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They say the only way to get to know a place is to do what the locals do. When in Rome, scoot around on a Vespa and drink espresso. When in Hong Kong, shop. For most people in this city, shopping is a leisure activity, whether that means picking out a four-figure party dress, rifling through bins at an outlet, upgrading a cell phone, or choosing the freshest fish for dinner.
Shopping is so sacred that sales periods are calendar events, and most stores close on just three days a year—Christmas Day and the first two days of Chinese New Year. Imagine that: 362 days of unbridled purchasing. Opening hours are equally conducive to whiling your life away browsing the racks: all shops are open until 7 or 8 pm; many don't close their doors until midnight.
It's true that the days when everything in Hong Kong was mind-bogglingly cheap are over. It is still a tax-free port, so you can get some good deals. But it isn't just about the savings. Sharp contrasts and the sheer variety of experiences available make shopping here very different from back home.
You might find a bargain or two elbowing your way through a chaotic open-air market filled with haggling vendors selling designer knockoffs, the air reeking of the chou tofu ("stinky" tofu) bubbling at a nearby food stand. But then you could find a designer number going for half the usual price in a hushed marble-floor mall, the air scented by the designer fragrances of your fellow shoppers. What's more, in Hong Kong the two extremes are often within spitting distance of each other.
Needless to say, thanks to travelers like you running out of space in their suitcases, Hong Kong does a roaring trade in luggage. No need to feel guilty, though—shopping here is practically cultural research. All you're doing is seeing what local life is really like.
If you’re searching for local handicrafts and worldly finds, then make a beeline for Callixto. Originally launched by Sasha Dennig as an online boutique in 2011, the store recently opened up a bright pink brick-and-mortar shop with a serious case of wanderlust. Look for jewelry from Greece, bags from India, carpets from Uzbekistan, and knickknacks from around the world.
Elegant lacquerware makes a wonderful gift. The pieces sold here—tabletop items and picture frames among them—are reasonably priced and come in classic red and black as well as silver and gold. In addition to the Stanley Market store, there's a second one in Ap Lei Chau's Horizon Plaza.
Born in 1915, Mr. Leung Yau Kam is Hong Kong's oldest lantern maker, and he has refused to move his workshop across the border like all the others. These intricate, handmade works in paper take fantastical forms such as bright-orange goldfish. Their role has changed over his long career from functional to purely decorative, but lanterns are still important in Chinese society. This is especially true during the Mid-Autumn Festival, when children carry their special lanterns outdoors to view the full moon. If you can speak Cantonese—or have mastered charades—ask for one that can pack flat.
This Taiwanese brand has taken modern Chinese glass art global. Glassworks here are made using the laborious lost-wax casting technique, employed by artists for centuries to create a bronze replica of an original wax or clay sculpture. The collection—which includes tableware, paperweights, glass Buddhas, and jewelry—can be purchased in Lane Crawford department stores.
