Visiting Hong Kong: Shopping for Every Budget

All shopaholics beware! Hong Kong is a dangerous place for your purses as you can literally shop to your heart’s delight all around this Special Administrative Region (SAR). Even I, who don’t shop much, had a great time window shopping and getting some bargains

There are many shopping areas around Hong Kong and I will be sharing them below.

Firstly, we have the Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) area. Whenever anyone mentions TST, Nathan Road definitely comes to mind. Along the road, you will see many shops selling watches. One of the big brands that comes to mind is the Chow Tai Fook chain. They have branches located all over Hong Kong. However, beware of people who try to attract your attention by offering discounted watches along the streets. Do NOT follow them!

Around the TST area, there are a number of malls. iSquare, K11 and the One are some of the latest malls to spring up there. For higher-end brands like Louis Vuitton and Jimmy Choo, head to Harbour City. 1881 Heritage is also worth a visit not so much for the shopping but more to appreciate the heritage building itself. It reminded me of Singapore's Chijmes! But for those with a higher budget, you can shop at the Shanghai Tang and Rolex outlets here.

On the other end, head to China Hong Kong City where you will find discount outlets of brands like Esprit, G2000, Wanko and so on. This is also the place to go to if you wish to take a ferry from Hong Kong to Macau or other mainland China ports like Zhuhai. If you like makeup and skincare products, there is a shop along Granville Road called Lung Shing Dispensary. Or you could just visit one of the many Sasa shops!

Another place which offers great shopping is Mongkok. If you can, try to avoid the area on weekends. It was super crowded at Langham Place when I was there. H&M and Monki was filled to the brim on Sunday and I could barely walk in or out. Tank top prices start from HKD49.90 at H&M while denim trousers are sold for HKD99 onwards. This shopping mall offers mid-range to high-end goods. If you are looking for casual fashion, something more similar to Sungei Wang Plaza in Kuala Lumpur, cross the road and head to Argyle Centre instead. From Mongkok, you can walk to Fa Yuen Street or choose to take the MTR and stop at the Prince Edward station. Here you will find a mixture of shops plus stalls set up right in front of the shops. I managed to snag a bargain of 2 tops for HKD100!

Central (known locally as Chong Wan) is more well-known for being the Central Business District (CBD) in Hong Kong. However, there are places to shop here too. You can walk along Queen's Road Central. In particular, you will notice a huge H&M branch here too at 68, Queen's Road Central. Nearby are Li Yuen Streets East and West. They offer cheaper and more casual clothes, quite similar to at Fa Yuen Street. This is also a great place to find cheap children's clothes and toys. If you are heading up the Mid-Levels escalator, you can also stop along the way and walk down to explore the small shops along the stretch. For branded goods, head to the ifc Mall instead.

Farther away from the city centre, you can head to Lantau Island to shop. The best place for discounted branded goods would be Citygate Outlets. You can take the MTR and stop at Tung Chung station. Here you will find discounts up to 90%. Brands on sale here include Mango, Levi's , Esprit, Laura Ashley, Coach and many more. You could easily spend lots of time ...and money here.

Another place to shop is right before you leave Hong Kong. The Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) has always been voted as one of the best airports in the world. And it is that good! You will find lots of things to do while waiting for your flight and you could also purchase last minute souvenirs from bakeries like Kee Wah. A great way to end the trip, don't you agree?