Kowloon Guide | HONG KONG

Hong Kong consists of three main geographical regions: the cosmopolitan Hong Kong Island, the candid Kowloon, and the developed campos New Territories. There also are some outlying islands, such as Cheung Chau Island and Lamma Island.

I’ve always believed that the grittier a place, the more authentic the local culture you see is. Described as “the Mr. Hyde to Hong Kong Island’s genteel Dr. Jekyll” by CNN in their guide, Kowloon is Hong Kong; well at least the inner alter ego of it.

Small as Hong Kong is, it is super convenient to cross the harbour; that 4 min MTR ride can take you from the market mecca to the metropolitan business district. Like many cities that have a harbour, people tend to take sides.

I personally take the Kowloon side. The homey feeling is not because I grew up here, but because of its rawness and unpretentiousness. You be you, Kowloon.

I mean, Hongkongers often relate to the Lion Rock Spirit, which is the American Dream equivalent in Hong Kong. Aaaand the Lion Rock Hill is in Kowloon, which goes to show that Kowloon represents the core of Hong Kong, amirite?

Other than being a big beautiful mess made up of a myriad of markets, each district has its own rather unique character.

So here is a quick local guide, welcome to Kowloon!

Sham Shui Po | DIY and Craft Lovers + Flea Market + Record Digging

Sham Shui Po is probably the grittiest of them all, where you can see Hongkongers’ love for a good bargain. This makes it the best place for treasure hunting. Ap Liu Street Flea Market is famous for its electornic appliances and accessories, as well as leathergoods, jades and jeweleries, and even a film camera stall. Fuk Wing Street is where you can find wholesale toys and fancy stationery.

Two streets down is Ki Lung Street, where people find scrolls of fabrics stacked together, or leaning against other scrolls. You’ll also find everything else that goes with fabrics: buttons, zippers, needles and threads, ribbons et al. For those like me who have a thing for older things like vinyl records and rotary dial phones, further down there’s Yen Chow Street Hawker Bazaar, where the original fabric market started from, and which sadly is looking to be closed down by the government soon.

Hipsters are also making use of the location to open up leather stores on Tai Nan Street. You’ll find custon-made leathercraft, leather kits, and DIY classes available here.

If you’re into music and vinly records, you will have to pay Paul Au a visit, aka the Hong Kong Godfather of Vinyl, who is so lengendary that someone wrote a biography of him.

Ap Liu Street Flea Market: Apliu Street (MTR exit A2 or C2)
Paul’s used Records: 5/D, 233-239 Cheung Sha Wan Rd (MTR exit C1, turn left and go into the building on Kweilin Street)
Fabric Market: Ki Lung Street (MTR exit A2, two blocks down)
Yen Chow Street Hawker Bazaar: MTR exit C2 (Go down 4 blocks, turn right onto Lai Chi Kok Road, cross the road)

Kowloon City | South East Asian Foodie Paradise

Famed by the Kowloon Walled City which was built back in the Song Dynasty, Kowloon City has today transformed into a South East Asian foodie paradise. Thai, Vietanmese, Indonesian, Chiuchow, you name it. And of course you get your fix of local dishes such as fishball noodle soups, and egg tarts at Cha Chaan Tengs. No stress satisfying your crave for desserts after meals, from Chinese sweet soups to Western pasteries, they have it all. Its proximity to a handful of schools also make it a very popular lunch spot.

Since the relocation of the HK International Airport from Kowloon City to Chek Lap Kok, this little area is slowly redeveloping itself with more high-rise buildings. Come back again and you’ll find yet another new restaurant or café just around the corner.

－Take minibus 25m from Kowloon Tong MTR station－
Thai Town: Nam Kok Road
Fishball Noodle Soup aka Tak Cheong Noodles
Egg Tart at Hover Cake Shop

Mongkok | Markets and More

Being in the midst of it all on the Kowloon side, Mongkok is the most popular area for youngsters and afterschool kids. Shopping here is amazing. From the two major shopping centres, to the markets and little stores on the street, it has basically everything you can think of, and cheap as. Sip on a young coconut as you stroll along Fa Yuen Street Market, where you’ll get cheap clothes, cute asian socks, phone accessories, backpacks and more.

What makes shopping in Hong Kong ever so convenient is that everything is consolidated to a specific area.  Need flowers on Mothers’ Day or Valentine’s Day? Go to the Flower Market. Wanna get the latest pair of Jordans? Sneaker Street it is. Goldfish for a new Feng Shui setup? Where else than Goldfish Market. Souvenir tee shirts and the infamous handbags? Ladies Market. Go “sweep the streets” around the corner of Sai Yeung Choi Street South and Dundas Street and understand what the Hong Kong street snacks (curry fishballs and siu mais) craze is about.

Fa Yuen Street Market: Prince Edward MTR exit B2 (Turn backwards when you’re out of the exit, turn right, walk for a bit and you’ll see the market on your right)
Flower Market: Prince Edward MTR exit B1 (Turn backwards when you’re out of the exit, walk for 3 blocks)
Sneaker Street: Mongkok MTR exit E2 (Walk straight for 3 blocks, it’s the whole street so turn left or right)
Goldfish Market: Prince Edward MTR exit B2 (Down Sai Yeung Choi Street South, turn left onto Nullah Road, turn right onto Tung Choi St aka Goldfish Street)
Ladies Market: Mongkok MTR exit E2 (Walk straight for 2 blocks, again left or right it’s up to you)
Street food sweeping: Monkok MTR Et, but closer one would be Yau Ma Tei MTR exit A1 (Turn backwards to go onto Nathan Road, turn left and walk for two blocks, cross the road and walk for 1 block)

Yau Ma Tei | Hong Kong Ghetto + Temple Street Market

Yau Ma Tei and Jordan are the two districts between Mongkok and Tsim Sha Tsui. Here is the home to the Temple Street Night Market, often appearing as backdrops of movies. A bit more of a ghetto and also a red light district, you will see elderly and junkies aplenty. There also is a wholesale Fruit Market.

But other than the Cantonese opera performances, the fortune-teller stalls, and the treasure hunting, there are also some very unique cafés in this area. One being Mido, and another which is actually in Jordan is the Australia Dairy Co.

Temple Street Night Market: Jordan MTR exit A (At corner of Nathan Road and Jordan Road, turn right onto Jordan Road and walk for 3 blocks)
Mido Café: Yau Ma Tei MTR exit C (Turn left when on Nathan Road, 2 blocks later turn left onto Public Square Street)
Australia Dairy Co: Jordan MTR exit C2 (Walk straight for one block and turn right onto Parkes Street; also walkable from Temple Street)

Tsim Sha Tsui | Shopping Paradise + Harbour

This is probably what gives Hong Kong the title of a Shopping Paradise. Just counting on top of my head, there are at least 9 shopping malls. Harbour City, The One, K-11, Miramall just to name a few. Here you also get the most amazing view of the Hong Kong Island cityscape. Come here at 8pm any night if you want to see the Symphony of Lights show.

You can also go from Kowloon to the Hong Kong Island by taking the Star Ferry at the pier in Tsim Sha Tsui. An easy, breezy (literally) way to cross the harbour as well as to get a spectacular view of both sides of Hong Kong.

Star Ferry Pier: Also a bus stop terminal at TST.

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These are just the main areas on the Kowloon side, there’s still inner east Kowloon to be explored, as well as the creative hub, such as the JCCAC. The art scene in Hong Kong is slowly growing, I mean there even is a building by the late Zaha Hadid. Hong Kong may be small, but it has so much you can’t really get enough of it. Keep doing your thang 👌🏼

Stay tuned for more!

Antoinette •••