Ladies Market – The Most Vibrant Night Market in Hong Kong

Visiting the famous Ladies Market in Mong Kok was one of our most interesting cultural experiences in Hong Kong! The crowds, carnival-like atmosphere, and aggressive stall owners make this an attraction that is unlike any other. Also read: 15 Best Night Markets in Hong Kong You Must Visit

Ladies Market

The Ladies Market is a bustling open air market with over 100 stalls selling a large variety of merchandise for bargain prices.

Despite its name, the market sells lots of goods other than ladies’ clothing. We also saw men’s clothing, fashion accessories (handbags, wallets, watches, belts), inexpensive jewellery (necklaces, earrings, trinkets), cosmetics, electronic gadgets, toys, household items, and touristy Chinese souvenirs (buddha statues, silk embroideries, paintings, magnets, etc).

Ladies Market is also known for its fake goods, so you can be sure that LV handbag on sale for HKD300 is definitely a knock-off.

We saw plenty of massage parlours here, but we didn’t check them out. And some of them seemed quite dodgy too.

The market is a vibrant place where you can fully immerse in the local culture, though I felt it was a little too crowded when I visited at night. Personally, I prefer shopping without being jostled by people around me constantly.

And if you haven’t already heard of Hong Kong’s infamous service standards, then this is the place to experience it first hand. The stall owners are so aggressive that I saw them shouting at customers several times.

And I also witnessed an incident where two adjacent female stall owners actually started exchanging punches (yes punches) because one of them felt her stall space had been encroached by the other.

With that said, some people might actually enjoy such an intense atmosphere. Even if you don’t, you should visit Ladies Market at least once to experience the vibe here.

Bargaining in Ladies Market

Most of the merchandise here have inflated prices, therefore it is a norm to bargain. You can usually get a discount of at least 10 to 20%, or even 50% if you are really good.

From my personal experience, for some stalls, it is best to only enquire about a product if you really intend to buy it.

I learnt this the hard way when I casually asked an auntie about the price of a football jersey. After she replied me and I turned to walk away, she became aggressive and actually started yelling at me.

“You don’t want to buy? Then why you ask price? You crazy? You crazy?? You CRAZY?!” (in Chinese)

I had been mentally prepared for coarse manners here, but I was left scarred by her shocking outburst. Till today I can still hear her screaming voice in my head at night sometimes (ok I exaggerate).

One last piece of advice: many tourists like to compare prices at different stalls to find the best deal. However, I feel that you should adopt a “buy now if you like it” attitude because you may not come across the same item later.

And because Ladies Market is so big, you may not be able to locate the original stall. If you see something you like, determine first in your head a price you think is fair, then bargain hard until you reach that price.

Best Time to Visit Ladies Market

Most stalls in the Ladies Market open daily from 12pm to 11pm. The market operates every day of the year except for the first day of Chinese New Year.

If you want to experience the “real” Ladies Market, the best time to visit would be between 6pm and 10pm when the market really comes alive.

However, if you want to avoid the crowds, you can visit between 3pm and 6pm when all the stalls are open but still not so busy.

The market is busier on Friday nights and weekends.

Note that there is a daily fire inspection by the Hong Kong Fire Brigade at 2pm, during which the stalls will stop operations for a short while.

History of Ladies Market

Long ago, Tung Choi Street was part of an area used for farms. In 1924, the area was cleared for development and some of the new roads were given names of vegetables that had previously grown in the area. For example, “Tung Choi” means water spinach in Chinese.

Between 1924 and the 1960s, the area developed to become a residential area. From the 1960s, it gradually became a commercial area.

During the 1970s, due to a lack of employment opportunities caused in part by the international oil crisis, many locals opened hawker stalls all over the streets of Hong Kong.

This led to many social issues and in 1975, the government designated twenty areas as “authorised hawkering zones”. The section of Tung Choi Street between Argyle Street and Shan Tung Street was one of these zones.

After the zone was established, many Temple Street stalls selling ladies’ clothes moved here. This was how the market got the name “Ladies Market”. As the market grew in size, the zone was extended to Dundas Street.

In 2000, the market became a “Pedestrian Only Zone” for most hours of the day. This is why you seldom see any cars on the street here.

Directions to Ladies Market

Go out from Mong Kok Station Exit D3. Walk along Argyle Street for about 50 metres and take the first right turn into Tung Choi Street. This is the start of Ladies Market. From here, the market stretches for about 450 metres to Dundas Street.

Conclusion

It was definitely an interesting cultural experience exploring the Ladies Market! If you are someone who enjoys exploring a crowded night market with a carnival-like atmosphere, then Ladies Market is definitely for you. Otherwise, you can also visit the market during off peak hours when it’s less chaotic. Make sure you check out the nearby Sham Shui Po Market, Flower Market, Goldfish Market, Fa Yuen Street Market, and Temple Street Night Market too!

Ladies Market
Address: Tung Choi St, Mong Kok, Hong Kong
Directions: One-minute walk from Mong Kok Station Exit D3
Opening Hours: Daily 12pm to 11pm