Get lost in shopping heaven

By WILLOW DUTTGE

updated 6:48 p.m. ET Oct. 3, 2006

HONG KONG - A whirlwind day of shopping in Hong Kong can take travelers from some of the world's glitziest malls to shady back-alley rooms selling Louis Vuitton knockoffs, from clusters of souvenir shops hawking Mao Zedong watches to the twinkling blue waters of the South China Sea.

A good place to begin a shopping spree is at Pacific Place, a chic mall near the central business district on Hong Kong Island. Just looking at the shopping center's store directory can give a shopaholic goosebumps. There's Prada, Hermes, Chanel, D&G Dolce & Gabbana, Versace and more.

Walking down the mall's wide and airy walkways is like being inside the glossy pages of Vogue magazine. It's a wardrobe wish-list. The boutiques boast an excellent collection of couture, but not low prices.

After a couple hours of shopping quality rather than quantity, shoppers can walk to a bus terminal from the skybridge to hop on a double-decker bus to Stanley Market on the south side of Hong Kong island.

Take a seat on the bus' top level for the best views. The bus will leave the city and follow a curvy, tree-lined mountain road. Stunning views of the sapphire South China Sea will come into view throughout the excursion.

Slide show   Alluring Asia From Seoul to Shanghai and Thailand to Tibet, Asia’s diverse cultures and landscapes are a traveler’s dream! more photos

The trip to Stanley only takes 30 minutes. The beauty of shopping in Hong Kong is that all the malls and shopping districts are relatively close together.

Once at Stanley, a shopper can weave around tourists and pop into shops selling everything from beaded purses to a watch with a waving Mao Zedong and a North Face jacket. Some stores specialize in selling factory seconds with minor defects.

Once or twice a year, businessmen can be seen with their arms full of Brooks Brothers dress shirts. A shop intermittently gets a truckload of the designs and sells them for $10.

After a stint shopping at Stanley, have lunch at one of the area's many cafes and pubs, then hop a bus back to central Hong Kong to scourer a traditional street market. The Tai Yuen street market in Wan Chai is a gritty neighborhood near central made world famous by the 1960 movie "The World of Suzie Wong" - a love story about a prostitute and foreign painter. But the 'hood has a hot shopping spot.

Bras, socks, purses, jewelry and pet turtles are displayed from street stalls. Shirts piled in bins sell for as low as $1.29. Also take a peek at clothing stores near the markets, which have even more fab finds.

MORE FROM ASIA TRAVEL

Asia Travel Section Front

Tokyo crowned gourmet capital of the world Yoga brings cultural immersion, self-knowledge Cheap and offbeat Singapore Record tourism in Tibet despite bans from '08 riot See the best of Shanghai on a shoestring Opening up the ‘Hermit Kingdom’ to the world Bangkok’s surprising touch of India Forget the shuttle, take the helicopter Top 10 luxury hotels in Asia Not-to-miss Japanese experiences Asia Travel Section Front   Add Asia Travel headlines to your news reader: