Temple Street Night Market

I have been meaning to visit these markets for literally decades, but I just never quite found/made the time.

This time, it's 2024, and the last day of my visit for the year, and rain or shine, I am determined to make it to the markets.

As always, the last day of any trip is not just busy but heading for chaos, so before I got sidetracked yet again, I fuelled up, and as I was not 100% sure how to get to the markets, I checked the GPS.

The markets are located in the Kowloon district of Jordan and can be reached by MTR, and as a surprise to no one, the closest station would be Jordan with the markets being just a short walk from exit A.

But me, being me and walking everywhere, starting from the Kowloon waterfront, I entered the market details in the GPS and headed off into the heat of the Hong Kong summer.

According to my watch, the walk was a little over 2km and not as bad as you would think, being flat and not particularly busy. And yes, as expected, the signage is minimal, so if you want to find your way around, use the GPS on your phone.

Arriving at the markets in the late afternoon, the sun was starting to set, but still not exactly night, not that that's a problem, as the market was buzzing, and just about everything seemed to be open.

The bad news is, yet another rain shower has started, so there I was, the typical tourist hiding under a burrowed umbrella, trying to keep dry. And yes, many of the locals gave me the "crazy tourist" look, to which I gave the usual grin.

It's a little early, but as you can see from the above shot, there are rows of food carts either set up and selling or close to it.

Now, if only I had a working sense of smell, I am sure these food carts would be driving me nuts. Several bouts of COVID have much to answer for 😠

Moving further into the markets, things start to look like the usual Hong Kong markets I am used to.

How's this for good timing? I needed a belt, having spent most of the day trying to stop my trousers falling down, and what was right in front of me?

Yes, a stall selling nothing but belts, so needless to say, a purchase was made. As for the quality, I was pleasantly surprised with the one I ended up with; it seems to be something that looks like it would last. Only time will tell, but it's a good sign.

The stalls I was walking past were selling the usual selection of souvenirs, clothes, toys, etc.

I came across one stall that stood out with the selection of wooden carved display stands and boxes, of a surprising quality, way better than most of the others I have seen at other markets.

The bad news is, there are restrictions on bringing wood carvings into Australia. Yes, I know I can bring them in, but from personal pain over the years, I can say the costs of treating what you bring in, should the customs persons decide it's needed, are far from cheap.

So I was not willing to risk it, but maybe next time, after much more research into the requirements to get things into the country without the pain of treatment.

I had a talk with the friendly stall holder who was aware of the issues importing to Australia and was knowledgeable when it comes to wood carvings, and wood working in general.

And yes, he did give me permission to take this shot.

Just like all the other markets I have so far visited, the stalls are not the only thing to see; look behind the rows of them, and there are shops of all sorts.

Usually, these shops sell more or less the same thing as the market stalls, but in this case, there were all sorts of things on offer, ranging from food, money changers, some very specialist stores, and some clubs of an interesting type.

While wandering around, I was propositioned yet again, this time far less subtle than the usual "you want fun"; this time she said, "You want Sex?".

Now, you need to understand this is not the norm in Hong Kong, or not in this area anyway, and not even close to the first time I have been approached. At least they all take a polite "No".

In this case, I suspect it was more of a hardcore sales approach to a very questionable-looking club, rather than any hooker looking for work.

Crossing the street was a collection of music shops selling vinyl records, CDs, etc. No real interest to me, but it's worth noting for those looking for this sort of thing. To each their own.

One store that stood out for me was a small one selling all sorts of art, including the small metal sculptures I collect.

Entering this shop, the first thing I noticed was the security guard who gave me those big puppy dog eyes, wanting attention, so after an ear scratch and some pats, it was time to make some purchases.

And yes, as an animal person, this friendly little guy was the highlight of the day.

It was getting dark fast, and the markets were buzzing, not too crowded, but full of locals eating and shopping, plus the odd tourists trying to decide what food to try.

For me, I had to call it a day and head for the airport, plane to catch. And yes, yet another rain shower was starting, so MTR, here I come.

Final Thoughts & Verdict top

Now, what do I think of the markets? Well, even after this brief visit, I can say it's a better experience than some I have visited, and some places I will visit in the future, when I have more time, to really experience things.

Remember, this was my last day, so checking my step count was interesting: a little over 46K, which Samsung Health tells me is around 35km.