Name(English): Temple Street
Name(Chinese): 廟街
Category: Major Attractions
Address(English): Temple Street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon
Address(Chinese): 油麻地廟街
Address Google Map Link: https://goo.gl/maps/sbG9FhsMzqUEmf1G6
Address longitude and latitude: 22.307600999176064, 114.17018931092707
Nearest MTR Station: Yau Ma Tei MTR exit C
Nearest MTR Station Google Map Link: https://goo.gl/maps/gwqWhANkhFm92ZPc7
Nearest MTR Station longitude and latitude: 22.311796, 114.170640
How far from the nearest MTR Station: 6 mins from Yau Ma Tei MTR exit C
Opening hours:
MON 18:00 – 23:00
TUE 18:00 – 23:00
WED 18:00 – 23:00
THU 18:00 – 23:00
FRI 18:00 – 23:00
SAT 18:00 – 23:00
SUN 18:00 – 23:00
*Stalls/ shops vary in terms of operating hours.
Recommended Time to Visit: 8pm
Accessibility Note: Easy access
It is getting dark but the lights here are glowing: red-white-blue tents of street karaoke, clusters of street vendors, aroma of stir-fries… are the things that prove Temple Street to be a vibrant ghetto of everything. Its name originates from the Tin Hau Temple nearby and it has been a go-to place for about a century for the locals to hang out at night!
Now get out of Exit C from Yau Ma Tei MTR Station, grab a dinner and lose yourself in the area to beat food coma – don’t visit the place unless it is night time though! Here’s a list of things that you should check out.
Aroma Hovering
Starting your journey with food never goes wrong. There are plenty of good restaurants around the place awaiting you coming and it never fails to surprise you, from the classic Mido Café with its interior preserved in old Hong Kong styles, the mouthwatering Claypot rice at Hing Kee, to the exotic snake soup that warms you up in winter at Snake King Sun. Empty your stomach before you visit!
Street Vendors
You will never be blamed for getting lost along the Temple Street, where a red Chinese-style gateway is situated at both ends marking its entrance of unexpected things. This night market is filled with street vendors selling antiques, jade, clothes, bags, souvenirs, gadgets, paintings, and the items you name it. But you should be warned when you see a Gucci bag you like because the luxury bags they offer are mostly counterfeit. Plus, there are often no price tags attached to the products – so that tells you to bargain after asking the price!
The area is also famous for its cultural diversity as it is home to different ethnic groups like Nepalese, Indians, and the Filipinos. Don’t be surprised if you happen to find a collection of ethnic grocery stores along the sides of the market.
Fortune Telling and Street Karaoke
If you are curious about your destiny, get around Market Road that is near the Tin Hau Temple and figure out your future via a number of means, from tarot, palm reading, Chinese astrology to fortune telling by a bird. Be part of the local traditions and let the fortune tellers lead you the way.
Led by the sounds of the Hong Kong 60s songs, you will find some street karaoke along the sidewalk of the road which is dominated by middle-aged locals. As lively as they are, they always welcome non-locals to join them singing along so just drop a few HK$20 notes to embed yourself in the community.
The best spot for Instagram
Two long lines of street stalls with the vibrant fluorescent lights on top looks too perfect for an Instagram post but where to find the best photo taking spot? Head to Yau Ma Tei Car Park Building at 250 Shanghai Street, take the elevator to 3/F, and walk to section 3D (squeeze yourself in between cars if any). There you have it – the vibrant outlook of the Temple Street from the top, and it’s for sure worth plenty of likes.
Some more to visit
The following places will never fall short of your expectations if you love handicrafts. You can find a wide variety of gemstones and jewelry in a warren of stalls at The Jade Market and even a statue of Guan Yu, the God of War portrayed in the Three Kingdoms (for those die-hard fans of the novel) at Kwok Kee Wood Ware Sculpture. Maybe you are looking for something customized, head to Biu Kee Mah-Jong for the local traditions where the artisan can hand carve your name onto the tiles; & Hawk Ltd for a red-white-blue sign in Chinese calligraphy that resembles the city’s minibus destination signs!
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