HONG KONG’S CROWDED CORNER
Mong Kok’s maze of streets, shops and famed bazaars buzz with energy
Hong Kong’s lively Mong Kok neighbourhood, on the Kowloon side of the city, has been described by Guinness World Records as the “busiest district in the world.”
The name, abbreviated to MK by locals, translates to crowded corner. And crowded it is, with a population density of 130,000 per kilometre.
Here, among the maze of narrow, congested streets crammed with knick-knacks, curios, fortune tellers, tea houses, street food stalls, designer knock-offs, cosmetics, goldfish and bird sellers, you get a true taste of all this buzzing metropolis has to offer.
SHOP
Take a walking tour to savour the aromas, flavours and hustle and bustle of the market shops and famous bazaars.
Although not technically in Mong Kok, but just a 15-minute walk from the Mong Kok metro station, one of the busiest, with more than 100 stalls, is the famed Temple Street Night Market.
Here you can have your fortune told; buy souvenirs, antiques, jade, tea ware, clothing, shoes and watches; and visit a traditional Chinese medicine clinic.
At the popular Ladies Market, which contrary to its name is not for women only, you’ll find everything from clothes and household items to electronics, phones, accessories and toys.
There are also entire streets devoted to single items, including Sneaker Street, home to the brand name retailers such as Nike and Adidas, which often carry rare, limited edition styles; Electronics Street; and even Photocopy Street.
Or visit the 15-storey Langham Place Mall, the largest shopping complex in the area with 600,000 square feet and 200 shops, restaurants, cinemas and an MTR (metro) station.
The complex is attached directly to the Cordis Hong Kong by a walkway.
STAY
Cordis means “heart” in Latin and it is fitting that the hotel’s Hong Kong property is at the heart of the city. The 42-storey hotel has four restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Ming Court and inventive Alibi — Wine Dine Be Social; and a rooftop pool with spectacular views over the city and morning Tai Chi classes.
With direct access to the MTR at Langham Place, destinations in the city, including the airport, are within easy reach.
All rooms are equipped with smart phones for guests to make complimentary unlimited local and international calls to several countries, including Canada. (cordishotels.com)
SAVOUR
Hong Kong ’s street food scene is ranked among the best in the world and every type of specialty is available in Mong Kok’s market stalls.
Try Siu Mai, pork or shrimp dumplings served on a stick or in a cup, dipped in curry or sweet soy sauce. Or takoyaki (octopus) or curry fish balls. If you’re really adventurous try the eye-watering local specialty stinky tofu, which is crispy outside, soft inside, and has been likened to blue cheese.
Bite into a soft sweet bor lor bao (pineapple bun), which contains no pineapple, but is called that because its crumbly topping resembles the tropical fruit.
Top it off with an egg tart, the quintessential Hong Kong sweet treat that’s best eaten hot from the oven.
Wash it all down with Hong Kongstyle milk tea, known as pantyhose tea because of how it’s made (tea leaves are run through a sackcloth bag that looks like a silk stocking).
The popular drink, a leftover from British rule, is essentially black tea mixed with evaporated or condensed milk, served over ice.
SPA
Taking the waters takes on new meaning at the Cordis’ Chuan Spa. In Chinese, the word Chuan mean a serene course of water and the culture believes that flowing water is the source of life and balance.
Here a gently flowing waterfall and fountains impart a sense of calm from the moment you step through the Moon Gate on the 41st-floor sanctuary and descend the candle-lined spiral staircase to the spa below.
Sixty treatments, including the signature Chuan Harmony massage, are designed to restore peace and harmony by incorporating Wu Xing — the ancient Chinese wisdom based on the five elements wood, fire, earth, metal and water.
After your treatment, linger a while, sipping Chinese 5-element tea in a quiet relaxation room or taking a leisurely dip in the stunning rooftop pool with panoramic views over the city.
The writer was a guest of Cathay Pacific Airways and Cordis Hong Kong. No one from either company read or approved this article before publication.