Hong Kong has been a world shopping capital for more than 150 years, and it is still going strong. This interesting item in the Seattle Times has a great rundown of the new and noteworthy shopping spots in this vibrant Chinese city. At the center of Kowloon, the Festival Walk (pictured) boasts a myriad of designer boutiques as well as a multi-screen movie theater and an ice rink. New additions in the international business area known as the Central District include outposts of Harvey Nichols, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton, which will now rub shoulders with veterans like Prada, Fendi, and Chanel. With a history that dates back hundreds of years of more, street markets remain a popular alternative to indoor shopping areas. The Ladies Market and Stanley Market are good places to find deals on apparel, toys, electronics and silks, while the Temple Street Night Market, which opens at 4:00 p.m., offers all of the above, and features fortune tellers as well. (The future holds many great bargains.) Guests at the luxurious Le Méridien Cyberport or any of Starwood's properties in Hong Kong can shop to their heart's content in this temple of commerce.

[image via the Seattle Times]