Market shopping in China
-
A
Stanley Market
No big bargains or big stings, just reasonably priced casual clothes (plenty of large sizes), bric-a-brac, toys and formulaic art, all in a nicely confusing maze of alleys running down to Stanley Bay. It’s best to go during the week; on the weekend the market is bursting at the seams with tourists and locals alike.
reviewed
-
B
Temple St Night Market
Temple St, which extends from Man Ming Lane in the north to Nanking St in the south and is cut in two by the Tin Hau temple complex, is the place to go for cheap clothes, dai pai dong (open-air street stalls) food, Chinese memorabilia, watches, pirate CDs and DVDs, fake labels, footwear, cookware and everyday items. Any marked prices should be considered mere suggestions - this is definitely a place to bargain. It’s also a place to catch some entertainment.
reviewed
-
C
Flower & Bird Market
The Flower & Bird Market has long been one of the more enjoyable and relaxing strolls in the city. It's also known as lǎo jiē (old street) and comprises several downtown blocks surrounded by buildings of immense, gleaming modernity and bustle. Flowers and birds most certainly aren't the main draw here anymore, though on weekends the chirping, yawping and cawing can still be heard a block or more away.
Instead, strollers pack this surreal hawkers' ghetto and its mazy neighbourhood walk of stalls chock-full of flora and fauna (well, again, not so much of these anymore, endless curios, knick-knacks, and doo-dahs, the contents of someone's back hall on more than one occasio…
reviewed
-
D
Wushan Lu Night Market
Hángzhōu is well known for its tea, in particular Longjing (Dragon Well) green tea as well as silk, fans and, of all things, scissors. You can find all these things at the bustling Wúshān Lu Night Market, as well as touristy kitsch. Fake ceramics jostle with ancient pewter tobacco pipes, Chairman Mao memorabilia, silk shirts and pirated CDs. Get the gloves off and haggle hard if something catches your eye. It's been relocated to Huixing Lu ( 惠兴路 ) between Youdian Lu ( 邮电路 ) and Renhe Lu ( 仁和路 ).
reviewed
-
E
Hongqiao (Pearl) Market
Besides a cosmos of clutter (shoes, clothing, electronics and lots and lots of handbags), Hongqiao is home to more pearls than the South Sea. The range is huge – freshwater, seawater, white and black pearls – and prices vary incredibly depending on quality. The 3rd floor has the cheaper ones, mostly sourced from Zhèjiāng province, as well as standard jewellery. The better-quality, more pricy pearls can be found on the 4th and 5th floors, where there’s a roof terrace that offers a view of the Temple of Heaven. Prices are generally high, while the vendors, who often speak some English, are canny bargainers. If you have kids, don’t miss the Kids Toys Market in the …
reviewed
-
Zhongshan Lu Night Market
For jewellery, clothing, souvenirs and pretty much anything else you can think of, check out Guìlín's cavorting Zhongshan Lu Night Market . Flung up with bright lights every night from 19:00 to 23:30 along an extensive strip of Zhongshan Zhonglu all the way from Wumei Lu north to Jiefang Xilu, there's a copious strip of stalls selling jade, jewellery, clothing, bags, name chops, perfume and tons of other consumables and trinkets.
A further tourist night market sets up towards the southern end of Zhengyang Lu, but you will have to contend with the persistent xiǎojie (young girls) latching onto males and asking if 'massagey' or, more bluntly, 'sex' is required.
reviewed
-
F
Li Yuen Street East & West
These two narrow and crowded alleyways linking Des Voeux Rd Central with Queen’s Rd Central are called ‘the lanes’ by Hong Kong residents, and were traditionally the place to go for fabric and piece goods. Most vendors have now moved to Western Market in Sheung Wan, but while it’s no great retail hunting ground you’ll still find a mishmash of cheap clothing, handbags, backpacks and costume jewellery here.
reviewed
-
G
Western Market
When the textile vendors were driven out of the lanes linking Queen’s Rd Central and Des Voeux Rd Central in the early 1990s, they moved to this renovated old market (1906) with its distinctive four-corner towers. You’ll find knickknacks, jewellery and toys on the ground floor, piece goods on the 1st floor and bolts of cloth on the floors above it. The top floor is a restaurant and wedding reception venue.
reviewed
-
H
Man Wa Lane
Just east of the Sheung Wan MTR station, this narrow alley is a good introduction to traditional Sheung Wan. Stalls here specialise in name chops: a stone (or wood or jade) seal that has a name carved in Chinese on the base. When dipped in pasty red Chinese ink, the name chop can be used as a stamp or even a ‘signature’. The merchant will create a harmonious and auspicious Chinese name for you.
reviewed
-
I
Ancient Culture Street
Recently expanded, spruced up and its stallholders housed inside reconstructed, faux ye olde Tiānjīn buildings, Ancient Culture Street is stuffed with vendors flogging Chinese calligraphy, paintings, tea sets, paper cuts, clay figurines and chops. It's now a full-on commercial tourist bonanza with fake hútòng styling and goods from all over China.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
J
Dongjiao Shichang
If you're after authentic local atmosphere, check out this ramshackle market. On weekends it's a sprawling sight of demanding crowds and messy stalls where everyone from old-fashioned cobblers to vendors selling pet fish set up. Several specialist buildings lurk at the back including Dongjiao Lushan Jiu Tea City, filled with stalls selling loose tea and tea sets.
reviewed
-
K
Cat St Market
Head to Upper Lascar Row (the official name of what has become known as Cat St and a pedestrian-only laneway) for dozens of stalls offering antiques, curios, cheap jewellery, ornaments, carvings and newly minted ‘antique’ coins. It’s a fun place to trawl through for a trinket or two, but expect a lot of rough, and few (if any), diamonds.
reviewed
-
L
Alien's Street Market
This market just northwest of Ritan Park is packed to the gills with a huge variety of clothing, as well as tons of accessories. You can find most things here. It's popular with visiting Russian traders, which means the clothes come in bigger sizes than usual and the vendors will greet you in Russian. Haggling is essential.
reviewed
-
M
Luóhú Commercial City
This overrated covered market greets visitors as they emerge from customs and immigration. You'll find five storeys of shopping insanity, with corridor after corridor of stalls selling knock-off handbags, clothing, wigs, knick-knacks, massages and DVDs.
reviewed
-
N
Antique Market
Vendors sprawl in every direction along the hútòng (narrow alleyways) of the Antique Market. Sift through its stamps, silverware, porcelain, clocks, Mao iconography and Cultural Revolution memorabilia. The market is best on Sundays, but die-hard vendors set up shop during the week.
reviewed
-
O
Silk Market
The six-storey Silk Market is one of the most popular in Beijing, thanks to its wide array of high-quality fakes of big-name brands. Always packed, it’s best for clothes, but you can find bags and electronics here too. The silk is on the 3rd floor and is one of the few genuine items sold here.
reviewed
-
P
Christie’s
Christie’s has regular sales in ceramics, jade, jewellery, stamps, snuff bottles, art, traditional and contemporary Chinese paintings and calligraphy. It holds its spring (May) and autumn (November) pre-auction previews in the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai.
reviewed
-
Hángzhōu Market
For silk, try the Hángzhōu Market , a couple of blocks east of Zhonghe Beilu. The silk area starts on the north side of Fengqi Lu. Make sure you check that the silk is genuine and not a polyester clone (it should feel smooth and soft between your thumb and finger).
reviewed
-
Q
Pearl Market
The cosmos of clutter across from the east gate of Temple of Heaven Park ranges from shoes, leather bags, jackets, jeans, silk by the yard, electronics, Chinese arts, crafts and antiques to a galaxy of pearls (freshwater and seawater, white and black) on the 3rd floor. Prices for the latter vary incredibly with quality and more expensive specimens on the 4th and 5th floors.
reviewed
-
R
Dongjiadu Cloth Market
If you want to make your own clothes or choose your own cloth for a tailor, you won't get stitched up at the Dongjiadu Cloth Market, with the cheapest silk, brocade cashmere and other cloth by the metre at a fraction of the cost in the West.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
S
Wudaokou Clothing Market
Cool kids head to this two-storey market in their droves, drawn by both the cheap prices and the funky styles which have often been adapted from Korean or Japanese designs. It’s at the junction with Xueyuan Lu.
reviewed
-
T
Dōngmén Market
Another chaotic market popular for tailored suits and skirts, and cheap ready-to-wear clothes, with competitive prices. Be extremely careful of pickpockets. By metro, get off at Laojie station and leave from exit A.
reviewed
-
U
Tromsikhang Market
The bazaar-style Tromsikhang Market area in the old town has the widest selection of dried fruits and nuts and is the place to buy such Tibetan specialties as tsampa (roasted-barley flour) and yak butter.
reviewed
-
V
Food Market
Outside Mǎdié'ěr Bīnguǎn, a busy snack shop serves kebabs, dumplings and ice cream; nearby, a food market has stalls offering buns, cookies, sausages, fruits and sweets.
reviewed
-
W
Flower & Bird Market
The birds have long since flown, but the fragrant flowers and herbs that fill the alleys here lend a burst of colour to Chóngqìng's greyer days. Noodle joints also dot the lanes.
reviewed
