Mong Kok, up close

Mong Kok is often cited as one of the most densely populated urban areas anywhere, and it feels like it — a compact grid of streets each given over almost entirely to a single kind of shopping.

The specialist streets

The Ladies' Market runs the length of Tung Choi Street for clothing and accessories; a few blocks north the same street becomes the Goldfish Market, lined with bagged fish for sale; nearby, the Flower Market fills a single street with wholesale florists.

Sneaker and sportswear culture

Fa Yuen Street and the surrounding blocks have become a genuine hub for sneaker culture and sportswear, popular well beyond Hong Kong.

Getting a feel for it

Mong Kok rewards an evening visit more than a daytime one — the density and neon signage are most striking after dark, when the markets are busiest.