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Yau Ma Tei
Barrier-free Index★★★★☆
Full of authentic feelings in Yau Ma Tei, you can find many of Hong Kong's old days of development. Yau Ma Tei has many buildings of historical value, such as the Yau Ma Tei fruit bar, red brick house and Tin Hau Temple. Temple Street, known as the "civilian nightclub", is one of the must-see places to visit Yau Ma Tei.
(Last updated: 28/1/2022)
Kowloon Wholesale Fruit Market (Yau Ma Tei Wholesale Fruit Market)
Yau Ma Tei Fruit Market is the fruit distribution hub in Kowloon. In the past, the fruit market was primary designed for wholesale business, tut nowadays there are also retail businesses. You get to see tons of fruit stores with heaps of colorful fruits in various sizes. The rich fruit aroma makes you understand why this is the place where so many people come for to buy the best quality fruits from around the world.
Originally established in 1913, it was merely a grass shack at the beginning. Merchants started to renovate the whole area into brick and stone buildings as hoist look like now. The complex has been classified as a Grade II Historic Building in 2009. Not only do visitors from around the world come here for fruits, but also photography enthusiasts come here to capture pictures of such an icon compound with important historic and culture value.
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Suggested Length of Stay: Approx 30 minutes - 1 hour |
Tips: There is no accessible toilet in the fruit market. If you have to, you can use the public toilet at the crossing of Shanghai Street and Waterloo Road (next to Yau Ma Tei Theatre).
Short comment: The Fruit Market is always flooded with people with narrow passageway. There are always people pushing trolleys around. Extra precautions is required for wheelchair users who need to make a detour as there are no ramps in some parts of the fruit market.
Traffic
Bus:
Bus Route | Origin← →Destination | Alighting Stop |
10 | Choi Wan← →Tai Kok Tsui (Circular Route) | Shanghai Stree |
MTR:
Yau Ma Tei Station | Exit B2 (Exit B1 for wheelchair users) |
After exit, walk along Waterloo Road in the direction of Shanghai Street, and you will arrive the Fruit Market in 5 to 10 minutes. |
Address: Waterloo Road, Yau Ma Tei
Red Brick Building
There are multiple historical building in addition to the Fruit Market in Yau Ma Tei. In fact, on the way to the Fruit Market, you get to see two historical buildings that are dated before World War II: the Red Brick Building and Yau Ma Tei Theatre. The Red Brick Building was originally the engineer office of the old water pumping station on Shanghai Street built in 1895. It is the oldest existing water pumping architecture owned by Water Supplies Department. The pumping station ceased operation in 1911 and the only part of the building that was retained is the Red Brick Building. It was listed as Grade I Historic Building in 2000. The features in this building include the red walls, cast iron rainwater pipes, cast iron water funnels, arched gangway and granite components.
Short comment: The disabled facility here is not complete. Fortunately, the spacious external road is convenient for wheelchair users to visit. However, there is no ramp at the entrance, so it is not convenient for wheelchair users. It is also not suitable for visually impaired people, as there is no guide path. The Red Brick Building is also worth visiting as it is a Grade I Historic Building with strong historical characteristics.
Address: 8 Waterloo Road, Kowloon
Yau Ma Tei Theatre
Built in 1930, Yau Ma Tei Theatre is the only existing theatre in the city that dates back before World War II. The features of the building include the pillars at its front entrance, Chinese-style sloping roof, front surfaces and gables with art deco features, the steel trusses and wooden purlins that support the roofs, as well as the arched gates and sidewalls of the stage. Listed as Grade II Historic Building, the theatre is revitalized together with the nearby Red Brick Building. They were converted into a performing arts venue and logics centre for promoting Chinese opera. The theatre was reopened in mid-July, 2012 and has 4 seats for wheelchair users. Therefore, wheelchair users can also enjoy traditional Chinese operas.
Short comment: The main entrance to the theatre is equipped with automatic doors and wheelchair accessible ramps, as well as guide paths for the visually impaired. There are well-equipped accessible toilets in the theatre. There is a low height counter in the ticket office, with 4 wheelchair accessible seats inside. If necessary, you can contact the Access Officer at 3417 5661.
Website: www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ymtt/index.html
Address: 6 Waterloo Road, Kowloon
Broadway Cinematheque
After visiting Yau Ma Tei Wholesale Fruit Market, walk along Reclamation Street in the direction of Public Square Street before turning to Tung Kun Street and you will arrive at the Broadway Cinematheque. Opened in 1996, Broadway Cinematheque is a special movie landscape, as most of the movies screened are not the mainstream movies. It regularly holds special screenings, movie festivals and film festivals. It becomes the common ground for movie fans. Except movie theatres, there are boutique stores at Broadway Cinematheque that sells books, coffee and DVDs. It is definitely a place for a lazy weekend for movie fans.
Short comment: The spacious Cinematheque is equipped with wheelchair accessible seats (4 seats in each theatre). The snack bar has a low height counter for wheelchair users. The lifts are accessible to all floors of the Cinematheque; there are well-equipped accessible toilets in the 1st and the 2nd floor.
Tel: 2388 0002
Website: bc.cinema.com.hk
Address: Prosperous Garden, 3 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei
Temple Street
Temple Street Memorial Archway (Behind is the Yau Ma Tei Carpark Building under demolition.) |
Temple Street, which is near Tin Hau Temple, is known for night market where visitors can find affordable products. There are hundreds of stores open for business, mostly selling products for men such as men's clothing, jeans, fountain pens, watches, electronics, toys, etc., thus earning its nickname "Men Street". There are quite a lot of stands where vendors read your face and tell your fortunes. Sometimes there are even traditional Cantonese drama, Cantonese pop music events, and western pop music events, which gives Temple Street another nickname -- "Disco for the Common People". Besides, Temple Street was the location for multiple famous Hong Kong movies, including God of Cookery, C'est la vie, mon chéri, Mean Street Story, etc.
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Suggested Length of Stay: Approx 30 minutes - 2 hours |
Tips: Here is no accessible toilet on Temple Street. Wheelchair users are advised to use the accessible toilets at the public toilet on Market Street by Tin Hau Temple or at Henry G. Leong Yaumatei Community Centre.
Short comment: The stalls are not open in the daytime, so there are fewer people, and the roads are relatively wide, making the tour easier. What should be noted is the gradually increasing crowds when the stalls open in the evening. Additionally, barrier-free facilities are inadequately provided here.
Traffic
MTR:
Yau Ma Tei Station | Exit C (Exit B1 for wheelchair users)* |
*For wheelchair users, exit the station and move along Waterloo Road in the direction of Jordan before turning into Man Ming Lane and you will arrive at Temple Street in 5 minutes. |
Address: Temple Street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon
Tin Hau Temple
This is the largest Tin Hau Temple in Kowloon. Yau Ma Tei used to be a coastal area in the past. Despite land reclamation meant that its residents no longer lived on fishing, residents continues to worship the Guardian of the Sea, Tin Hau. The Tin Hau Temple has a history over one hundred years with some stone lions and bronze bells of the Qing Dynasty treasured inside, and has been listed as Grade I Historic Building which carries important historical value. As there are stairs inside and outside the temple, wheelchair users can only pay their visit in front of the temple.
Address: Temple Street / Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon
Parking Spaces Designated for the Disabled
Kowloon Wholesale Fruit Market (Yau Ma Tei Wholesale Fruit Market) |
Portland Street near Waterloo Road, Mong Kok x1 Pitt Street between Shanghai Street and Portland Street, Yau Ma Tei x1 |
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Hamilton Street between Shanghai Street and Reclamation Street, Mong Kok x2 | |||
Hamilton Street between Reclamation Street and Canton Road, Mong Kok x1 | |||
Red Brick Building | Portland Street near Waterloo Road, Mong Kok x1 | ||
Pitt Street between Shanghai Street and Portland Street, Yau Ma Tei x1 | |||
Yau Ma Tei Theatre | Portland Street near Waterloo Road, Mong Kok x1 | ||
Pitt Street between Shanghai Street and Portland Street, Yau Ma Tei x1 | |||
Broadway Cinematheque | Battery Street near Kansu Street, Yau Ma Tei x2 | ||
Public Square Street near Ching Ping Street, Yau Ma Tei x1 | |||
Temple Street | Battery Street near Kansu Street, Yau Ma Tei x2 | ||
Woosung Street near Pak Hoi Street, Yau Ma Tei x1 | |||
Woosung Street near Ning Po Street, Yau Ma Tei x1 | |||
Battery Street near Nanking Street, Yau Ma Tei x1 | |||
Tin Hau Temple | Battery Street near Kansu Street, Yau Ma Tei x2 | ||
Woosung Street near Pak Hoi Street, Yau Ma Tei x1 | |||
Public Square Street near Ching Ping Street, Yau Ma Tei x1 | |||
Cliff Road, Yau Ma Tei x1 |