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Live in Hong Kong long enough and you will know that there are neighbourhoods renowned for certain types of commodities, like how flowers are synonymous with Mong Kok, Sham Shui Po is known for electronics, and the best fish can be found in Aberdeen. Here’s our guide to help you manoeuvre through the unique speciality markets of Hong Kong to find the best deals in town!
Known informally as the Goldfish Market, this street in Mong Kok is essentially a giant, colourful aquarium. It’s quite easy to spot too; you’ll know you have located this unique speciality market when you see a mosaic of plastic bags filled with water strung up along the storefront, showcasing a multitude of goldfish breeds beyond imagining.
Shops here focus on goldfish, tropical freshwater fish, reptiles, aquatic accessories, and design aquariums, all at wallet-friendly wholesale prices. Why are goldfish so popular, anyway? Well, other than the fact that they are easy pets to keep, goldfish are also symbols of abundance and prosperity. If you start raising a few at home, they might bring you good luck!
Goldfish Market, Yuen Po Street, Mong Kok
Have you ever sighed in frustration when you can’t find that one piece of the charger for your phone, or when any small electronics around the house stop working? It’s time to hit up the electronics market that has takes up the length of Apliu Street in Sham Shui Po. Full of audio equipment, computer hardware, and small electronics, most electronic knick-knacks that you need in your everyday life can be found here at wholesale prices.
Apliu Street reserves the road for pedestrian traffic only between noon and 9 pm, so that’s when the hawkers and vendors will come out in full force to set up their stalls, filled with cables, adapters, and all sorts of fittings. Next time you start looking for any small gadgets or doodahs that have gone missing, just rock up to Apliu Street and take your pick!
Electronics Market, Apliu Street, Sham Shui Po
Almost everyone who has lived in Hong Kong will have been, or at least know of, the famous Flower Market just off of Prince Edward Road. Here, you can find wholesale cut flowers, potted plants of all sorts, dried flowers, and more. The wholesale market has blooms delivered from all around the world and is open almost every day throughout the year. Weave your way through the maze of exotic plants and fragrant blossoms to pick up a little something to brighten up your home, but if taking care of flowers is too much of a hassle, then you can always pick up some cute succulents!
Flower Market, Flower Market Road, Mong Kok
If you are on the hunt for wholesale seafood, then you’ll need to pay a visit to the Aberdeen Fish Market. Starting from 4 am, delivery trucks and boats come crashing in with the freshest catch of the day—local and overseas goods included. The Aberdeen Fish Market is still the longest-running wholesale fish market, trading more than 70 percent of Hong Kong’s live seafood! If you can’t wait until you get home to have a taste, take a seat at one of many seafood restaurants within the fish market where you can eat with no hesitation as everyone else will also be using their hands and fingers to gobble down piles of cooked seafood.
Aberdeen Fish Market, 102 Shek Pai Wan Road, Aberdeen | (+852) 2177 7872
Often called Sneaker Street, Fa Yuen Street next to the Ladies Market is where you will find a labyrinthine network of shops offering the best prices on sports shoes—usually the cheapest in Hong Kong. Open from 10 am to 10 pm, all of the shops combined may make you feel like you’re walking into an outlet mall, especially when you see the wholesale prices.
You can try to bargain for lower prices, but whatever you are paying here will already be a steal. Sneakers Street is a haven for sneakerheads, fashionistas, and fitness enthusiasts, so if you’re looking for your next pair of sneakers—whether it’s for fashion or sports—you’ll know where to go!
Sneakers Street, Fa Yuen Street, Mong Kok
The iconic Yau Ma Tei Fruit Market was classified as a Grade II historic building in 2009 and continues to be the most reliable destination for locals looking for wholesale-priced fruits. Known as Gwo Laan (果欄) in Cantonese (gwo meaning fruit and laan meaning wholesale market), the Yau Ma Tei Fruit Market comes alive after midnight with lorries and carts trundling in and out loaded with fresh picks of the day. We don’t suggest going to the market in the middle of the night but the following morning would be a good start to for the best selection of fruits.
Fruit Market, 202 Reclamation Street, Yau Ma Tei
Back when we were kids, the centre of all wholesale fabric and textile shops used to be in Jordan, but in recent years, most of them have either moved locations or closed down. Now, you can find most of Hong Kong’s fabric and textile shops on Ki Lung Street in Sham Shui Po. Get lost in a maze of rolled fabrics stacked on top of each other inside the shops, and if the browsing gets tough, just ask the shopkeeper. You can also find plenty of sewing tools and equipment, so if you’re looking to DIY your own costume for Halloween, here’s where to get started.
Fabric Market, Ki Lung Street, Sham Shui Po
The electronics market in Sham Shui Po is good for small parts, but if you’re looking for bigger gear—such as computer parts or printers—then the Computer Centre in Wan Chai is the place for you. Located right next to the MTR, computer enthusiasts will find almost everything related to computers, mobile computing, and accessories spread across two floors. Compared to the Golden Computer Centre in Sham Shui Po and the Mong Kok Computer Centre, the Wan Chai Computer Centre offers a broader variety of products in a sleeker package. Depending on where you live, you can choose the most convenient out of the three.
Computer Market, 130 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai | (+852) 2834 7685
Having lived in Hong Kong, Beijing, and London sure is a fun fact whenever people try to guess Ching’s accent. She loves switching between all these language channels and her “mother tongue” is just determined by how many drinks she’s had for the night! She loves movies, travelling, and exploring cities, from hidden alleys to gourmet dining, so feel free to hit her up if you need any suggestions for dinner!
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