Temple Street in Hong Kong

Temple Street in Hong Kong

Temple Street Facts

This rowdy thoroughfare in central Kowloon starts at Temple Street's junction with Jordan Road, terminates five blocks north on Kansu Street and looks like every B-movie director's dream of Chinatown. Under the glare of bare light bulbs, hawkers flog everything from bizarre patent medicines to counterfeit watches.

Chinese Name: 庙街

Type: Snack street; Night market

Address: located in the areas of Jordan and Yau Ma Tei in Kowloon, Hong Kong

Best Seasons: All year round

Recommended Visiting Hours: about 2-3 hours

Opening Hours: All day

Ticket: Free

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Why is Temple Street so Special?

When the sun goes down, the traders have already laid out their wares and the opera singers and fortune tellers begin to emerge. Welcome to the Temple Street Night Market, a popular street bazaar, named after a Tin Hau temple located in the centre of its main drag, and a place so steeped in local atmosphere that it has served as the backdrop to many a memorable movie.

Where is Temple Street?

Temple Street (Chinese: 廟街) is a street located in the areas of Jordan and Yau Ma Tei in Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is known for its night market and as one of the busiest flea markets at night in the territory. The night market lies in the Yau Ma Tei, Jordan part of the street. Popular with tourists and locals alike in the evening, it is also common to see the place crowded at dusk. It sells cheap merchandise and food items. The place is sometimes known as “Men’s Street”.

History of Temple Street

The place was built during the Qing Dynasty and was named after a Tin Hau temple which was built on the site.

In popular culture

The unique characteristics of Temple Street make it a desirable location for filming. It is often used as a setting to portray all walks of life in Hong Kong. Also, many gangster films depict the place as a street of crime. The place is featured in films such as Queen of Temple Street (1990) and The Prince of Temple Street (1992).

Temple Street also plays a prominent role in the Stephen Chow film The God of Cookery, the Fiona Sit series C’est La Vie, Mon Chéri, and the TVB series Street Fighters (廟街·媽·兄弟) which starred Hacken Lee and Edmond Leung.

Night Market of The Temple Street

For street food, head to Woo Sung Street running parallel to the east of Temple St, or to the stretch of Temple St north of the temple. Pull up a chair at an open-air kitchen for wok-fried seafood, noodles, roast meat and plenty of ice-cold beer.

The market is at its bustling best from 7pm to 10pm; after that, if you want more, head to the hyper-local wholesale fruit market, a hive of nocturnal activity.

To reach the market, take exit C2 from the Jordan MTR station and walk along Bowring St, or exit C from the Yau Ma Tei MTR station and follow Man Ming Lane.

Recommended Hong Kong Tour

How to Get to Temple Street

Travel with ChinaDragonTours (top recommended)

If you want to get out of the traffic and hassle of navigation, you can book a private tour package that includes visiting, dining and transfer from us. Our local guide and driver will escort you to Temple Street in Hong Kong in the fastest and most convenient way and take care of all the details. You just have to focus on the visiting.

Independent Traveler

  • MTR Yau Ma Tei Station, Exit C, turn onto Temple Street at Man Ming Lane; or,
  • MTR Jordan Station, Exit A. Turn right onto Jordan Road and then take another right onto Temple Street.

Useful Travel Tips 

  1. Trinkets, tea ware, electronics, watches, menswear, jade and antiques are scrutinised and haggled over, while claypot rice, seafood, noodles and other treats are consumed with gusto.

  2. Temple Street Night Market is an enduring example of the theatre and festivity of a Chinese market. And it’s on show nightly.

  3. Where to Stay in Hong Kong
    JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong: Our Hong Kong go to hotel is the JW Marriott and the Harbour views are a bonus. Adjacent to the fab Pacific Place shopping mall with access to Admiralty MTR station making sightseeing and transport seamless – Click here for latest prices
    The Upper House: Another great luxury Hong Kong hotel is the Upper House with it’s amazing views, luxurious rooms and great location – Click here for latest prices
    Hotel Stage: a Kowloon fave and a fab boutique option with reasonably priced rooms – Click here for latest prices
    Ovolo: a short walk from the Hong Kong mid level escalators it’s compact and efficient and perfect for exploring the city – Click here for latest prices
  4. Taxi is one of the most popular ways to and from the Hong Kong International Airport. It is fast, comfortable and offers point-to-point travel. The taxi rank is located outside the Arrival Hall on the left side. Follow the direction signs. The estimated fare is HK$220-230 plus HK$5 for each piece of luggage stored inside the baggage compartment, and each piece of luggage with total dimensions (length + width + height) exceeding 140cm stored inside the cabin. The journey time is about 30-40 minutes. The fare and time depend on traffic conditions. Hong Kong taxi drivers know all the major hotels, but it is a good idea to note the address of your hotel or destination point on a piece of paper.
  5. Also, visitors to Hong Kong may take the Airport Express train. The journey to Kowloon station costs HK$90 and takes 21 minutes. The trains run every 10 minutes from 5:50am to 1:15am daily. There are discounts up to 40% for those who travel in a group or family. HK$140 for a group of 2, HK$190 for a group of 3 and HK$220 for a group of 4. Then take a taxi or Free Airport Express Shuttle Bus to your hotel or destination point.

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Edited by Bella Ren/任新月