Saturday. 50% off…read more SHEER INSANITY. Great deals. I never miss the opportunity of taking the Star Ferry over to Hong Kong side and descending on Hennessy Road, when visiting Hong Kong. Pro-tip: this is primarily an area for shopping, not many exciting eats around. Eat before you embark on your retail therapy.

There are many floors in Sogo, however the layout on each floor just confusing for us…read more Not the greatest department store. My sis bought skincare items and the merchandise did not come with a carrier. I get it that we need to protect the environment and use less paper, etc etc.. But this a bit much. My sis has to put her purchase and stuffed it in her designer leather bag. The only thing I like is the grocery store in basement two. So many things to buy and many interesting food items to check out. And yep, we stuffed our groceries in our designer bags too :( Extremely crowded on weekdays evenings and all day on weekends.

This mall is excelling thru my standards!! I had play dates with friends here, birthday celebration…read moreand huge shopping spree. My mom is a gold member at the point because of how much we go to this mall monthly. I personally live in sha tin district and it's the closest nicest mall near me. For me I'm a girl and the girls toilets are always full. Like you gotta wait in line bud, the line is very long until door area. The fact that this mall has an instrument store made it better. Becuase me I live with a 3 year old and can't buy instruments becuase the 3 year old will destroy the instrument so I don't have any. I usually go to home square for the instrument to play with but now I can just go to New Town plaza!! This mall sells a lot of good stuff. It's connected to 4 - 5 different malls ( Lucky Plaza, Hilton Plaza and Sha tin plaza) those were the 3 malls I can think of right now but I know for a fact that new town plaza has different phrases. Me as a girl I like shopping expensive things such as coach, Dior, Apple Store and much more. I find new town plaza a great mall to socialise, hang out and shop. This mall has everything you wish for as a girl but I don't know about men becuase I'm a student, not dating anyone never thought about men stuff. Thanks for reading my review. Hope you have a wonderful day at new town plaza if you're going there!!

We made a trek up to the Sha Tin neighborhood in the New Territories and the Sha Tin MTR station…read morefeeds right into this mall. It's a big mall and is known to be one of the busiest in all of Hong Kong. It was first opened in the 1980's but has been kept renovated and modernized and it currently still has a fresh and contemporary feel to it. As is typical with Hong Kong malls, there are a ton of shops, eateries, and tons of people to go with them. We ended up having a very nice dim sum lunch here at one of their main and popular restaurants, the Peking Garden restaurant. This first visit to Sha Tin personally gave me a feel for what a more residential area is like out in the "boonies" of Hong Kong, and it is a bit more laid back than in Hong Kong proper.

Shopping and dining in Hong Kong…read more.. Our group decided to walk over to Ocean Terminal for dinner. There are so many restaurants! Luckily, there was a staff at the directory who helped guide us around this enclosed, air-conditioned shopping plaza. We decided on a Korean restaurant, but couldn't find it. We walked the entire length of the Terminal with no result. We ended up at a different Korean restaurant. After dinner, we looked at some of the shops, but they were more of the high-end type. We did enjoy the views at the end of the Terminal!

Day 9 and 10 Exalted East Asia Cruise on Oceania Riviera…read more We cruised into rainy Victoria Harbour in the early afternoon and docked at Kowloon's Tsim Sha Tsui Ocean Terminal. We planned a nighttime shore excursion on an open-top bus and waited to see if the weather would clear before canceling. However, we'd peek outside to see if the rain, lightning, and thunder would lighten up. Still, after several hours, we decided to cancel the excursion because of safety and comfort concerns. Luckily, before canceling our shore excursion, we disembarked across the covered gangway into the Ocean Terminal/Harbour City Shopping Center. The Ocean Terminal is directly connected to the secure Hong Kong Immigration and Customs Agency and the Harbour City shopping center. The immigration and customs agents checked our Landing Cards (Hong Kong no longer stamps your passport for entry or exit) and did random temperature checks. The agents were polite and kind to direct passengers into the Harbour City Shopping Center or outdoors towards conveniently waiting taxis or transportation. There was free WiFi service, but I used a personal/private mobile hotspot (5G GlocalMe), which I had to register with the Hong Kong Government before leaving the ship during our two-day stay. The Harbour City shopping center had many high-end retail stores (fashion, beauty, jewelry, electronic, furniture, home, sports, and specialty) featuring popular international and American brands, a supermarket, banks, and various ethnic restaurants. We were impressed with the helpful concierge services that offered maps and shopping recommendations to lost or overwhelmed tourists. There were a lot of residents mixed in with visitors, and seeing the masses of shoppers made me think about the state of Hong Kong's economy and the cost of living. We wandered around for a few hours after purchasing some snacks at City Super. We considered dining at Reserva Ibérico (Spanish tapas), HEXA, or DUCK Victoria (Cantonese) before returning to our cruise ship to cancel our attendance for the night shore excursion. My husband's friends (husband & wife) joined us on this cruise and wandered Harbour City with us before I suggested the guys return onboard, cancel out from the excursion, and then return to the shopping center to have dinner onshore. After fifteen minutes, I received a frantic text from my husband and his friend asking for directions back to the ship. I laughed because he confidently said he could find his way back but admitted he got confused. After asking which store he was closest to, I knew he had taken a wrong turn and went to another level. He righted himself after I gave him directions. He sent me a text confirming his return onboard and told me to continue browsing before returning. To my surprise, he made reservations at Oceania Riviera's French restaurant, Jacques (Pépin), instead of eating at one of the Chinese restaurants in Harbour City. I continued browsing with my husband's friend's wife and ran into several other tour group passengers from Hawai'i who shared their discoveries within this gigantic shopping center. The other women and we said we could and would make roaming around the Harbour City Shopping Center as destination they'd return to and the Ocean Terminal serves as the best access for first-time visitors to Hong Kong.

As the name suggests, Buttonhole is a teeny tiny boutique. Although small, the staff seem happy to…read moretheir customers unnoticed at times. However, the pieces on sale are often fantastic and no one need know that they are from 'off the back of a truck'. Snap up (questionably sourced) Chanel jackets, Chloe blouses, Gucci dresses and Alexander McQueen clutches for a fraction of the store price. Dresses are usually around the $600 mark with knitted and leather goods a little pricier. Speaking of which, the winter knits and leathers are divine but frustratingly on sale in the high heat of summer and rarely in winter. The rule of thumb here is if you want it but it on the spot as the boutique stocks only a few of each item and you can bet it will not be there the next time you swing by. Be prepared to put on a balancing act when it comes to the fitting rooms but don't be put off - the prices are reasonable considering you're buying 'designer'. They also accept EPS and can (sometimes) order in additional sizes if you're willing to commit to the purchase once it arrives. Watch out for small details like patterns running in opposite directions between panels on dresses etc.

city'super is a Hong Kong grocery store chain that focuses on upscale foods. Particularly imported…read moreitems. This would be the place to go if you are an ex-pat looking for foods from home, particularly from the US and Europe. This location is on the second floor of New Town Plaza Phase 1. Being from the US, this store does not quite appeal as much to me, but just checked it due to curiousity. The prices on the US goods were understandably high. But they do carry some interesting items. Particularly those from Europe that make me want to grab them here since I wouldn't be able to find them back in the US. There are also a few food stands here selling some interesting fare. There is a stand selling matcha desserts for instance. While perusing I came across a fridge full of freshly squeezed juices that I thought was cool. Grabbed a bottle of guava and passion fruit juice for HK$24. Not the cheapest place, but the bottle design was interesting and I needed some refreshment. If you get it, be sure to drink it quickly as fresh juices don't last for long. If you happen to be at New Town Plaza, city'super is worth perusing through. Interesting products found here, albeit at higher prices than elsewhere.

The "Whole Foods" (United States, upscale super market) in Hong Kong. I've spent hours here walking…read morearound looking at all the unique food's and goods that they have to offer. I walked out of here with a nice bottle of vintage Bordeaux, cured meats and toy's for the kids. One stop shop and the service here is impeccable, I had an issue with waiting in line with my grocery and did not have enough hands to push my kid's stroller thru the line with me, I had asked if someone can help me and one of the grocery helpers told me that they can stand next to the stroller with my kids while I finish paying and check out.

The huge digital window displayed a handsome Asian male model and I misread the store name as GODS…read moreof Desire. Goods of Desire in Hong Kong International Airport is a small shop but has lots of desirable goods! Most are good quality souvenir, housewares and gifts, not the cheap "Made in Hong Kong" crap you'll find in lots of other airport stores. A cool Hong Kong lifestyle brand, make a point to stop by and get your last second shopping done before you board the plane home.

Taken from their website "Goods of Desire, a quintessential Hong Kong lifestyle brand, featuring…read morehomewares, fashion and premium gifts with a distinct Hong Kong flair." They've got lots of items that'll make you chuckle to yourself. These include wine glass identifiers (like mahjong), T-shirts, tea infusers, silk scarfs in various prints, egg waffle magnet board, pineapple bun butter memo pad, mahjong calendar, embroidered patches, placemats and much more on their website.

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.

Shopping experience…read more.. Retail therapy is my best relief and here in Hong Kong's Fa Yuen Street Market it definitely was something that I'm so glad to have visited. Nadine and so proudly figured out to navigate our way to this huge area that seem to have the dedicated space for this market which took the whole street. Walking through as I browsed each vendor there seem to be the same of many items which made me confused if it was the same seller or different though some of the prices and various other items differ I wasn't the greatest at bargaining though it was easier if it was just out of curiosity versus a want it was really fun looking through the various items with everything from household to electronics, towels and plushies. Taking the train was definitely fun and easy just find your way to Log Kok Station and there are signs to guide you the way...happy shopping! Thank you!

Fa Yuen Street is another "Night Market" shopping experience…read more The street is blocked off from vehicular traffic and both sides of the street are lined with vendors that block the regular brick and mortar shops along the way. That means there's four rows of shopping! The outdoor ambiance was fine for an October day. The sky was a bit overcast, so we were not burning in the heat. Some stalls weren't set up by noon, but most were open. Vendors didn't bargain much since prices were quite reasonable. Example: I got a pair of socks for 10 HK$ while I got another pair for 12 HK$ at a different place yesterday. Yeah, it's only a few cents difference, but hey... it's the principle. Fa Yuen Street had more fruits, towels, and household goods as compared with the Ladies Market. I saw pillows, curtains, chair covers, blankets, and scissors here. Other merchandise included luggage, purses, tote bags, reusable bags, Thai-style clothing, umbrellas, sunglasses, socks, underwear, and more! For us, it was worth the trek over. We got off at the Mong Kok Station... same one we used for the Ladies Market!