Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy some really cool souvenirs. No matter your reason for traveling, it’s common to want to immortalize trips through items you’ve brought back. Dig deep into a destination and you’ll find more than just magnets for the fridge and normal run-of-the-mill trinkets.
From rich foods to impressive history and unique architecture, Hong Kong is heavy in culture and unrivaled experiences, but we can’t help but indulge in a touch of shopping.
Pack light and get ready for a little retail therapy when you load up on traditional garments, spices, luxury items, antiques and so much more. In other words, you might want to bring an extra bag — or two.
Traditional Garments
Stanley Market is a must visit on your market explorations. While you’ll find traditional arts and crafts, postcards and luxury handbags here, it’s most famous for Chinese garments hand-picked and sold by vendors to ensure that you leave the market with something you’re proud to wear.
Li Yuen Street East and Li Yuen Street West, also known as “the lanes of Central,” offer an array of clothing and accessories embellished with distinctive accents. Tailored garments, leather and silks are stacked tall on the shelves in these stalls.
This place sticks to what it knows best: traditional goods and authentically crafted garments to add to your closet.
Chinese Sweets and Teas
Satisfy your sweet tooth in Hong Kong when you take a bite of one of their traditional pastries. Wife Cake, as well as Moon Cake, are traditional Cantonese pastries.
This delicacy can be eaten at any time of the day and bought at Hang Heung, Kee Wah and Wing Wah. To indulge in more Chinese baked goods such as Yer Tat and Egg Tarts, head to an old-school Chinese bakery.
Tea, also known as Cha, is not hard to come by in Hong Kong. Flavorful teas including oolong tea and Chinese black tea can be found on just about every block in Hong Kong.
To narrow down your search for authentic Chinese tea, head to MingCha. Here you can sip on fragrant teas sourced from plantations in China while taking a lesson from tea masters who can teach you the art of traditional Chinese tea ceremony.
Another place to stop is the much-loved Ying Kee Tea House. Here, you can stock up on green tea, old luk on tea, puerh tea and so much more.
Luxury Goods
From the Louis Vuitton flagship store to the Burberry boutique, you can shop for high-end treasures at Harbour City. This sprawling shopping center is stacked with 700 stores, 50 restaurants and two movie theaters. Whether you’re hunting for a classic quilted leather bag or in search of great food, you’ll find a fierce collection of some of your favorite designers.
Shopping After Dark
Temple Street Night Market is anything but your average marketplace. As the sun sets, traders emerge with their wares and the entertainment begins. Opera singers and fortune tellers alike make their place known.
This “street bazaar” is located in the main drag and offers everything you need, with an impeccable twist on tradition. Collect trinkets, tea ware, electronics, jade, antiques, clay pot rice, seafood and more.
Unexpected Finds
28 Garden is where you go when you want something that no one else has – a trinket for a humble brag. This store is filled with a wide range of eclectic, vintage homeware and décor such as cutlery, potted plants and stationery.
Jade and Antiques
Antique dealers, art galleries and curio merchants make up the roster of what you can find when you pace up and down Cat Street off of Hollywood Road. While here, stock up on jade, embroideries, silk and other fine collectibles.
Jade Market offers the modern traveler a peek into the world of wishful thinking. While here, take your pick of jade-embellished accessories including rings, pendants, earrings and unusual finds.
Let one of the expert employees assemble a Chinese good-luck charm for you to wear. And remember, if your piece breaks, it means bad luck was headed your way but your jade took the hit — sparing you any negative vibes.
This article was published through a partnership with Vacations by Marriott. Read the original story: Silk, Spice and Everything Nice: Inside Hong Kong and Dubai’s Best Shopping Destinations on the blog.
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