For a perfect SHOPPING holiday (Shopping in Hong Kong)

Member Name: mattconnect

Product:	Shopping in Hong Kong
Date:	26/10/09 (71 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheaper than UK, great food, great clothing, great technology... the store for everyone.

Disadvantages: crowded.

I just visited Hong Kong over the summer and decided to write a review about the shopping, which is FABULOUS. Not only is it cheaper, stores close LATE.

~~~CURRENCY~~~
The first thing you need to know of course is that they spend Hong Kong Dollars, which at the moment is around £1 to $12 (HK).

~~~CLOTHING~~~
In Hong Kong, in every "village" or "town" they have their own shopping centre and food market. Whilst many chain stores will show up across these shopping centres, most stalls are unique and are very worthwhile to browse each one individually!

Here are some of the places I would recommend for a range of different budgets:

-TSUEN WAN
Tsuen Wan can most easily be reached by the Tsuen Wan line.

Tsuen Wan is now very heavily developed, and has LOADS of different shopping malls which are linked by overhead bridges which can be accessed by foot! It is about 1-2 days shopping for a range of goods.

In the most recently built mall called Citywalk (still expanding), you can purchase middle ranged goods. Clothing brands include Bossini, Uniqlo, ICE FIRE and more...

Tsuen wan also has some lower end stalls, where clothes might not necessarily be branded but are of a good quality and will be cheaper than branded ones, although may look the same.

Also known for its technology, you can come here to purchase some latest gadgets for knock-off pricess!

The whole mall also has lots of food chains and other stores.

-ADMIRALTY
This is where the high fashion brands are located: Gucci, Burburry, LV... with their massively glamourous storefronts. Personally, this is way too over budget for me, but still nice to experience the culture of the city's centre of fashion.

Beware though, that they do have bodyguards in every store and if you go in just to browse, its slightly awkward.

-SHA TIN
Here situates another developed shopping mall, which is slightly closer to the centre of Hong Kong. Newtown Plaza is massive, and in the central court usually holds exhibition or staging. In Hong Kong, it is often that they use malls and plazas to host some shows, so it is very vibrant and lively!

Shatin has mid-high value goods, containing brands such as G2000, Extravaganza, Baleno, Giordano etc. The latter two are well known Hong Kong brands which can be compared to the NEXT or H&M.

-LADIES MARKET
This is a market place that sells a range of clothes, some gadgets and other things. Nearby shopping centres also sell gadgets and electronics, and more boutique style stores.

Here, you can get cheap knock-offs of branded clothes, and some rejected branded clothes, or slightly defected branded clothing all for quite cheap prices. Whatever you get, you won't be able to tell that it's any different although it is of slightly lower quality.

Here are just a few examples, and are by no means comprehensive. Personally, I would just go explore on the train lines as they are easy to navigate. Almost every stop has its own shopping centre and points of interest.

~~~TECHNOLOGY AND ELECTRONICS~~~
As Hong Kong is so close to Japan, it gets a lot of the latest technology and electronic goods. As mentioned before, Tsuen Wan has an underground floor for this and things are generally sold quite cheap. However, beware of faulty goods and viral products.

I was not shopping in Hong Kong for any sorts of technology, but know that in central, perhaps Admiralty and Jordan as well they sell lots of technology.

~~~FOOD AND DRINK~~~
If you're in Hong Kong, you must try the Chinese style of eating.

1) "Yum Cha", literally meaning to drink tea, is a Chinese custom where you drink tea accompanying dim sum and light dishes. These can include dumplings and many more. Most restaurants only have Chinese menus and NO pictures, which can be a hassle, and might scare away some non-chinese speakers, so it is best to do some research or try "yum cha" here in the UK.
2) Traditional Chinese Café- here, they serve a range of congi, breaded things and drinks such as pearl/bubble tea which is a must try.
3) Desserts- This industry has recently boomed, and is very popular for people to go to a dessert parlour after a night out, and a must try is the Mango Sago and Pomelo Sweet soup.
4) For exotic and fresh fruits and vegetables, go to the local markets where you can get a lot for very cheap. A note is that the animals are live and they will chop it in front of you, so if you don't like blood you might want to skip the meat section. Fish is also live, and they might jump up and land on you too, so keep your distance!

~~~OVERALL~~~
Hong Kong is great for shopping, and I spent around $5000 (HK) overall, mostly on clothes, souvenirs and food. It is a majorly popular city and has fantastic nightlife. You can shop till 9 at night, although most stores open up at 11am-12pm, which is slightly late.

If you ever want to go somewhere buzzing with life, full of shopping opportunities, come to Hong Kong. I literally bought a whole new wardrobe.

Summary: A MUST GO !