Visiting Hong Kong has always been a fascinating thing for me. I love the city very much. To me, Hong Kong is a never-sleeping small city. I really enjoy walking along the pavements just to see people passing by, bargaining things, making performance and doing other things. The night view there is really unique and I really love it. Most of the stores are open until midnight, which is a rare view in China. Up until midnight, the streets are also filled with crowds of people busy doing their business.
A visit to Hong Kong is incomplete without shopping for it is one of the reasons Hong Kong is known for. Just like its name, Mong Kok in Cantonese means “busy corner”, the area according to the Guinness Book of Records is the most densely populated place on the planet with over squeezing 130,000 people per km2 and is one of the largest shopping areas in Hong Kong that attracts many visitors and shoppers. So, if you are a shopaholic, it is a place you must not miss. One of the most famous shopping districts in Mong Kok is called the Ladies Market. If you suddenly feel bored in the middle of the night, strolling around the market makes a good visit. While doing some night-shopping, you can also be mesmerized into the hustling of the city's nightlife.
The Ladies Market or the Woman’s Street is a pedestrian shopping street that stretches as long as one kilometer on the section of Tung Choi. Relocated from its original place in Temple Street in Yau Ma Tei, the market retains its original name because it traditionally sells women clothes, accessories and commodities that attract many women customers. The market started out as a legal hawking zone selling ladies clothing for sale. Years ago, it was difficult to get work, so the locals began hawking on the streets to earn a living. The government then started to set legal hawking zones because of the great number of illegal hawking; and the first allowed hawking zone was the Ladies Market. As the section gained its popularity, it was made a pedestrian-only street in 2000 where no cars are allowed to pass between 4 pm an 11 pm from Monday to Saturday and from noon until 11 pm on public holidays.
The Ladies Market is open from 1 pm to 1 am. The name does not mean it only sells female things. It sells almost everything starting from men and women's fashion, bags, belts, shoes, umbrellas, and other bric-a-bracs. The goods here are quite cheap compared to the ones sold in famous commercial stores. Crammed with almost 100 stalls, the market also sells fake bags and wallets of famous brands like Gucci, LV, and many others. However, because it is illegal, most stalls do not have the products on display. The stalls in this street usually use canvas with blue and white stripes with iron bars as support. If you are a fashion person, the market is not the right place to find up-to-date trends, because almost all the clothes there are not of the latest fashions. Another thing is though most of the products are inexpensive, you have to accept the fact that they are not durable. According to my personal experience, the bags’ zips could break and the stitching come apart.
Actually almost all the items here are transported from Guangzhou, China, and sold with a much more expensive price than the original place. Therefore, I do not recommend you to buy many things here because you can find exactly the same goods in the Mainland with a surprisingly lower price. The only best-buy thing is the Hong Kong souvenirs, like key chains and statues, to be brought home for family and friends which you can find nowhere but in Hong Kong. So, do not be too quick to shop here. Slow down and be patient.
However, if you have no chance to visit the Mainland or if you cannot resist the temptation to shop here, I have some tips for you. Bargaining here is a must although some vendors might have “no bargaining” sign. The vendors will give you a very high opening price and you will surely have to practice your bargaining skill here. When haggling for price, do not hesitate to bargain for more than half price and if you cannot agree on the price, just walk away, and within a few seconds, the vendor will soon call you back and give the price you want. Most stalls sell more or less the same goods, so if you want to get the best deal, make sure you walk around the stalls from vendors to vendors to compare prices before making a purchase decision. You will find exactly the same items in other stalls, however, if you want to get a cheaper price, you need to bargain all over again. Some items do not have price tag on them indicating the price is set by the vendor according to how much they hope you to pay or how affordable you are. If you are a foreigner, typically Westerners, you are more likely asked to pay more. Chinese sellers are well-known for their tricky tactics. So, you must be extra careful in making the deal if you do not want to end up buying a cheap thing with a high price. Most of the sellers here can speak English, but the broken one...haha..., for the market is often visited by foreigners. Nevertheless, if you can speak some Chinese, you might get the best deal. Be sure to check your purchased stuff for if there is something faulty with the goods you buy, you should not expect to have any refund from the vendor. While shopping here, make you sure you safeguard your belongings well to prevent any property lose although Hong Kong is a very safe place.
On my second visit there, I stayed in Mong Kok with my family. In the morning, when I was about to have my breakfast near the Ladies Market, I just found out that the market was not ready yet. What I saw was just a street with iron pillars ready to be set up for the night adventure. So, everyday, the vendors set up the stalls from mid morning. Most of the stalls are open before noon and the most vibrant time is between 7 pm and midnight. If you visit the market in the early morning, the stand or shop owners will be in the process of setting up the stalls.
The street is also accompanied by a line of eateries and restaurants with reasonable prices and delicious foods. So, the market offers a three-in-one culinary, shopping and travel experience.
The Ladies Market is easily accessible by MTR. Just take MTR to the Mong Kok Station and take exit D2. The market is just one-minute walk from the MTR station. 
My boyfriend and I at the Ladies Market. The market sells fake bags and Hong Kong souvenirs as seen in the picture.
The best time to visit the market is in the evening. The market is at its most vibrant time at 7 pm until midnight. You can experience the buzz of the market in the evening.
Shopping in Hong Kong would be incomplete without a visit to the vibrant Ladies Market. Soak yourself up to the hustle and bustle of a Chinese market here. Remember, despite the name the market is not only for ladies. Happy shopping!!!
Sources:
Personal experience and additional information from other online articles
i am so surprise to see china ladies market in their Hong Kong. there have superb atmosphere for business with maximum customer relation. thanks for share.
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