The Goldfish Market is one of the most important, fascinating and unique street markets in Hong Kong. Located on Tung Choi Street, multitudes of boxes, tanks and bags of aquatic creatures turn this place into a giant colourful aquarium. Be prepared for the incredible vision of thousands of bagged aquatic animals of all sizes and shapes.

Closely related to the Feng Shui culture, Goldfish Market is like a microcosm of this society, where you will encounter the true local tradition and lifestyle.

Guide to Goldfish Market - All You Need to Know

Guide to Goldfish Market

  • Worthwhile: 3 blue stars
  • Location:   4 pink star
  • Highlights: Local goldfish culture, fishes hanging in bags, marine creatures, aquatic plants and accessories, fish tanks. Meanwhile, there are also shops carrying pets, such as cats, rabbits, puppies, guinea pigs, hamsters, etc.

 Plan to Stay: 30 – 60 minutes

What is the Goldfish Market?

Goldfish Market, as its name indicates, is a place mainly about pet fish and fish related items. Since it is a popular tourist spot and in the vicinity of shopping region, many other businesses, such as pet stores, local restaurants, cosmetic shops, street food stalls also have moved in.

If you start to picturize Goldfish Market as a typical open street market, stop here. It is actually a 300-meter long street filled with a series of shops, stores and stalls on both sides, spanning a few blocks on Tung Choi Street.

Amongst all the local street markets, it is one of the most visited, bizarre and beautiful in the city, not only because the goldfish is closely linked to Fengshui culture but also the neighbourhood area also represents a typical urban lifestyle.

Bagged goldfish hanging outside aquatic stores on Goldfish Market

Bagged goldfish hanging outside aquatic stores

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Highlights of the Goldfish Market

Goldfish Market is one of the highlights of the Kowloon markets located right in the heart of Mongkok. Around 40 – 50 shops, stores and stalls focus on all kinds of fishes.

Buyers are hunting for goldfishes on Goldfish Market

Buyers are hunting for goldfishes

Be prepared for an incredible visual feast with aquariums and tanks full of colourful fishes, corals and marine creatures. You are able to find aquatic accessories and design aquariums in different shapes and sizes as well.

Pretty goldfish and tropical fishes on Goldfish Market

Colourful fishes

There are also plenty of shops carrying animals from the reptile, jumping spiders to cute rabbits. No matter for kids or aquarists, this is a fun place to visit.

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Hong Kong’s goldfish tradition and culture

Goldfish is more than just a pet to many locals and businesses. In China, the goldfish has always been an integral part of cultural life and believed that it can bring abundance and prosperity. This is especially true when it comes to Hong Kong, an international city being obsessed with Feng Shui.

The Chinese name of goldfish (金鱼) pronounces the same with “gold”. From the view of Feng Shui, the goldfish itself always represents “rich or money”. Putting goldfish at home is like creating a feng shui harmony in the house.

Red goldfish with auspicious meaning at Goldfish Market

Red goldfish is a very popular species with auspicious meaning

However, when the younger generations tend to raise dogs and cats as pets, goldfish culture and tradition is declining. Even there was a time that lots of fish shops on Goldfish Market were closed and replaced by the fluffy pet shops.

Nevertheless, due to the lack of space at home, keeping a goldfish or fish as a pet is still popular, which simply requires less space than cats and dogs.

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What can you find at Goldfish Market?

Goldfish Market is a place not only to purchase various beautiful aquatic creatures but also to try some delicious local delicacies, as well as is a good example of local hustle and bustle life.

Colourful aqua stores and unique settings

All kind of goldfish varieties (including koi) and tropical fishes are displayed either in the glowing fish tanks or other attractive ways, turning the street into a gigantic aquarium. Even if you don’t want to purchase anything, watching the beautiful creatures swimming in the bag or large fish tanks is already enjoyable.

Streetside Aquatic Store on Goldfish Market

Streetside Aquatic Store on Goldfish Market

Tropical fish sold on Goldfish Market

Beautiful tropical fish

Photo spot: Thousands of bagged fish hanging outside the store to save space and attract customers

Taking a closer look of the street, you will notice that lots of stores have a wall of hundreds of goldfish packed in small plastic bags. The fish’s names and prices are marked on the bags convenient for potential buyers to hunt for their targets.

Goldfish in bags ready for perusing on Goldfish Market

Goldfish in bags ready for perusing

This unique setting is not just for convenience or attracting customers, but also saving a lot of space. Most of the stores with fish bags outside are very small. It is impractical for them to put all the fish in tanks and let customers walk in to choose. Thus, the staffs need to put fish in the individual bags pumped with oxygen every day and release them back to tanks when the stores are closed.

Beautiful goldfish sold on Goldfish Market Hong Kong

Beautiful goldfish waiting to be taken home

Goldfish in plastic bags on Goldfish Market

Goldfishes in bags waiting for a new home

Besides, there are boxes and buckets of fish laid on the street for customers to choose.

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Reptile and other pet stores

Although this street market focuses primarily on fish, you also can find all kinds of other pets and animals ranging from giant tortoises, lizards, geckos to pumpkin toads, crickets and spiders, from hamsters, guinea pigs to fluffy rabbits, cats and dogs. Sometimes visitors sometimes refer to it as the “Pet Market Street”.

Tortoise for sale at Goldfish Market in Hong Kong

Turtles waiting for a new home

Giant tortoise for sale at Goldfish Market

Giant tortoise

Rabbit for sale at Goldfish Market

Fluffy rabbit

box-info2 Did You Know

  • “To prevent the animals from getting frightened, some of the stores stick the “No Photo” sign on the tanks or windows. If you would like to take photos, please pay attention to it.”

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Aquatic decorations and accessories

In addition, there are all kind of fish tanks and custom aquariums in every imaginable design, shape and size as well as everything you need to build your own little biosphere at home including pumps, rocks, driftwood, corals, gravel, filters, decorations and plants.

Shop selling aquarium accessories at Goldfish Market in Hong Kong

Shop selling aquarium accessories

Variety of aquariums for sale at Goldfish Market in Hong Kong

Variety of aquariums for sale

Plenty of freshwater plants are hanging in bags, such as Water Wisteria, Java Moss, Amazon sword, African Water and Java Fern or Green Tiger Lotus and special seaweed.

Freshwater plants for the aquarium at Goldfish Market in Hong Kong

Freshwater plants

For all who love to decorate their fish tanks, there are plenty of ornaments and unique aquarium decorations available. This includes and is not limited to statues, castles, sunken ships, planes and ruins to caves and Finding Nemo and Dory inspired displays.

Aquarium decorations for sale at Goldfish Market in Hong Kong

Aquarium decorations for sale

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Popular street food and local restaurants

If you are a foodie and adventurous, Tung Choi Street is a great option for tasting all kinds of local delicacies. From the exotic stinky Tofu, deep-fried pig intestine, the most famous street food “Curry fish balls”, to local’s beloved bakery “Pineapple Bun”, you can find all of them along Goldfish Market.

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Hustle and bustle lifestyle and urban neighbourhood

If you are interested in experiencing Hong Kong’s hustle and bustle lifestyle, Goldfish Market and its neighbourhood is a good start. Here you can find not only the typical 1960s simply-painted old buildings but also the disappearing corner houses.

Residents are sharing a crowded apartment with many air-conditioners hanging outside the windows. Many shops have moved to upstairs and replaced the original residents who couldn’t afford the expensive rent. The region of Goldfish Market is a perfect microcosm of locals’ life.

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Is it worthwhile to visit this Street Market?

In case you are already planning to visit Mongkok and some of the famous Street Markets in Kowloon (e.g. Ladies Market, Flower Market or Bird Garden), the Goldfish Market is just a few steps away that you can easily incorporate it in your tour itinerary.

The experience on this market will be a little bit a mixed bag depending on your expectation. It is NOT an actual typical open street market that most of the first-time visitors imagined upon the local movies. However, it is mesmerizing to see so many colourful fishes and to experience part of local tradition.

If you have a soft heart, you may feel sorry or sad to see the fishes in small plastic bags waiting to be purchased, so as the baby cats and dogs in the glass cages. Also, the basins of live toads, silkworms, crabs and other animals are not everyone’s cup of tea.

Bagged goldfish on Goldfish Market

Bagged goldfish on Goldfish Market

Having said that, there are not many places where you are able to find something similar. Even if you don’t want to purchase any live fish or accessories, you still can enjoy the beautiful and exotic animals. This colourful or bizarre street market is especially great for kids. It is a little bit like a day at the aquarium without paying an entrance fee.

box-info2 Did You Know

  • “In case you are a lover of aquatic creatures or you travel with children, you maybe wanna check out Hong Kong Ocean Park with its variety of fish exhibits such as The Goldfish Treasure, Sea Jelly Spectacular (Jellyfish) and Shark Mystique. Remember to get a discounted ticket in advance.”

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Opening hours of Goldfish Market

The wholesale Goldfish Market keeps the tradition of starting the business early. It opens from 4:00 am until sunrise on a daily basis. Most of the retail shops and stalls open around 10:00 – 10:30 am, come alive at night for tourists, and stay open until 10:00 pm.

Most of the shops open everyday around the year, only closed for a few days during Chinese New Year.

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When is the best time to visit Goldfish Market?

The best time to visit Goldfish Market is in the late afternoon or evening. It is the time of the day when the market really comes to life.

Especially if you are keen on taking some photos or Instagram this beautiful place, most of the fish tanks and fish walls are illuminated after dark. Also, you are able to mingle with the locals and may have a chance to talk with some of the award-winning aquarist shop owners. Some of them are more than happy to share their knowledge.

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Where is the exact location and How to get to Goldfish Market?

Goldfish Market is located on Tung Choi Street between Nullah Road and Bute Street in Mongkok area right in the heart of Kowloon. It is stretching close to both Prince Edward and Mongkok MTR station and can be easily reached by all means of transportation.

Get to Goldfish Market by MTR

The most convenient way to get to Goldfish Market is to take the MTR to Prince Edward Station and take Exit B2. Walk along Sai Yeung Choi Street and turn left at Nullah Road until you reach the beginning of the market.

Alternatively, you can reach it by the MTR East Rail Line. Simply take the MTR East to Mongkok East Station. Take exit C and walk towards Sai Yee Street until reaching to another end of Goldfish Market at Bute Street. There are signs leading the way.

Get to Goldfish Market by bus or taxi

Taking a bus to Mongkok is another option to get to this attraction. Hop on one of the many KMB buses to get there.

Get a detailed schedule and fare table of Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) from the official website: www.kmb.hk/en/.

You also have the option to take a cab, which may be a good alternative if you travel with 3 – 4 persons or if you are nervous about getting lost.

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Nearby popular attractions close to Goldfish Market

In close proximity, there are many other popular and famous attractions and sightseeing highlights. Kowloon is famous for the street markets, including the Ladies Market, Bird Garden, Jade Market and as well as the Guide to Electronic Street and Sneakers Street.

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box-info2 General Info and Details

Locations: Tung Choi Street (North), Mongkok
Opening Hours: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Ticket Fare: Free admission

How to get to the Goldfish Market?

Depending on your starting location and budget, you can get to Goldfish Market by subway, taxi or bus:  See details above

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