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Something for everyone

You’re just as likely to come across songbirds and goldfish on Hong Kong’s street markets as antique watches and Chinese dresses. Street markets are always exciting and full of life, in contrast with the often stuffy shopping malls. And in Hong Kong you can find a market at any time of the day... Or night.

Shopping

The evening market on Temple Street

Evening market

The evening market in Temple Street begins when the sun goes down and a visit here is a night out in itself. Opera singers perform on the street and fortune tellers practice their art, while stallholders lay out their watches, jade and tea sets. This busy place has served as the backdrop for various movies and you’ll understand why as you try to make your way through the maze of stalls and gesticulating stallholders. There’s also more than enough to eat: try the rice with stewed chicken or a delicious bowl of noodle soup.

Live fish in plastic bags

Good luck in a bag

Mong Kok’s goldfish market takes the form of a street lined with shops, all displaying sandwich bags containing goldfish and brightly coloured aquarium fish. A visit here is a surreal experience; certainly during the evening when the aquaria are spectacularly lit up. Chinese people believe that tropical fish bring luck but as most Hong Kong residents do not have room for a garden with a pond, an aquarium is their only solace. Other exotic pets are also traded here, so don’t be too surprised if you come face to face with a snake, a tarantula or a lizard.

Bird garden in Yuen Po Street

Chirping and tweeting

Handmade bamboo birdcages and brightly coloured songbirds surround you in the Bird Garden market on Yuen Po Street. As well as birds of all colours, this traditional Chinese garden is also a favourite meeting place for bird owners. Early in the morning, people arrive at the park, cages in hand, to let out their feathered friends and perhaps show off their beautiful singing talents. Along with the goldfish market, the Bird Garden is a lovely place for a morning walk.

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Shopping

Culinary

Arts & Culture

Family fun

Shopping

The latest laptops and perfumes are easy to find in Hong Kong but with the wide choice of shops it means you can also buy the most original souvenirs. Looking for a Chinese evening gown or antique folding screen? No problem! It’s easy to fall in love with the beautifully made local goods. But be warned, shopping on this scale has already turned the people of Hong Kong into shopaholics.

Culinary

China is the birthplace of tea. Naturally, this sophisticated beverage is a crowd pleaser in Hong Kong too. Whether with a breakfast of steamed snacks, at a business meeting or an elaborate dinner, tea accompanies most occasions. Teahouses are the quintessential places where a broad range of tea types, ceremonies and people come together.

Shopping

Apart from eating, the other national sport of Hong Kong is shopping. It’s hard to choose between the 100-plus shopping malls. The metropolis seems to be a maze of shopping paradises, busy promenades and craft shops. Fortunately, each neighbourhood has its own products and prices. With a little preparation you’ll know exactly where to go.

Culinary

You can see them on menus in all kinds of shapes and flavours, and they are served in steamer baskets or on side plates: delicious dim sum. Originally, these steamed parcels were a favourite breakfast item but nowadays they have become just as popular for lunch. Because each restaurant fills its menu with its own creations, more than 2,000 varieties of dim sum now exist.

Arts & Culture

Glistening skyscrapers and imposing shopping malls dominate the skyline of Hong Kong. It’s hard to imagine that this metropolis was nothing more than a fishing village 150 years ago. Fishermen lived here in stilt houses, supported above the water by poles, and fished to provide a meal for their families. You can still see this lifestyle today in Tai O fishing village.

Culinary

The residents of Hong Kong are crazy about food. You can visit one the 11,000 restaurants in this metropolis at any time of the day. Hong Kong is also a mecca for all types of snacks, from Portuguese egg tarts to Chinese chive rolls and smelly durian sorbets.

Arts & Culture

Hong Kong is a fascinating city with an equally interesting history. The ‘New York of Asia’ was once a humble fishing village. Over time it evolved into a strategic military port and then grew into the busy Hong Kong of today: one of the largest financial centres in the world.

Family fun

If you only have time to visit one Hong Kong attraction, go to The Peak. And if you have a lot of time, then still visit The Peak. Seven million visitors a year find their way to the top of this mountain. The view from here is breathtaking. There is also a gigantic shopping mall that will make the heart of every shopaholic skip a beat.

Family fun

Referring to Ocean Park as an amusement park hardly does it justice. Founded in 1977, Hong Kong’s oldest amusement park offers so much more than just a few rides and roller coasters. Ocean Park encompasses a zoo, oceanarium, amusement park and research centre all in one. Animal welfare is one of the park’s top priorities and the various laboratories carry out important research.

Arts & Culture

In the heart of Hong Kong’s hectic financial district lies a peaceful oasis - the Man Mo Temple. This temple is dedicated to 2 very different gods: Man Cheong (God of Literature) and Mo (God of War). The temple was built around 1847 by wealthy Chinese merchants during the early years of British colonial rule in Hong Kong.

Arts & Culture

Long before the steamboat was invented, people crossed the harbour between the island of Hong Kong and Kowloon by sampan. A time-consuming and arduous trip. However, once the Star Ferry came into operation, the journey was reduced to only 8 minutes. The Star Ferry now offers 12 boats and the crossing offers great views of the impressive Hong Kong skyline.