In Cantonese, Mong Kok means a 'crowded corner'. It is indeed a fitting name to call one of Hong Kong's liveliest and most overcrowded areas. With an extraordinarily high population density, it is dubbed the world's busiest district by the Guinness World Records.

Read also: Yunnan Itinerary and Travel Guide

Top Things to do in Mong Kok, Hong Kong

Exploring Mong Kok, Kowloon

When visiting Mong Kok, you will immediately notice a beautifully chaotic maze of narrow and wide streets. Each row is lined with stalls selling colourful clothes, knick-knacks, and unique local food. There are so much to discover and shop at the Fa Yuen Street and Ladies’ Market, while lovers of flowers and plants can head to the nearby Flower Market. Alternatively, make your way to the Temple Street Night Market and have your future predicted by a fortune teller.

Exploring Mong Kok at night can be a fun experience

The iconic signboards of Mong Kok

Neon-bathed streets of Mongkok

Evening traffic at Nathan Road

People Watching

The best way to get to know a new place is to people watch, and Mong Kok offers a stirring experience when it comes to that. There are people on every street, alley, and corner, and since most of them are locals, you'd be able to get to know the people and their etiquette in no time.

Elderly men playing Chinese checkers on the side of a crowded street, because why not?

Watch the Street Performances

Street performances these days are hardly restricted to just singing and dancing. People are getting increasingly imaginative and bold, and so are the variations in their performances. Expect to see teenage boys juggling with footballs, older men preaching, smashing of wooden planks or glass bottles with unprotected body parts by citizens of any age and background, and many other unusual and eye-opening acts. It would have been enjoyable if the amount of tourists was cut down to half. Otherwise it's just an unbearable nuisance having to walk through the uncontrolled crowd.

Nevertheless, it would be a complete waste to not experience any of these when in Hong Kong. Head on to Sai Yeung Choi Street to have your mind blown.

Street performances at Mong Kok at night

Entertainers performing at the littlest space they could find

This basically took up two-thirds of entire street, causing a crazy and unnecessary obstruction

Shopping at the Ladies Market, Mong Kok

Ladies, good news! Mongkok is a haven for beauty-related products that are keenly priced and it would be wasteful to go home empty-handed. Regret walking past a shop without getting the mascara you really wanted? Fret not, because there are twenty more of the same shop 100 meters ahead of you.

The famous Ladies Market

Local Street Food in Hong Kong

Unfortunately, the street food here aren't cheap, contradicting the way they ought to be (cheap, inexpensive, low-priced, and cheap). I would suggest heading over to the nearest Cha Chan Teng (tea-house/cafe) for a nice, hot bowl of Wonton noodles or duck rice instead (and a glass of HK milk tea, of course)

Local street food in Mong Kok

Hong Kong "street food" is not exactly affordable, but delicious nevertheless

Go on a gastronomical adventure during your trip to Hong Kong

Sure, Hong Kong is a prominent and greatly-developed city. However, it is more of a destination for tourists than it is for travelers. Will you go back for a second time?