Fa Yuen Street Market (Sneaker Street) – Latest and Discounted Shoes from Nike, Adidas, Converse, etc in Hong Kong

One of my favourite street markets in Hong Kong is Fa Yuen Street Market in Mong Kok. It is home to the famous Sneaker Street, which is lined with dozens of shops selling (yup you guessed it) sneakers and many other types of shoes. Also read: 15 Best Night Markets in Hong Kong You Must Visit

Fa Yuen Street Market

Fa Yuen Street Market consists of two main portions. The south section is the well-known “Sneaker Street” that runs between Soy Street and Argyle Street. The north section consists of street market stalls and stretches between Mong Kok Road and Prince Edward Road West. See the map above to get a clearer idea.

Sneaker Street

At the famous Sneaker Street, we saw many shops selling a wide variety of footwear such as sneakers, basketball shoes, soccer boots, running shoes, cross-trainers, etc.

Other than shoes, we also saw sporting goods and accessories such as rackets (tennis, badminton, squash), shoe laces, etc.

We came across brands like Puma, Adidas, Nike, Converse, Reebok, New Balance, K-Swiss, and many more.

Over here, you will see the latest footwear fashion, and some shops carry limited edition shoes from big brands too.

However, we did not really find heavily discounted shoes at Sneaker Street. This is because the street is more known for its wide variety of trendy footwear rather than cheap prices.

That said, the prices are still quite competitive. You can try to bargain for a better price since the shop staff knows that you can probably find the exact same pair of shoes at another shop. It is not impossible to get discounts of 10 to 20 percent.

Consequently, make sure you compare prices at different shops, since other shops down the street may offer better prices.

Street Market Stalls

We passed through the street market stalls on our way to Sneaker Street from Prince Edward station. We saw a variety of goods similar to those at Ladies Market, such as clothes, bags, accessories and fruits.

Even though the market here was less vibrant and diverse than Ladies Market, we actually preferred walking here because the street was wider and not as packed.

Are the Sneakers Authentic?

Most of the shops at Sneaker Street are opened by major distributors such as Wan Kee Group and Toronto Sports, therefore you can rest assured that the sneakers are authentic.

They are able to offer slightly discounted prices because the shoes are imported from countries with lower tariffs.

Another reason for the lower prices is because sneaker heads are well aware of the latest shoes fashion. Therefore, they will quickly lose interest in past season shoes, resulting in their prices dropping.

However, it is always important to use your own discretion. If a shop feels dodgy and is offering you a discount that is too good to be true, then something is probably wrong.

History of Sneaker Street

Long ago between the 14th and early 20th century, Fa Yuen Street (花园街) was a district for growing flowers, which is why the Chinese street name literally translates as “flower garden street”.

During the 1970s, the rents at nearby Nathan Road increased significantly, causing many of the shoes shops to move over to Fa Yuen Street.

At the time, Fa Yuen Street seemed to be a perfect choice as it was home to mainly small shops and mahjong dens, and therefore rents were still low.

And it was near to La Salle College and Diocesan Boys’ School, two elite schools with many rich and fashion-conscious teenagers.

Therefore, pioneer shops like Wan Kee Group and Toronto Sports enjoyed good business and opened more branches, while new shops started moving here too. Today, there are more than 50 footwear shops along Sneaker Street!

Best Time to Visit Sneaker Street

Most of the shops here open daily from 11am to 11pm. Therefore, Sneaker Street remains quite vibrant late into the night.

When we went on a Sunday at around 8.30pm, the street was still full of people browsing through the shops. It was nice to walk around and enjoy the bustling atmosphere.

However, if you prefer to avoid the crowds, a good time to visit would be around 12pm to 3pm when all the shops are open but still not too busy.

What to Eat at Fa Yuen Street Market

1. Fei Jie Snacks Shop (肥姐小食店)
This street food vendor known for its braised items like pig offals, chicken livers, turkey offals, and octopus tentacles. Our favourite was the octopus tentacles, which were wonderfully chewy, juicy and tender! Read our full review of Fei Jie Snacks Shop.

Address: Shop 4A, 55 Dundas Street, Mong Kok
Opening Hours: | Mon to Fri: 2pm – 11.30pm | Sat: 1pm – 11.30pm | Sun: 1pm – 11pm |

2. Fa Yuen Street Market and Cooked Food Centre
This food centre is located inside the Municipal Services Building. It offers a variety of local delicacies that were originally served from outdoor street stalls, but have now moved into this indoor space run by the government.

The place is also known for its cooked poultry such as deep fried pigeons, roast duck, roast goose, and soy sauce chicken.

There is also a wet market here, which is a good place to experience local culture in the morning when locals go grocery shopping for Chinese goods and produce.

Address: Fa Yuen Street Municipal Services Building, 123A Fa Yuen St, Mong Kok, Hong Kong

3. Delicious Food – Stinky Tofu
You can let your nose lead you to this one – the smelly tofu from this stall has a notorious putrid smell that lingers down the street. You will either love it or hate it (or vomit).

Address: Shop 10, G/F 30-32 Nullah Road, Prince Edward, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Daily 10.30am to 9.30pm

Fa Yuen Street Market Walking Guide

Take the MTR to Prince Edward station and go out from Exit B2. Walk along Prince Edward Road West for about 150 metres and then turn right and cross the road to go into Fa Yuen Street. This is the beginning of the street market stalls.

You will see a crossroad here. The left road continues down Fa Yuen Street, while the right road goes down Nullah Road.

If you like stinky tofu, walk down Nullah Road for a short while and take the first left turn into Tung Choi Street. You will see (or smell) Delicious Food – Stinky Tofu near the start of the street (below “Chui Ho Hotel” and beside Gong Cha). Buy some takeaway stinky tofus, then walk back to Fa Yuen Street.

Walk down Fa Yuen Street and browse through the street stalls at your own pace. After about 400 metres, you will pass by the Municipal Services Building, which is home to the Fa Yuen Street Market and Cooked Food Centre. Enjoy local delicacies in the food centre if you wish.

Continue walking down the street for about 200 metres and you will reach Sneaker Street. Enjoy browsing through the dozens of shoe shops!

At the end of Fa Yuen Street, you will find the popular Fei Jie Snacks Shop. We really enjoyed the octopus tentacles here and I highly recommend ordering this item!

Conclusion

We enjoyed our experience at Fa Yuen Street Market very much. It was fun to walk through the bustling street markets stalls and see all the interesting items being sold.

However, our favourite part of Fa Yuen Street Market was definitely the famous Sneaker Street. We saw a huge variety of sneakers and sports shoes along this vibrant street!

This area is also near other popular Mong Kok street markets like the Flower Market, Goldfish Market, Ladies Market, Temple Street Market, etc.

If you are planning to check out the Mong Kok street markets, make sure you include Fa Yuen Street Market in your itinerary too!

Fa Yuen Street Market
Address: Fa Yuen Street, Prince Edward, Hong Kong
Directions: 3 minute walk from Prince Edward station
Sneaker Street Opening Hours: Daily 11am to 11pm
Street Stalls Opening Hours: Daily 11am to 9pm