Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of China on the southern coast, made up of Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon peninsula, the New Territories and more than 200 outlying islands. It pairs one of the world's densest skylines with country parks, beaches and fishing villages, all linked by an efficient metro and ferry network.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Jade jewellery
Jade bangles and pendants from Jade Market are lucky charms in Chinese culture; ask for a certificate for higher-priced pieces.
Price: HK$80-3,000 (~$10-385)
Where: Jade Market, Yau Ma Tei
Egg rolls and mooncakes
Tins of egg rolls from Kee Wah Bakery or Wing Wah and mooncakes from Maxim's, sold at MTR stations and supermarkets.
Price: HK$80-300 (~$10-38)
Where: Kee Wah Bakery, Maxim's MX, Wing Wah
Chinese tea and dried seafood
Loose-leaf tea from Lock Cha Tea Shop and dried scallops from the dried-seafood shops along Des Voeux Road West, Sheung Wan.
Price: HK$60-800 (~$8-103)
Where: Lock Cha Tea Shop (Hong Kong Park), Des Voeux Road West, Sheung Wan
Mahjong sets, fans and name chops
Portable mahjong tiles, hand-painted silk fans and name seals (chops) carved to order.
Price: HK$40-400 (~$5-51)
Where: Temple Street, Stanley Market, Cat Street
Vintage posters and curios
Mostly reproductions rather than authentic antiques unless certified.
Price: HK$30-500 (~$4-64)
Where: Cat Street, Hollywood Road
Custom-tailored suits and cheongsam
Bespoke tailoring in Tsim Sha Tsui and Central; fittings take 2-5 days, so order on arrival.
Price: HK$3,500-12,000 (~$449-1538)
Where: Tsim Sha Tsui tailors (Nathan Road), Central
Tram and Star Ferry keepsakes
Miniature trams, ferries and Hong Kong-themed gifts sold across Tsim Sha Tsui and Central.
Price: HK$30-200 (~$4-26)
Where: Star Ferry pier shops, Ladies' Market
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Ladies' Market
Mong Kok street market of about 100 stalls selling clothing, accessories, bags, phone cases and souvenirs along Tung Choi Street.
Where: Mong Kok
Hours: Daily 12:00pm-11:00pm (busiest 6pm-10pm)
Temple Street Night Market
Yau Ma Tei night market with electronics, trinkets, watches, fortune-tellers and open-air dai pai dong dining.
Where: Yau Ma Tei
Hours: Daily 4:00pm-midnight (busiest 7pm-11pm)
Sneaker Street (Fa Yuen Street)
Mong Kok street lined with dozens of sports shops and sneaker boutiques selling limited editions and discounted trainers.
Where: Mong Kok
Hours: Daily 11:00am-10:00pm (most shops)
Jade Market
Covered market with about 400 stalls selling jade jewellery and carvings; compare several stalls before buying.
Where: Yau Ma Tei
Hours: Daily 10:00am-5:00pm (some stalls close earlier)
Stanley Market
Seaside village market on the south of Hong Kong Island selling clothes, linens, art, souvenirs and handicrafts near the Stanley waterfront promenade.
Where: Stanley
Hours: Daily approx 10:00am-6:00pm (shops vary)
Cat Street (Upper Lascar Row)
Sloping lane of antique dealers and curio stalls near Man Mo Temple, selling Mao memorabilia, jade, ceramics, coins and old photographs.
Where: Sheung Wan
Hours: Daily approx 10:00am-6:00pm
Goldfish Market
Street lined with shops selling aquarium fish in bags, tanks and accessories, favoured for Chinese luck traditions.
Where: Mong Kok
Hours: Daily approx 10:00am-6:00pm
Flower Market Road
Fragrant street of florists, orchid growers and plant nurseries, busiest before Lunar New Year.
Where: Prince Edward
Hours: Daily approx 7:00am-6:30pm
Apliu Street Flea Market
Sham Shui Po flea market for second-hand electronics, gadgets, cables and tools; a haggling paradise for tech shoppers.
Where: Sham Shui Po
Hours: Daily approx 12:00pm-11:00pm
Golden Computer Arcade
Sham Shui Po centre for computers, components, phones, memory cards and gaming gear, with over 200 small vendors.
Where: Sham Shui Po
Hours: Daily approx 11:00am-9:00pm
Gage Street and Graham Street Markets
Central's stepped wet-market lanes lined with produce, sundries and herbal stalls near the Mid-Levels Escalator.
Where: Central
Hours: Daily approx 7:00am-7:00pm
Shopping districts
Neighbourhoods known for retail.
Mong Kok
Street-market district: Ladies' Market, Sneaker Street, Goldfish and Flower Markets, all within a 15-minute walk of Mong Kok MTR.
Tsim Sha Tsui
Nathan Road, Harbour City, Canton Road luxury boutiques and tailors; open until 10pm.
Causeway Bay
Hong Kong's busiest fashion district with Times Square, SOGO, Hysan Place and Lee Gardens.
Central and Sheung Wan
Luxury malls (IFC, Landmark), Cat Street antiques and Hollywood Road galleries.
Sham Shui Po
Fabric, beads, toys and electronics; the cheapest shopping in the city.
Malls & modern shopping
Air-conditioned, international brands, and food courts.
Pacific Place
Upscale Admiralty mall with department stores such as Lane Crawford and Harvey Nichols plus international luxury boutiques.
Hours: Daily 10:00am-10:00pm
Harbour City
Hong Kong's largest mall with more than 450 shops and dozens of restaurants, next to the Star Ferry pier in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Hours: Daily 10:00am-10:00pm
IFC Mall
Waterfront Central mall linked to Airport Express Hong Kong Station with luxury brands, an Apple Store and views of Victoria Harbour.
Hours: Daily 10:00am-10:00pm
Langham Place
Mong Kok mall with 15 floors of fashion, beauty and tech stores connected to Mong Kok MTR.
Hours: Daily approx 11:00am-11:00pm
Elements
Kowloon Station mall with 5 zones themed around the Chinese elements, an ice rink and a cinema.
Hours: Daily 10:00am-10:00pm
Times Square
Causeway Bay shopping centre with 16 floors of retail and restaurants; Causeway Bay is Hong Kong's busiest fashion district.
Hours: Daily 10:00am-10:00pm
Bargaining tips
Negotiate like a local.
Bargain at street markets (Ladies' Market, Temple Street, Stanley) but not in malls, department stores or shops with posted prices.
Start at 40-50% of the first quoted price and settle around 60-70%; walk away politely if the price will not move.
Bundle items for a bigger discount; paying in cash improves the rate.
Compare stalls before buying; many sell identical goods.
For electronics at Sham Shui Po, check the serial number, warranty and stock before paying; get a receipt.
Buy from shops displaying the Quality Tourism Services (QTS) sign; avoid tourist electronics shops on Nathan Road that quote inflated prices.
Customs & restrictions
What you can and can't take home.
Hong Kong is a free port with no sales tax or VAT and no customs duty on most goods, so luxury goods, electronics and cosmetics can be cheaper than elsewhere., Malls open 10am-10pm; markets run until 11pm-midnight., There is no tax to reclaim, so no tourist refund process exists., Credit cards, Octopus, Apple Pay and Alipay HK are widely accepted in malls; street stalls prefer cash., Many retail stores close on Lunar New Year day 1 and 2; markets close during typhoon signal No. 8 or higher.