On the southern end of Hong Kong Island past Repulse Bay lies Stanley; a peaceful village-like area (formerly a fishing port) surrounded by greenery and nearby beaches, making it feel delightfully far from the hectic Hong Kong city life.
Besides being a definite stop for visitors to Hong Kong in search of bargains, Stanley is a beautiful place that encompasses Hong Kong’s history and culture with an added Western touch, making it irresistible to many expats…
Numerous historic landmarks are located in Stanley; the old Stanley Police Station, which is one of the oldest police stations in Hong Kong, the Stanley Prison and Murray House. Murray House is a western-style government building that originally stood in Central, but was dismantled in 1982 in order to make room for the grand Bank of China skyscraper and then rebuilt in Stanley. After opening in 2000, it now serves as a museum and home for restaurants and shops.
Although Stanley is relatively far from the city centre, there are many bus routes to and from Stanley, so it is still easily accessible for those who don’t mind traveling a bit further out.
Shopping
Stanley really does live up to its reputation as a great place to find great bargains and explore Chinese culture. Just off the main market street, Old Street Stanley is an indoor shopping area with many stalls offering a variety of goods, but in particular, baby clothes and shoes; much of it is branded clothing such as Baby Gap, Next, etc. and sells for as little as $20.
Stanley Plaza consists of Murray House, Village Square and Stanley Plaza Shopping Centre (which has a multi-storey carpark). Murray House has a unique mix of ethnic products shops selling items from all over Southeast Asia.
Stanley Market has lines of market stalls, offering everything from beautiful Chinese silk products and ornaments to trendy clothes, shoes, bags and accessories. While many of the shops sell a mixed bag of items, there are lots of specialty shops. Tong’s Sheets and Linen Co., (55-57 Stanley Street) sells linen bed sheets, pillow cases, table cloths, as well as silk sleepwear. For ladies who can’t find large enough shoes in Hong Kong, stop by the ‘Perfect Born’ shop (Shop A, Baysider House, 5B Stanley Main Street), which sells up to size 13 US.
The art galleries sell paintings of all styles, including Chinese calligraphy, landscapes, Hong Kong scenery and abstract art. You can order replicas of paintings for reasonable prices (around $600-$700), personalised Chinese calligraphy paintings of your name, as well as custom-sized frames, where price will vary based on size.
Make sure you don’t just stay on the main street, as if you go out onto the side streets you’ll find many export clothes shops, which sell western-branded clothing (e.g. Gap, American Eagle) for just a fraction of the list price overseas, since they buy the extra stock cheaply from factories. For those of you who dismay at the petite nature of clothes in Hong Kong, export shops stock plus-sized clothing that’s bigger than the common “Large-that-doesn’t-seem-so-large” here.
Expect to bargain hard with the thrifty shopkeepers, but it’s worth it for the satisfaction of negotiating to save those extra few precious dollars.
Lastly, it’s a good idea to start early as the stalls don’t open until anywhere near as late as places like Temple Street; openings hours are 10am to 6.30pm daily.
Where to Eat
If you walk out past Stanley Market and onto Stanley Main Street, you’ll find a mix of relaxed eateries offering a wide range of cuisines. There are popular British and American bars and restaurants, as well as other European and Southeast Asian cuisines. ‘Main Street USA’ serves classic burgers, while the traditional ‘Smugglers Inn’ offers good old British pub food and beer. If you’re in the mood for creativity, stop by ‘Beaches,’ a popular Italian restaurant known for allowing you to design your own custom-made pasta and pizza using what ever ingredients you like. It also serves fish and chips for $88 at lunchtime.
Also on Stanley Main Street is Lucy’s, a cozy bistro where you can eat anything from curry to risotto. Be sure to try their delicious desserts including lemon meringue pie and walnut pudding.
In Murray House, you’ll find ‘Chili and Spice,’ serving Thai, Malaysian and Vietnamese cuisines, and ‘El Cid,’ where you can have authentic Spanish cuisine and enjoy live music while sitting indoors or on the balcony, watching the dreamy sea view. Their signature dishes include ‘fish in salt crust’ and ‘seafood paella.’
If you fancy some quick, traditional Chinese food, goto Dai Pai Dong in Stanley Plaza Shopping Centre, which serves a great selection of typical Chinese dishes such as Fu Jian fried rice and beef ho fan (flat noodles), and special drinks such as crushed red bean ice.
All in all, Stanley is the perfect place to eat great food (or just have a beer), enjoy the peaceful, friendly atmosphere and stare at the gorgeous surroundings.
Activities
Visit the Stanley beach for some fun in the sun, or enjoy barbequing a platter of chicken wings on one of the many barbeque pits. You should also stop by Murray House to learn some Hong Kong history, and the Stanley Police Station. If you’re the outdoorsy type, then you’ll love hiking in the area. The Wilson Trail is a major hiking trail whose first two stages span from the southern to the northern end of Stanley and all the way up to Quarry Bay.
Where to Live
Stanley is much less densely populated than the inner city, and housing consists mainly of low-rise apartment buildings and houses, where residents can enjoy picturesque views of greenery and the sea. As it is far away from the city centre, many residents drive their own cars, although there are still many efficient bus routes that go directly to places like Central, Causeway Bay, etc.
Stanley is a very popular area for people who have moved to Hong Kong as it is a beautiful place to live and all the shops and restaurants are very expat-friendly.
Schools
Stanley is located near to the following schools:
Hong Kong International School (for 4-18 years)
Bradbury Junior School (for 5-11 years)
Highgate House Repulse Bay (for 3-6 years)
Southside Kindergarten (for 2-6 years)
South Island School (for 11-18 years)
Transportation
Bus routes to Stanley from:
Central (Exchange Square), Pacific Place Queensway: 6 - $7.90, 6A - $8.40, 6X - $8.40, 260 - $10.6, N6 (overnight) - $11.9
The Peak: 315 - $9.2
Tsim Sha Tsui East (1 Science Museum Road, inside Concordia plaza): 973 - $13
Cyberport: 73 - $5.80
North Point Ferry Pier: 63 - $8.4
Taxi fare from Central: $110 approx.
