A couple blocks from where we live is the Wan Chai Market, an indoor area filled with stalls selling vegetables, fruit, fish, meat, etc. This type of market is known as a wet market, because it sells fruits, veggies, meat, etc. opposed to textiles, electronics, etc. The surrounding streets are also filled with stalls selling all sorts of wares. See below for a photo tour of the Wan Chai Market.
Starting the market experience on Tai Yeun Street.3 speed battery operated fans (level 3 is always necessary). Everyone carries them around when they walk outside and hold them up to their face / neck for relief from the heat.Most stalls and shops specialize in one thing. This one is for kid’s toys / inflatables.The streets are covered with tarps and umbrellas. Being tucked in between so many tall buildings it’s shady and you can barely see the sky.Typical little restaurant on the corner.The suspended red lights are very “market-iconic”; you see them in most of the shops, but not really anywhere else in Hong Kong.This is the stinkiest corner. The butcher shop smells so metallic and bloody, and the fish shop across the street smells so fishy, especially in this heat. I gag when I walk by.These ladies eat their little packed lunch while tending their stall of dried goods. I like their metal containersOh boy, this butcher shop is something else. I don’t understand how the meat can sit out in the open air like this when it’s so hot.All the dried fish products you could ever need.I love the fruit stands. Everything looks so colourful and bright.These guys are obviously hot – no shirts under their aprons at this stall. You can see the typical chopping block under his knife – they are worn down to a concave shape.One of the many market alleyways.Basically the Hong Kong version of a dollar store. Anything and everything is sold here – lots of plastic junk.There are a couple restaurants along the street too. This one sells roast duck, chicken etc.This lady was purchasing half a duck to take home (I think).Not the type of Supermarket I’m used to!I also like the veggie shops. Everything looks really fresh.Another fruit stand, basically an alleyway covered in tarps.Seafood shop with lots of live offerings.Difficult to see in this photo, but the bins under the rack were filled with live eels.Egg stall (again, not sure how these can sit out in the heat all day?) or what those dark things are in the photo foreground. Typical shop keeper, playing a game on his cell phone.Stalls, signs and very little sky.Traditional Chinese stuff (?) stall. Lots of little trinkets here!Cardboard recycling station.I made my exit from the market down Spring Garden Lane.
On my way out of the market I found an orchid plant I was interested in, bought it for 100HKD and took it back home. Successful market trip and very local experience.
Thanks Lorrie! Everything gets closed at night. They pull down covers over the shops (you can see one is closed behind the ladies eating their lunch) and the carts all fold up and lock so the contents are secure.
I love markets! Eggs sitting out is actually nothing unusual – except the US and Canada. Why? Salmonella prevention. Unlike other countries which vaccinate their chickens against salmonella (or maybe even not, if you are in a developing country), the US and Canada wash their eggs and then mist them with chlorine. This kills the bacteria that may be lingering on the eggshell, but it also removes the thin protective coating that would otherwise prevent bacteria from entering the egg. Since bacteria thrive at higher temperatures, eggs must then be refrigerated after treatment. .
A Life Shift 
Beautiful photos. Everything brightly coloured. Do they take everything in every night or is just left outside?
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Thanks Lorrie! Everything gets closed at night. They pull down covers over the shops (you can see one is closed behind the ladies eating their lunch) and the carts all fold up and lock so the contents are secure.
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Amazing I feel like I just spend the afternoon in the market/mall! thanks for the great tour
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I love markets! Eggs sitting out is actually nothing unusual – except the US and Canada. Why? Salmonella prevention. Unlike other countries which vaccinate their chickens against salmonella (or maybe even not, if you are in a developing country), the US and Canada wash their eggs and then mist them with chlorine. This kills the bacteria that may be lingering on the eggshell, but it also removes the thin protective coating that would otherwise prevent bacteria from entering the egg. Since bacteria thrive at higher temperatures, eggs must then be refrigerated after treatment. .
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