Stanley Market, Hong Kong

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We took the train, then the bus -- following the instructions on our little tourist brochure and found ourselves in this part of Hong Kong that was really interesting.

A cluster of houses and shops in a labyrinthine maze...

It was a good afternoon, one that I enjoyed!

Stanley Market has got a laid-back charm of its own and even though it's still crowded and bustling, the feel of the place is just so different from urban downtown Hong Kong or Kowloon...

I'd definitely want to go again...

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Well I did. And this time round the charm of the place was slightly muted by the incessant rain... but nevertheless, it was still a good day trip to make.

The minibus 40 is just across the street from Causeway Bay MTR on HOng Kong island. And the ride takes only about 30 mins tops both ways.
That's the best way to reach Stanley Market -- don't bother taking the bus into Kowloon as it's a horrid long ride...

Did you know that the current HSBC bank building site was previously home for the British Colonial Governor? Well, it seems that Governor's adminitration building still exist however it has been moved to Stanley Market .

How did they moved the building? Cut and Paste? Not exactly, The british colonial administration building were moved piece by piece and rebuilt near Stanley Plaza as it was.

Before getting to stanley market shopping galore, take a look in the hills and you'll see mounds of budda and other religous statues. The picture is very blurry, you can't very much tell what it is because I took from a moving car, because there was nowhere to stop.
There are these piles of statues because when someone moves or cannot keep the religious statue, they can not just throw them away so they leave them at the final resting place, where people will still come to light candles at these miscellanious spots
throughout the hills of Hong Kong.

stanley market is over the other side of hong kong island, get the bus over and enjoy a day of wandering around stalls selling anything you can possibly imagine. the bus trip is an experience in itself going up narrow windy roads. not to be missed.

Stanley is a great way of escaping the city life of Hong Kong, has some nice beaches, great beachfront bars and restaurants, and of course the great Stanley Market. If you get a chance please try and go to Stanley It's well worth it. The market is great, selling mainly clothing and traditional arts and crafts and some good prices. Can't remember what bus goes here but I do know you will need ot get it from Hong Kong Island side. I'm sure the hotels will point you in the right direction for this.

One of my favourite bus trips is Bus #6 from Star Ferry that takes you over the hills into the other side of HK Island. It is an interesting journey, and brings you past the million-dollar homes before reaching Stanley. Sit on the right hand side of the bus for best views of the hills and sea.

Stanley Market has lots of stalls selling touristy souvenirs. Not my cup of tea. I prefer to explore the area away from the market. I recall having dinner at a former police station, now converted to a nice Italian (?) restaurant. Anyway, it's been a long time. I'm a regular HK visitor and my last trp there was in 2002.

The southern part of the island (Aberdeen, Repulse Bay and Stanley Bay) is quite different from Victoria or Wan Shai and has a more relaxed, 'southern', holiday atmosphere. Stanley is a wonderful village on Hong Kong Island. Most visitors go there for it's famous market but the scenery makes exploring the area a must. Stanley’s sightseeing attractions include an interesting 18th-Century Tin Hau Temple and several old colonial buildings such as the Old Stanley Police Station.

Wanna be like a real HKer? This is an activity that is fairly familiar to Canadians and Americans perhaps but at a different level. It is very popular amongst families and young adults! Go to Stanley, get off at the Market stop and go into the grocery store right in front there and buy all your necessities for a real HK barbecue. We bought tongs, paper plates and utensils, bowls, drinks, lots of meat and varied fish balls (ok, not for me but others), corn and aluminum foil, honey and bbq sauce (they come together with little brushes) HK potato chips and moistened towels. Dont forget coals and a light! We went down to Stanley Beach, picked a spot, got our fire going and roasted marshmallows, meats and corn. People just sit and pig out, visit and gossip and you will probably encounter other groups as well. We rented a lantern on the beach for a returnable $100 HK (deposit) that we had to return at 11 pm... helped a lot as we couldnt see! Bring a blanket and some sweatshirts. Even if it is quite warm out, it gets cool by the crashing waves. (pick a fire pit against the wall and not right next to the ocean as waves do frequently make their way over the walls and put out fires.