Yau Ma Tai Jade Hawkers Bazaar

Hong Kong

If It’s Made of Jade, It’s At the Jade Market!

We visited Hong Kong during the protests which led us to be a bit more cautious in our choices of activities. In an effort to stay closer to areas we were familiar and comfortable with we chose the Jade Market to see what markets in Hong Kong were all about. Also known as the Yau Ma Tai Jade Hawkers Bazaar, the Jade Market is located on Canton Rd in the Jordan area of Hong Kong.

Outside the Jade Hawkers Bazaar.

The Market Appeared to be Separated by a Road but Each Side Seemed the Same.

There are two zones of Jade Markets across the street from one another and we chose to go into Zone B. The Jade markets open at 10am and we arrived shortly after 10am. Being what seemed to be the first customers of the day led to a lot of discounts and “specials prices” for us. As we walked around we noticed most stalls selling the same things and the pricing being all over the place. Don’t be afraid to haggle and offer your best price. When you walk away, the prices magically become even lower.

Come early to receive special pricing!

Inside the Jade Market.

A Typical Stall.

Come Early and Get the Whole Place to Yourself!

It’s quite hard to tell who is actually selling real Jade and who is just selling you glass. One women did a demonstration that involved scratching the beads with scissors to show real jade doesn’t scratch and she also held a lighter the the bead to show even under fire the temperature remains cool. We later researched to find these are accurate ways to test if jade is authentic or not.

Jess Buying Some Real Jade Earrings.

Beautiful Colors.

We both ended up with some bracelets but based off pricing for sure some are fake. At one point, a women with a Jade Roller took the price for 680 HKD ($86 USD) all the way down to $6 USD which makes you question the true value. Overall though the experience is quite fun! It truly seemed entertaining for both parties!

Bracelets!

More Jade Bracelets.

Stacks and Stacks of Jade Beads.

We were happy to get a small market experience while in Hong Kong even if it wasn’t one of the most diverse markets in the city. It’s always a great time to see what crafts and products the locals are proud of and selling to share the culture.

Jess Happy With Her Purchases!

Pretty Bracelets!

Smaller Pretty Bracelets!

How to get there and back: since we were staying in the Kowloon area during the time of the Hong Kong protests, we just walked a few blocks up and over.

Know before you go:

- - - Bring Cash
    - Don’t be afraid to take any price they give and immediately cut it in half.
    - Don’t be afraid to walk away, prices get lower as you walk away.
    - Stall owners will touch and pull you over to their stall but if you’re not interested you can just politely decline and continue on.