next, continue down the block - wanna try some snake soup? Se Wong Sun (蛇王燊) makes a decent meal out of them. Now, if you continue on down, you'll hit the market area on Cross Street - keep an eye out for a classically Hong Kong treat - Smith's Orange Jelly candy (史蜜夫鮮橙花軟糖), which is made by Smith's Candy company (史蜜夫糖果廠) out in the New Territories. It's the flavor that most Honkers grew up with, and there are usually at leas one candy peddler with bags of candies and a scale. They sell them by the pound, and you can mix and match. Smith's makes an Orange jelly, a Melon jelly, and the classic nougat. Keep an eye out for the produce markets nearby. If you want a real Hong Kong treat, hit Cross Street until you get to Spring Garden Lane, and then look for Kam Fung (41 Spring Garden Lane) - it's a decent with fresh out-the-door Bolo and Cocktail buns, and one of the best pre-blended iced milk tea in the Central district. I hope you took photos, because this is probably as good as it can get in terms of outdoor markets. This is also about as good as Hong Kong can get.

Goldfish, turtles, rabbits, puppies and more…read more The Goldfish Market is such an iconic street market in Hong Kong. So much fun to wander looking at the giant colorful aquariums, tanks of turtles, and bags and bags and bags of goldfish. Located on Tung Choi Street, the shops and stalls line several blocks. Why goldfish? If you live in public housing, which is quite a deal in Hong Kong, there are restrictions on what kind of small pet can live in your apartment. More than that, goldfish are an integral part of cultural life in Hong Kong and China. Goldfish are believed to bring abundance and prosperity to the home. Goldfish also represent the Feng Shui of bringing richness, money or harmony to the home. Why are the fish in the bags? How do they survive? Since the stores are limited for space, the fish are placed into the plastic bags that are pumped with oxygen. Prices are marked on the bag. If they don't sell, they go back into the tanks at night. Seems like a lot of work. Don't want a goldfish? There are also lots of other cute choices. The puppies were so adorable. The fluffy bunnies just happily hopped or slept in their crates. Lots of turtles and cats as well. A very unique market to explore in Kowloon.

When you look at lists of touristy places to visit in Hong Kong, Goldfish Street comes up,…read morerightfully, as it is visually appealing. I myself included it on my list of places I wanted to visit when I arrived for my second visit to Hong Kong, which coincided with Mid-Autumn Festival of 2019. I was staying in Tsim Sha Tsui and wanted to explore more of the Kowloon area. (Of course at the time, I had no idea what "Kowloon" or "the Island" referred to.) Goldfish Street is in Mong Kok, which is the busy shopping central area of Kowloon, so one should expect to see people constantly walking along these busy sidewalks. I visited Goldfish Street when it was dark out, which I suppose enhanced the experience of viewing the fish, with the lights illuminating the fish's diversely extravagant appearances in order to entice prospective customers. Of course, I imagine there are just as many opportunistic photographers (including me) trying to take advantage of the free photo settings, though it should be duly noted that several of these fish stores have clearly visible "no photography" signs, which obviously comes from experience. Expect to get a lot of disapproving glares from store owners if you attempt to be a fish influencer without buying any fish.

I've been coming to Hong Kong for OVER 23 years. Both Hong Kong side and Kowloon side are a couple…read moreof my favourite places on earth. Knutsford Terrace is atypical of Kowloon. Tons of unsavoury types from around the world hang out here, the sidewalks are filthy, littered with smelly garbage bins and you are badgered as you walk the "gauntlet" past restaurants by their staff outside badgering you for your patronage. Why this rates as highly as it does is a mystery to me. We take a short cut through here en route to our hotel. Although this is a row of several restaurant/bars, I have never seen anyone eating at any of these establishments. Grotty dive bars in Toronto are classy compared.

It is rather hard to believe that Hong Kong as such a tiny city, has so many big party districts…read more On the Hong Kong Island you may go to Wan Chai or Lan Kwai Fong; on the New Territories side you may go to Fo Tan; on the Kowloon side, it has got Knutsford Terrace. Thanks to the Miramar Shopping Centre, there is another way to go to Knutsford Terrace without hitting those horrendous stairs. While you may find seventy percent of people in LKF or Wan Chai are tourists or expats, here in Tsim Sha Tsui definitely has more locals hanging out here. On the entire street, if I remember correctly, there is only one bar that has a dance floor inside; as for the rest, they are mainly bars and strictly for people chilling and chatting. If you are not a fan of drinks, there are still quite a number of nice restaurants that offer great variety of cuisine including Spanish, Turkish, Indian and even Russian. Yet, the only thing I do not like about Knutsford Terrace is the transportation accessibility after mid night. Since it is located on Kowloon side instead of the Hong Kong side, people definitely have lesser options to go back to the same side (or that would take forever). Most people end up spending few hundreds on taxis in the end. Therefore, for me, I always try to leave before twelve, or else it might take me more than two hours to get back home.

We absolutely love Tai O! It had been so long that I couldn't even remember the last time I…read morevisited, so combining it with a morning trip to the Big Buddha was the perfect choice. We picked the absolute right day to go! To get there, we took Bus #21 from the terminal right outside Ngong Ping Village. After just missing the 12:20 p.m. bus, we decided to have lunch at Ngong Ping Village and caught the next one at 1:20 p.m. (Note: the bus only departs every 45 to 60 minutes on weekdays). The scenic ride down the mountain took only about 15 to 17 minutes to reach the Tai O coastal terminal. Be prepared for a temperature change! It was quite hot in Tai O compared to the Big Buddha, which was nice and cool in the morning. This is likely because the village sits at sea level where the heat gets trapped by the surrounding mountains. Once we arrived, we started with the Pink Dolphin watching boat tour to explore the village from the water, and then spent the rest of the afternoon walking around. Tai O is truly a paradise for street snacks and local seafood. We tried the delicious giant curry fish balls, fish siu mai, and mixed-flavor egg waffles. They are absolute must-tries! Highly recommend adding this to your Lantau Island itinerary.

A very special fishing village that you can't find anywhere else in Hong Kong. My friend lives…read moreclose by so she gave me a ride which was 30 minutes from the airport. Otherwise i think one can take the bus from On Ping Cable car or Tung Chung. It's not an easy ride though so maybe take a ferry ride from Central Ferry Pier instead if you get carsick easily. There are many very local and down to earth restaurants and small stores that sells some local favorites. Take your time to walk through all the narrow alleys and you will find lots of hidden gems! You can also take a boat ride to see the famous boat houses in Tai O. If you come during summer time I'd recommend bringing hats, adequate water or even umbrella because it can get really hot and sunny. We came yesterday and we almost got heatstroke. And come during weekdays to avoid the crowds! And a big plus is there are so many cats just casually resting in front of the stores for you to pat or take pictures of them!

Same ol cheap souvenir goods one stall to the next. They say haggle is normal. Start at 50% of…read moreasking. Walk away as there is another seller a few stalls down selling the same thing. Note that you can find good value (low price) stuff. If you know what you want and what you are willing to pay for it. Buyer beware! Example is designer hand bags. Great looking knock offs for sure. But if you don't need the real thing. This place is a gold mine! The vendors set up and take down the stalls every night it seems. Crazy ton of work but once set up the market is quite busy and worth at least a stroll one evening. Another hidden gem are the brick and mortar stores and restaurants behind the night stalls. Plenty of food and misc businesses back there that are concealed by the night market stalls Don't expect much customer service. Bargain and be confident. Have fun!

This is well known especially if you have read about it in guides online or if you so happens to be…read moreChinese. It is the place for cheap knockoffs. Backpacks, both men's and women's wear, purses, shoes, towels, toys etc. There are several blocks so I would take your time visiting each one to get a feel for it. Don't immediately give in especially the first vendor you visit. Could be selling for too much. Though after a while, do start hassling. If it is too high then move on to the next one and the next one. However if they pull you back, then listen to them. Perhaps it's a good deal. It really depends on the particular vendor. Eventually I did an excellent deal. I recommend it going even once. Just follow the people heading that way. Or when you see it, you know you're in the right place.

My first review in Hong Kong! And it HAS to be for my favorite neighborhood in all of Hong Kong…read more (First, thank you Yelp for finally booking a ticket and making your way out to Hong Kong because this California girl has missed you. Can I have my elite status back?!) Star Street is, by far, the most charming neighborhood in Hong Kong and simply perfect. It's centrally located to everything (five mins from Central or Causeway Bay and one stop away from crossing the harbour over to Kowloon). There are restaurants for all of your cravings (from local cha chaan tengs to pizza to fresh deli selection to mexican to salads to spanish tapas to famous crunch cakes to coffee shops to frozen yogurt to wine bars and I'm fairly certain almost every restaurant in a one block radius has a burger on the menu), wonderful shops/boutiques, a vet where you can see some adorable cats, quality groceries (Just Green), nail salons, and best of all: Pacific Place Mall is connected to PP3 and you can get there in under five mins! It's quiet and residential enough, but just one short block to Queen's Road East. I can't say it enough, it's perfect!

Taking the MTR from Wan Chai to Shau Kei Wan was a deeply emotional and special trip for my family…read more This is the neighborhood where I grew up, and though I have shown it to my husband on a previous visit, this was the very first time my daughters got to see it in person. After hearing me talk about my childhood memories and my old primary school for years, it felt so dreamlike that they were finally standing there seeing it all with their own eyes. It was incredibly special to actually walk over and visit my old elementary school together, bringing all those stories to life for them. Shau Kei Wan Main Street East has really earned its reputation as a "foodie street" because it is completely packed with incredible eateries and delicious local food. I was so excited to take everyone to my absolute favorite spot, On Lee Beef Brisket Noodle, but we were all still way too full from our huge dim sum lunch earlier in the day. We couldn't leave empty-handed though, so we picked up some Hokkaido cheesecakes in both the classic and matcha flavors, which turned out to be absolutely delicious. The weather that afternoon was a bit adventurous since Typhoon Signal No. 3 was up, but luckily the rain held off completely while we walked around. The neighborhood still has that wonderful, warm charm, and the people living and working there are just so friendly. Another major highlight of the walk was taking my family up to my old apartment building and showing my girls the exact elevator I got trapped in when I was a kid. It was an incredibly nostalgic moment that I will cherish forever. To wrap up a perfect afternoon of time travel, we walked over to the Shau Kei Wan Tram Terminus and caught a classic tram over to Quarry Bay. I will always love Main Street East, and sharing its history with my daughters was unforgettable.

I have relatives living in the area so usually when I visit HK, we're on the Shau Kei Wan Main…read moreStreet East quite often. There's so much food here, it's insane!!! You'll find the most delicious home-made- simple noodle dishes, the hands down BEST egg waffles, awesome dessert stops, some candy/snack shops, some pretty good seafood/sushi, etc. The list can go on. You can eat every night here on your trip and have something different. There's something for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I love the hustle and bustle of the street here. It's not so much working people as you'd see if you're over in Kowloon per se, but it's the busy street life. People on their days off, kids wandering around, seniors taking a stroll. And many people grew up in this neighboorhood together and raised their families here over the last few decades, so you see a lot of people who have known each other forever. It's so friendly of an environment. It's also a very very short walk over to the MTR and bus routes. Most of HK is fairly accessible.

I looooooove going here to buy my vegetables and fruits, always the best and the freshest and…read morecheaper than going to an industrial market. The only problem might be the communication if you can't speak Chinese but you can always use your finger and pointing out what you want !

Hidden shopping bargains…read more.. My very first experience with the famous bargain shopping was at Stanley Market on Hong Kong Island. Unless you know you just don't know as it's located about 3 to five minutes walk from the back side of Stanley Plaza along side Stanley Promenade. There are signs to guide the way though it's all about knowing where you going which I absolutely didn't but luckily we had friend Andrew and Cindy who knew that parking at the mall is not just a great convenience and makes it an easy place to rest and take in the stunning view it has to offer. Lots of various merchants from the usual souvenirs, clothing and toys but a few snacks and food vendors as well though it was some bags that did catch my eye and did work a small bargain which was not just fun but felt great as well. Bargaining isn't as easy especially when the prices are great you need to be mindful not to go too low but a reasonable rate like I didn't do so well when I found a plug converter knowing later that I paid way too much for it but was just so happy to find one as Hong Kong is definitely different and was very much needed but I'd like to think that I supported local. Thank you!

Shopping in Hong Kong…read more.. Our friend, Andrew, parked at Stanley Plaza and showed us Stanley Market. We walked there, along the promenade and found the entrance to the market. There are a lot of vendors here! Merchandise includes luggage, leather bags, footwear, plushies, clothing, tote bags, toys, snacks, souvenirs such as keychains and magnets, etc. Some bargaining was done... especially since we had cash and bought in quantity. The shopkeepers spoke English and were friendly! I'd return!