Stanley - Hong Kong

We had been to Stanley on our previous visit to Hong Kong but just a half day visit mainly to shop at the famous Stanley Market, but this trip we decided to go out there for the day as besides the market there are plenty of other places to see.

Stanley was the location where British and Canadian Troops made their last stand before surrendering to Japanese Troops during the Battle of Hong Kong in December 1941. Stanley Fort the former British Barracks is now used by the Peoples Liberation Army.

Located on a peninsula the south side of Hong Kong Island, once the largest settlement on the island Stanley is now an attractive seaside town popular with both ex-pats and wealthy locals. Recent waterfront redevelopment has given it something of a Mediterranean feel and its famous market, charming waterfront, excellent beaches, bars, restaurants and other attractions make it a popular tourist destination. 

STANLEY WATERFRONT 
On arrival we had a stroll along the waterfront which was redeveloped in 2008 making it an attractive promenade area along the bay. After a coffee we headed off to take a walk in a new area recently developed, Stanley Ma Hang Park. The large white building in the first photo is Murray House which is mentioned in this post.

STANLEY MA HANG PARK
This attractive park has been established here since we were last in Hong Kong. A 50,000 square metre cliff side open space located just beyond Murray House, it was opened in January 2011. It blends well with the natural landscape and it is a lovely place to take a stroll and enjoy the beautiful views out over Stanley bay. Also located within the park is Pak Tai Temple, a tiny building perched on the edge of the cliffs. Admission to the park is free and it is open daily from 7am to 8pm. 

PAK TAI TEMPLE

 
MURRAY HOUSE 
Is where we had an excellent lunch in one of the restaurants, we ate on the open verandah surrounding the building, on the second floor that you see in the photo. Built in 1844 it was originally located in Central on the site of the now Bank of China Building. It was a British Army Barracks, named after Sir George Murray, British Head of Ordnance. In 1982 Murray House was dismantled, catalogued and put into storage until in 1999 it was restored to its former glory when it was rebuilt on Stanley waterfront. The six columns you see in the second of my photos below were oddly left over when the building was finished despite every piece having been numbered.

BLAKE PIER 
Adjacent to Murray House is Blake Pier another relocated structure, but this one only partially. The original pier was located in Central but the canopy which had been temporarily located to the New Territories was returned when the Pier was re-erected in 2007.

STANLEY MARKET 
We left a visit to the market until last as we did not want to carry any purchases around all day. The market is located on Stanley Village Road and in the surrounding lanes and is open from 10am to 6.30pm daily. The market can get rather busy at times as it is a popular tourist attraction also well used by the locals. There is a very wide variety of products available at reasonable prices, but no bargaining is accepted unlike in some of Hong Kong's other markets.

I was unable to locate a detailed map of Stanley to use but these two maps should give you an idea of the district location within Hong Kong.

Getting there:_

Stanley is served by Repulse Bay Road and Tai Tam Road. It is extremely easy to reach with several buses that go back and forth from all over Hong Kong. In addition to the many buses Stanley is also served by a taxi stand, which is often full of taxis awaiting customers.

New World First Bus

To/From Stanley Market: 65 (Terminus: North Point Ferry Pier) [Operates on Monday-Saturday, via Wong Nai Chung Gap]

To/From Stanley Plaza: 66 (Terminus: Exchange Square)

Citybus
To/From Stanley Market: 973 (Terminus: Tsim Sha Tsui, near Hung Hom Station)

With thanks to the following sites for the background information included in this post. The links will take you directly to the pages on Stanley if you are interested in learning more about the area. 

Stanley - Wikipedia   Hong Kong Extras - Stanley   Discover Hong Kong - Stanley Market   China Maps

All photos are my own taken in October 2011.

  All rights reserved by LindyLouMac Photo Collection 

The photos may also be viewed individually in my album entitled Travel Tales - Stanley - Hong Kong at My Flickr.com account.