Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cameras.
Hong Kong is the place to buy some of the world's most advanced photographic
equipment, and there are some real bargains around. However, be sure you compare prices
and models before buying. Two reliable places to start looking in Central are Photo Scientif-
ic, 6 Stanley Street, and Hing Lee Camera Company, 25 Lyndhurst Terrace.
Carpets and rugs.
Hong Kong is a mecca for handmade rugs from all over Asia. Caravan
at 65 Hollywood Road, Horizon Plaza and The Silk Road at Ocean Centre, Harbour City in
Tsim Sha Tsui are good places to start looking.
China (porcelain).
Away from the antique stores of Hollywood Road and Horizon Plaza,
China Arts & Crafts stores and the Wah Tung China Company at 7/F 57-9 Hollywood Road
are good places to look for new items.
Electronics.
The latest gadgets are sometimes available in Hong Kong before anywhere
else. It's a great place to check out computers, cameras, video equipment, mobile phones,
audio equipment and related accessories. Check prices online or at home before you browse
and make sure you know what kind of guarantee you will get. Nathan Road has many elec-
tronics shops, but this is not where local people shop. Enter these shops if you know exactly
what you want and what is the latest model. Fortress and Broadway are two reliable elec-
tronics chain stores that are safe to buy from, although a little bit more expensive than the
smaller retailers. Also check out Star Computer City in Star House near the Star Ferry ter-
minal in Kowloon. And no lover of technology should miss a visit to Wan Chai's computer
malls at 138 and 298 Hennessy Road.
Furniture.
The choice ranges from traditional hand-carved Chinese rosewood furniture to
well-made reproductions of modern Western styles. Hollywood Road has more antique
items, Horizon Plaza has furniture from all over Asia as well as modern designs, and
Queen's Road East in Wan Chai has long been the place to go for furniture and soft furnish-
ings.
Jade.
'Good for the health' is just one of the many qualities attributed to this beautiful
stone, which ranges in colour from emerald green to white. Real jade is extremely expensive
and some counterfeit jade looks exactly like the genuine article. Some people say you can
test the authenticity by touch - real jade feels smooth and cool. Alternatively, you can shine
a lamp on the stone - real jade shows no reflected light. Chinese Arts & Crafts stores give
an indication of market prices, and the Jade Market in Yau Ma Tei is great fun.
Jewellery.
Gold is top of the shopping list for many visitors from Asia and the packed stores
are hard to miss. Other popular purchases include freshwater pearls and diamonds. At Rio
Pearl, 3/F 39 Mody Road, you can buy gemstones loose or set, or have them made up to
your own design. Gallery One, 31-3 Hollywood Road has an extensive range of semi-pre-
cious stones, beads, fixtures and fittings and will make jewellery to your design. Again, look
out for the Q symbol that indicates the jewellery store has been accredited by the HKTB.
