Temple Street in Hong Kong

Do you know that the Temple Street (廟街) in Hong Kong is also called Men’s Street because it is famous for its menswear?

The street has been there since 1880s. It is named “Temple” Street because of the Yau Ma Tei Tin Hau Temple built there. Since the street was close to a square, it’s an ideal place for hawkers to do business. After many years of development, the government designated a “hawkers-allowed” area on the street so that the hawkers could continue their business without disturbing others. And thus the street becomes a famous cluster of roadside stalls selling cheap goods.

The goods there are not only cheap, but are also of great variety.

Be it clothes, handcrafted decoration, tea sets, jade, antiques, electronics and even adult toys…you name it, and you could (most likely) find it there. And you can always bargain for a better price if your budget is tight. Just threaten to leave if you don’t like the price, the shop owners would usually compromise on that.

You want to try your luck? There are traditional Mahjong houses there…though these places are not really for novices, and the people inside are…“not friendly”, to say the least. So, instead of trying your luck, you can have your luck read. There are fortune tellers who can read your fortune by decoding those mysterious poets and reading your palms. You may not understand what they are doing, and their reading may not even be accurate, but it sure is fun.

There were lion dance performances and people selling Chinese medicines in the past. While you probably can’t find that anymore, you may run into some Cantonese Opera troupes performing there if you are lucky. Don’t forget to tip them if you like their shows, ok?

And how can you not try out the food when you are in one of the places that represent Hong Kong the best? Other than those famous local street side snacks, you can also try the famous claypot rice, seafood and different kinds of noodles here. They are delicious and cheap, that’s all you need to know. Just leave the rest to your tongue and stomach.

Do you like Hong Kong movies? Just give this place a visit, and you will understand why lots of movies prefer using this street to symbolize Hong Kong’s culture.

Don’t worry, you won’t experience those gangster fights like you saw in the movies.