Kowloon by night

One cannot remain indifferent to the city lights at night. It is an explosion of colors. During my visits to Hong Kong in 1991 and 1995, the signs were neon, giving a very different dimension compared to today’s LED signs. LEDs give a different ambiance, still impressive, less soft and metallic, but so colorful.

Another Face of Hong Kong

When night falls on Kowloon, a new city awakens: louder, more colorful, more chaotic. This mainland part of Hong Kong becomes, once day ends, an open-air theater, where artificial light sculpts every corner.

Kowloon at night is a blend of steam, smells, neon, and crowds, unforgettable for any curious traveler.

Neon Signs: A Light Heritage

The traditional neon signs, hanging above the streets, are one of Kowloon’s strongest visual symbols. Though declining since the 2010s, they can still be admired in:

• Nathan Road, the main artery crossing Tsim Sha Tsui and Mong Kok.
• Temple Street and its surroundings.
• Yau Ma Tei, with its old pharmacies and shops.

Their Chinese typography, warm light, and anarchic layering tell the story of a popular, lively, and independent Hong Kong.

Night Markets

Kowloon hosts some of Asia’s most iconic night markets:

• Temple Street Night Market (Jordan/Yau Ma Tei): trinkets, gadgets, food, fortune tellers.
• Ladies’ Market (Tung Choi Street, Mong Kok): clothes, accessories, souvenirs.
• Fa Yuen Street: sneakers and Asian streetwear fashion.
• Food stalls everywhere, with exotic fruits, noodles, stinky tofu, grilled crabs, bubble tea…

This is where Hong Kong street food expresses itself fully, in diversity, speed, and conviviality.

Sound and Visual Atmosphere

Kowloon at night is a multisensory experience:

• Light: flashing neon, reflections in puddles or car bodies.
• Sound: horns, vendors’ shouts, music from shops.
• Smell: skewers, exhaust, incense, rain on concrete.
• Movement: dense crowds, vehicles, queues, escalators open late.

Contrasts between intimate dark alleys and overwhelming light of major streets are striking.

For Photography Enthusiasts

Kowloon is a night photography paradise:

• Long exposures at busy intersections.
• Candid portraits in markets.
• Cyberpunk atmospheres in neon-lit alleys.
• Reflections in shop windows or rain puddles.

Popular spots include:

• The intersection Sai Yeung Choi Street / Dundas Street.
• The luminous façades of Tsim Sha Tsui.
• Rooftops accessible around Mong Kok.

Safety and Accessibility

Despite its dense and noisy aspect, Kowloon is safe for pedestrians at all hours. Public transport (MTR, buses) runs late, and many shops stay open until midnight or later.

It is advised to:

• Stay vigilant in very isolated alleys.
• Blend into the crowd to photograph discreetly.
• Carry an umbrella or rain protection for sudden showers.

Conclusion

Kowloon by night is the popular soul of Hong Kong. Far from Central’s glass towers, it is a rougher, more organic, more human city. A city reinventing itself every evening under neon light, in the steam of a bowl of noodles, in the bustle of markets. An unforgettable immersion where reality sometimes flirts with fiction.