As Asia’s commercial hub, Hong Kong attracts brands from around the world to set up shop in the city, offering a diverse range of products for every budget. With no sales tax, prices are rather competitive, and the dense concentration of shopping areas makes it easy for visitors to shop to their hearts’ content. Over the years, Hong Kong has maintained its status as a top shopping destination in Asia and beyond.
In Hong Kong, the three main regions — New Territories, Kowloon, and Hong Kong Island, each offering a unique shopping experience. The New Territories are primarily residential with several large shopping malls as well as shops that focus on everyday essentials, so most visitors head to Kowloon and Hong Kong Island to shop. Kowloon is rich in local culture, and you will find that the area is popular among local shoppers. All located in Kowloon, Sham Shui Po is known for electronics; Mong Kok is famous for trendy youth fashion; while Tsim Sha Tsui boasts several world-class, large-scale shopping malls. Hong Kong Island has a more international vibe. As a business district, it is home to many luxury boutiques. But just a short stroll away, you can also find charming neighbourhoods and historic streets, perfect for a leisurely shopping experience.
Here is our comprehensive guide on where to stay, shop and eat in Kowloon. Get ready to embark on a delightful journey filled with great food and shopping!
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Tsim Sha Tsui
Where to Stay: Rosewood Hong Kong
Rosewood Hong Kong’s guest rooms and suites all offer breathtaking views of Victoria Harbour. The elegantly designed interiors feature a British aesthetic, with rich dark wood, leather sofas, classic British checkered prints, and bathrooms adorned with marble textures and mirrored accents. With such beautiful rooms that resemble works of art, perhaps all the shopping can wait!RELATED: 10 Hotels in Hong Kong with the Best Views of Victoria Harbour
Where to Shop: K11 MUSEA, Harbour City, and Granville Road
Rosewood Hong Kong is connected to K11 MUSEA, one of the most significant and anticipated openings in recent years. This shopping mall brings together many international luxury brands, including Cartier, Chanel, and Gucci. It also regularly hosts various exhibitions and events, integrating retail with art, culture, entertainment, and dining.
A 10-minute walk from the Rosewood hotel takes you to Harbour City, a name well-known among travellers. Despite being almost 40 years old, this mall still retains a modern vibe. It houses almost every iconic global brand, along with famous local department store Lane Crawford and beauty concept store Facesss. Everyday lifestyle brands like Uniqlo, the
c!ty'super supermarket, and major sports retailer GigaSports attract many shoppers to the mall.
If you want to shop but not at a mall, Granville Road is just a 10-minute walk from Rosewood Hong Kong. The area is filled with trendy streetwear stores such as Loading and WAKE Concept Store.
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What to Eat：Chaat, The Legacy House, and Cheung Hing Kee (Tsim Sha Tsui)
Rosewood Hong Kong offers two restaurants with one MICHELIN Star: Chaat, which specialises in Indian cuisine, and The Legacy House that offers Shun Tak delicacies. Chaat draws inspiration from Indian street food to create an exquisite selection of traditional dishes, while The Legacy House serves refined Shun Tak cuisine, with signature dishes like minced fish soup. Need somewhere to refuel after all the shopping? Stop by for some dim sum and tea.
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Mong Kok
Where to Stay: Cordis Hong Kong
Conveniently located atop Mong Kok MTR Station, Cordis Hong Kong has been in operation for 20 years, yet it still exudes a contemporary flair. The hotel features a modern and minimalist decor, with natural wood and marble accents that add a touch of elegance to the rooms. The rooftop pool offers spectacular views of Kowloon’s skyline. An indoor pedestrian bridge connects the hotel to Langham Place and Mong Kok MTR Station, so guests can easily access all the shopping hotspots without stepping foot outdoors.
Where to Shop: Langham Place, 618 Shanghai Street, Fa Yuen Street, and Ladies’ Market
Cordis Hong Kong connects to Langham Place, a 15-storey shopping mall in Mong Kok spanning 600,000 sq ft. For a shopping experience unlike any other, step onto the longest mall escalator in Hong Kong to access different floors. Langham Place is a trendy landmark in Kowloon, attracting many young people to come and explore its many local brands and original products. There are also many mid-range brands such as agnès b. and Calvin Klein.
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Just a three-minute walk from Langham Place is 618 Shanghai Street, which consists of 14 pre-war tenement buildings. After conservation and revitalisation, the row of buildings retains the architectural features of Southern Chinese shophouses and Western colonnades, now housing various shops and restaurants. Here, you will find many interesting local stores, such as Hong Kong homeware store Hakdei; Japanese vintage furniture store Chang Chang Good Store; one of Hong Kong’s first pre-loved clothing brands Midwest; and charming local fashion and lifestyle brand God Dag. It is the perfect spot to explore the artistic and trendy side of Hong Kong.
Mong Kok also boasts several unique shopping streets. Better known as “Sneaker Street”, Fa Yuen Street is lined with over 50 shops selling sports shoes and equipment, as well as local brands like LAKH Supply. Over at Ladies’ Market, you can find affordable clothing and souvenirs. Head towards Prince Edward, and you will find yourself at Goldfish Street and Flower Market. While tourists may not be able to bring home goldfish and plants, these streets are still worth visiting for their distinctly Hong Kong charm.
What to Eat: Ming Court (Mong Kok), Eton, Twins Liangpi Limited (Mong Kok), and Ki Tsui
Mong Kok is a street food paradise. Just a 10-minute walk from Cordis Hong Kong is Twins Liangpi Limited (Mong Kok), a MICHELIN-recommended snack store famous for its Sichuan-style cold noodles and crispy spicy lotus root. Ki Tsui on Fa Yuen Street offers classic Chinese pastries such phoenix cookies and wife cakes that are definitely worth a try.
Further Reading: A Wine Lover's Guide to Hong Kong
The article is written by Gloria Chung and translated by Iris Wong. Read the original article here.
