This Neighbourhood Is The Most Densely Populated Place On Earth

With an average of 130,000 people packed inside each square kilometre, Hong Kong’s Mong Kok district is the most densely populated place on Earth.

There are close to eight million people living in Hong Kong, and if you’ve ever ventured to the city’s Mong Kok district, you get the feeling that a large majority of those eight million people hang out here.

To call the district busy is an understatement. In the local tongue of Cantonese, ‘Mong Kok’ literally means ‘busy corner’. Indeed, according to the Guinness World Records, it’s the most densely populated place on Earth.

Bursting with life and people, Mong Kok is the most densely populated place on Earth

The 130,000 people packed inside each square kilometre is more people than the entire population of some countries. Yet Mong Kok is just one of Hong Kong’s numerous neighbourhoods.

It’s a bustling hive of neon lights, street markets, people, noise, and is packed to the brim with life in all its varied forms. It’s one of Hong Kong’s most vibrant and energising neighbourhoods, with something to grab your attention at every turn.

It can be a joy to explore this neighbourhood. Admittedly, you feel more packed in than a tin of sardines in places, but that has just become part and parcel of life here and the overall Mong Kok experience.

After all, Mong Kok is a neighbourhood that has a lot to attract people, starting with Hong Kong’s famous Ladies’ Market. It has, according to TripAdvisor, become the city’s most visited attraction. This popular street market is a bargain hunter’s paradise, selling all manner of souvenirs, Chinese handicrafts, clothes and electronic gadgets at knockdown prices. Mong Kok is also home to the Langham Place Mall, a huge 15-storey shopping complex complete with fashion brands, fine restaurants and a cinema.

Besides shopping, the neighbourhood is also a great spot to try some authentic local street food. You’ll find street food stalls dotting Sai Yeung Choi Street, Dundas Street, Fa Yuen Street and Soy Street. They sell traditional, as well as creative Hong Kong-style snacks, including fish ball, takoyaki (octopus ball), stinky tofu, milk tea, siu mai (pork dumpling), and more, and all at very reasonable prices.

While a unique place to explore, living in Mong Kok is another story. The noise, crowds, light pollution and cramped living space don’t make it the most desirable location. Space is at a premium here. Recently, nano-sized flats, some no bigger than a parking space offering 157 square feet, sold for HK$3 million (US$385,000) each.

Mong Kok is a great area for sampling local street food

Mong Kok offers a slice of authentic Hong Kong life and is gritty and real while also vibrant and full of character. A visit here will likely redefine your definition of ‘busy’ too. After all, there’s ordinary busy, and then there’s ‘Mong Kok busy’. It’s a feast for all the senses – a crowded place with always room for one or two more.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.