16 Best Places to Shop in Hong Kong, China

This may just be the most dramatic and luxurious shopping mall ever built in Hong Kong. Composed of curved, sculptural shapes, the building is an architectural stunner even from the outside; inside, bronze-color waves, walls swathed in greenery, and contemporary art installations elevate the experience even further. The washrooms are equally theatrical, with gorgeous powder spaces. Shopping gears towards the pricier side, with well-known luxury brands populating the floors. Check out MoMA Design Store—affiliated with New York's Museum of Modern Art—for curated artistic gifts, houseware, and lifestyle goods.

Visit this long-established mainland company to blitz through that tiresome list of presents in one fell swoop. It stocks a huge variety of well-priced clothing, porcelain, and giftware. In direct contrast to the thrill of digging through dusty piles at the open-air Jade Market, Chinese Arts & Crafts provides a clean, air-conditioned environment in which to shop for classic jade jewelry—and the prices aren't too outrageous. Other affordable, easily packable items include appliqué tablecloths and cushion covers or silk dressing gowns. There are four branches in Hong Kong, including this spacious shop in Pacific Place.

Wherever you're from and whatever you're looking for—whether it's fresh oysters from France or quirky products like bottled water for pets—this gourmet supermarket and variety-store chain is the place to begin your search. In addition to edibles, it carries gadgets, inexpensive jewelry, accessories, and cosmetics. The Times Square location often has international-theme food festivals. Be sure to check out the Japanese imported sweets like Royce's unusual chocolate-covered potato chips.

Located in residential Kowloon Tong, about 20 minutes from Central on the MTR, Festival Walk stretches across six floors, with Marks & Spencer, an Apple store, MUJI, and H&M serving as anchors. Vivienne Tam and PS by Paul Smith draw the elite crowds; ba&sh and Club Monaco keep the trend spotters happy. If you want a respite from the sometimes scorching-hot weather, Festival Walk also has one of the city's largest ice rinks, a multiplex cinema, and numerous restaurants and cafés.

Part of billionaire Li Ka-shing's empire, this extensive chain of shops sells electronics with warranties—a safety precaution that draws the crowds. It also has good deals on printers and accessories, although selection varies by shop. You can spot a Fortress by looking for the big castle logo. For the full list of outlets, visit the website.

The name of this pioneering lifestyle brand stands for “Goods of Desire,” which translates to imaginative yet functional homewares, fashion, and more, much of it vintage-style and emblazoned with playful Hong Kong iconography. Perfect for trendy, Hong Kong–themed gifts for the folks back home.

The four interconnected complexes that make up Harbour City contain almost 500 shops between them—if you can't find it here, it probably doesn't exist. Pick up a map on your way in, as it's easy to get lost. Ocean Terminal, the largest section, runs along the harbor and is divided thematically, with kids' wear and toys on the ground floor, and sports and cosmetics on the first. The top floor is home to white-hot department store LCX. Near the Star Ferry pier, the Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel Arcade has branches of the department store Lane Crawford. Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Burberry are some of the posher boutiques that fill the Ocean Centre and Gateway Arcade, parallel to Canton Road. Most of the complex's restaurants are here, too—including the popular American import, The Cheesecake Factory. A cinema and three hotels round out Harbour City's offerings.

Free Wi-Fi is available.

Beloved by connoisseurs, LockCha Tea House is a peaceful little enclave in the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware. LockCha has a reputation for brewing high-quality fair-trade teas sourced directly from farmers; happily, it also has a charming retail shop in Sheung Wan, where you can purchase these plus beautiful teapots.

Warehouse prices in chic shopping arcades? It's true. This old Hong Kong favorite is elegantly housed on both sides of the harbor. In addition to quality men's and women's cashmere sweaters in classic designs and in every color under the sun, they also sell reasonably priced pashminas, gloves, and socks, which make great gifts for men and women. In recent years the brand has developed the more fashion-focused line, BYPAC.

Unlike many famous Hong Kong tailors, you won't find the legendary Sam's in a chic hotel or sleek mall. But don't be fooled. These digs in humble Burlington Arcade, a tailoring hub, have hosted everyone from U.S. presidents (back as far as Richard Nixon) to performers such as the Black Eyed Peas, Kylie Minogue, and Blondie. This former uniform tailor to the British troops once even made a suit for Prince Charles in a record hour and 52 minutes. The men's and women's tailor does accept 24-hour suit or shirt orders, but will take about two days if you're not in a hurry. Founded by Naraindas Melwani in 1957, "Sam" is now his son, Manu Melwani, who runs the show with the help of his own son, Roshan, and about 57 tailors behind the scenes. In 2004 Sam's introduced a computerized bodysuit that takes measurements without a tape measure (it uses both methods, however). These tailors also make biannual trips to Europe and North America: schedule updates are listed on the website.

Across from the sprawling Oolaa restaurant, two of Hong Kong's best vintage hangouts are in one convenient store. Select 18 has everything from typewriters to 1970s Hermès blouses. If you can tear yourself from the heaps of jewelry and handbags, a treasure trove awaits. Tucked in back, you'll find literally thousands of retro-styled specs from Mido Eyeglasses, priced from a couple of hundred to several thousand Hong Kong dollars. The big question: tortoise-shell cat eyes or classic wayfarers?

You might stumble upon this local gem while wandering around Sheung Wan's evolving Po Hing Fong neighborhood. Founded and designed by Stockholm native Alexis Holm and watch collector William Cheung, the low-key boutique features slick Scandinavian watches, eyewear, and accessories.

Set back from the waterfront at Stanley Village, this covered market has the look and vibe of a middle-eastern bazaar. You can pick up some good buys in sportswear, casual clothing, textiles, and paintings if you comb through the stalls, which line a main street so narrow that awnings from each side meet in the middle. One of the best things about Stanley Market is getting here: the winding bus ride from Central takes you over the top of Hong Kong Island, with fabulous views along on the way.

Each evening, as darkness falls, the lamps strung between the stalls of this Yau Ma Tei street market slowly light up, and the air fills with aromas wafting from myriad food carts. Hawkers try to catch your eye by flinging up clothes; Cantonese opera competes with swelling pop music and the sounds of spirited haggling; fortune-tellers and street performers add another element to the sensory overload. Granted, neither the garments nor the cheap gadgets sold here are much to get excited about, but it's the atmosphere people come for—any purchases are a bonus. The market stretches for almost a mile and is one of Hong Kong's liveliest nighttime shopping experiences.

This gleaming mall packs most of Hong Kong's best-known stores into 16 frenzied floors, organized thematically. Lane Crawford and Marks & Spencer both have branches here, as does favored local gourmet grocer City'super. Many beauty brands are located in the basement, giving way to names like Bottega Veneta and Cartier on the second floor, and midrange options like Zara higher up. The electronics, sports, and outdoors selection is particularly good. An indoor atrium hosts everything from rock bands to fashion shows to local movie stars.

Among the dozen or so eateries, classic Lei Garden is a good pick, thanks to its excellent dim sum menu and Zen interior.

This popular purveyor of Chinese goods has 12 stores across Hong Kong, and the flagship one features seven floors laden with everything from clothing and housewares to traditional medicine. The logic behind its layout is hard to fathom, so go with time to rifle around. As well as the predictable tablecloths, silk pajamas, and chopsticks, there are cheap and colorful porcelain sets and offbeat local favorites like mini-massage chairs. The fifth floor has a selection of tea—you can pick up a HK$50 packet of leaves or an antique Yixing teapot stretching into the thousands.