The main distinction of Yau Ma Tei, along with the Jade Market and the Temple Street Night Market, is the Airport Express Line's Kowloon Station built exclusively on reclaimed land and serving all the major hotels of Tsim Sha Tsui. Looking at Ferry Street on the map, a large chunk of the harbour to the immediate west of this has been reclaimed in the massive West Kowloon Reclamation project to provide for both the road and rail links streaming toward TST and Central from the airport. As such, the entire Yau Ma Tei typhoon shelter was pushed further out into the harbour. Back on the the original terra firma, this area is a crowded residential area with more of a local than a tourist focus. Two exceptions to this are the two street markets described below.
Jade Market
Located on the junction of Kansu and Battery streets, this casual, open-air market boasts more than 400 stall owners. To Chinese, jade has great spiritual value. When carved into certain shapes, it can represent wealth (deer), good fortune (tiger) or power (dragon). Don't buy expensive jade unless you know what you are doing. Starting at 10 a.m. it runs till about 3:30 p.m. daily. The best time to go is in the morning.
Temple Street Night Market
The Temple Street Night Market comes alive after 6:00 p.m. and offers a wide range of inexpensive items mostly for men, from jeans and t-shirts to lighters and shoes. There are also dozens of fortune tellers, Chinese opera performers, and scores of food sellers offering traditional Chinese cooked snacks.
Airport Expressway and Rail Link
The West Kowloon Expressway and the Airport Express Line zoom along the reclaimed land on the western part of the area with the AEL's Kowloon stop just below Jordan Road before the rail line dips under the harbor on its way to Hong Kong Island.
Jordan Road and Yau Ma Tei MTR Stations
Either one is handy for the Jade Market, with Jordan Road just a bit further away.
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