Travel bucket list idea:
Temple Street Market
Hong Kong, China
Last updated: 05 April, 2024
Sure, Temple Street Night Market is touristy, but it’s also terrific fun and still somewhere it’s possible to bag a bargain. More than just a place to burn cash, this is also one of Hong Kong’s oldest neighbourhoods; a place where pensioners gather to play mah-jong in the parks and lovelorn youngsters seek the advice of fortune tellers (tourists are also welcome to try face and palm readings and astrological charts).
Aside for the usual souvenirs – faux silk pyjamas, Bruce Lee t-shirts, novelty chopsticks – you can also pick up good quality leather bags, pretty wooden ornaments and cool gadgets. Don’t’ be afraid to haggle hard, just remember to keep it friendly.
Logistics
Price: Free
Minimum age: 0
Age suitable: 8+
When: All year around
Getting there & doing it
Start at the quieter end of the market by taking the MTR to Yau Ma Tei and working your way down. The market starts to set up about 5pm, but doesn’t get going until after dark when the fortune tellers, dai pai dong (open-air food stalls) and street karaoke singers come out to play.
When to do it
The market officially opens daily at 2pm, when the road is closed to cars, but most vendors don’t set up until around 4pm, when the surrounding buildings throw shade across the streets. Serious shopping (and eating) tends to start around 7pm, and the market is at its busiest from then till around 10pm. Vendors tend to shut their stalls when they’ve had enough, but most close up around midnight.
Sellers believe it’s good luck to make a sale as soon as they open or just before they close, so these are the best times to visit if you’re hoping for a bargain.
