Purses, watches, make-up, DVDs, handicrafts and kitsch are all for sale at this street market in the centre of the Hong Kong suburb of Mong Kok. Haggle with vendors in one of the city’s most lively locales. High stalls line the street and local restaurants fill the area.
Mong Kok is one of the world’s most densely populated suburbs, and the Ladies Market is its bustling core. Located on Tung Choi Street, the market has attracted locals and visitors since 1975, when the government set the area aside as a zone where vendors can hawk their merchandise.
Bargain with sellers at over 100 stalls. There are a variety of items available, most of them tailored to the ladies of the market’s name. While touring the busy square, make sure to stay alert and watch your belongings.
Feel the tension of the bustling market melt off with a massage at one of many parlours lining the street behind the stalls. Local restaurants are also common along the street. Feast on delicious regional cuisine, then calmly enjoy a cup of tea.
If you are looking for higher-quality products than the Ladies’ Market offers, shop the high-end boutiques in the area around the market. Though you can’t bargain here and the prices are higher, these stores feature accommodations that the market lacks, such as dressing rooms.
Other specialty markets outside of the Ladies’ Market main area offer more pleasures for the senses. The sounds of cheeps and screeches fill the bird market to the south, and the perfumes and bright colours of a diverse selection of blossoms flood the nearby flower market.
The Ladies’ Market is located in the district of Mong Kok, which lies across the harbour from the Hong Kong city centre. Take the Star Ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui, then board the metro to Mong Kok Station. The market is open daily. Come early if you would like to avoid the crowds, which peak around noon.
