Mongkok
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Above:
Sai
Yeung Choi St. South in Mongkok is open for pedestrians only
on Sundays and holidays a large part of the day, and also on weekdays
starting late afternoon.
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Above: Nathan Road
If
you want to go to the typical sights you see on postcards, you won't not be disappointed in Mongkok.
You should go in the evening after dark because then you can
see the shop signs lit up in all kinds of neon
lights in Chinese - just like what you see on postcards. It
is in the heart of Kowloon and reachable by MTR.
But beware: it is crowded! After all, it is said to be the most
densely populated area in the world. You won't doubt that once
you set foot on streets like Sai Yueng Choi Street South. Even
during the day, you will wonder why so many people are there.
Don't they have to work??
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Shown
to the left is Nathan
Road in Mongkok. Nathan Road is a main road in Kowloon running
from TST
to Mongkok, through Jordan
and Yau Ma Tei, with shops all along. Unfortunately it has also
earned a bad reputation because of some electronic
stores scamming on tourists. You should just go to a chain
store, there're many of them on Sai
Yeung Choi Street South.
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Above: Ladies Market in Mongkok
Famous spots in Mongkok include the Ladies'
Market, the Mongkok
Computer Center, and the goldfish
market. Nearby are the bird
park, the flower
market, and Temple Street.
Left: Ladies Market
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Above: crowds on Sai
Yeung Choi Street South |
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Above: Typical traffic in Mongkok area
Mongkok is known for having heavy traffic, both of pedestrians and vehicles. Other than the main thoroughfairs like Argyle Street and Nathan Road, the side streets are seldom unoccupied. The scene in the photo to the left is not considered
a traffic jam - the cars are just waiting for the traffic
light. Life in a big city!
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Above: Mongkok Computer Center, a shopping center filled with shops selling computers and other consumer electronics
If you have heard of Golden Computer Arcade or Golden Computer Shopping Center, the Mongkok Computer Center is a slightly smaller version of it.
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Above: Winter decorations at Langham Place shopping mall in MongkokAmong all the small shops and shopping arcades in Mongkok, Langham Place stands out like a crane among chickens, as a Chinese proverb goes. It's clearly visible from miles away. Like in other malls, you can count on seasonal decorations. The winter wonderland scene inside at Christmas time drew a crowd posing for the shutters.
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Above left: Nathan
Road  Above right:
Sai Yueng Choi
Street South |
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Other than the well-known tourist spots, Shanghai Street and Reclamation Street are also
interesting places to visit. If you're looking for traditional
Chinese things like bamboo steamers, old-style Chinese scales,
or abacuses, or even traditional Chinese wedding gowns, you can
find them there (toward Yau Ma Tei area). But no telling how long
they'll still be around. Hong
Kong changes fast!
Then if you live in Hong Kong and are remodeling, Portland Street
is where you can find store after store for tiles, wallpaper,
bathroom fixtures and fittings, etc.
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Mongkok area map 
iPhone / Safari users click here
 hotel
 restaurant hot spots
(updated
2011.4.5)
Directions
Mongkok is very accessible, and the easiest would be by MTR. Just get off at the Mongkok
station on the red line or the green line (it's the interchange station between the two).
If you are looking around in Tsim Sha Tsui, you can even just keep walking north on Nathan Road. You'll
pass Jordan, Yau Ma Tei, and then you'll be at Mongkok. From Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station to Mongkok station, it's just less than 1.5 miles.
2011.4.5
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Related pages
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