Stanley for Shopping...and more
Located on Hong Kong Island’s scenic south coast, Stanley Village attracts visitors principally for bargain shopping at the indoor/outdoor Stanley Market. This long, excruciatingly thin row of shops offers everything from Chinese Art, silks and antiques to loud tee-shirts and louder people. Situated underneath a mismatched set of plastic canopies adjacent the harbor, the focus in the market is on shopping; ambiance exists elsewhere. Haggling is possible – although the recent influx of tourists eyeing a huge bargain has worn on some shop owners and some now only offer fixed price goods. Since many of the shops sell the same goods as a shop further down the street, if you want to haggle and a price does not match your budget, don’t despair – just keep walking.
When the Stanley Market finally spits you out, you can circle back towards the restaurants and bars lining the harbor for sustenance or a calming drink. Along the west side of the harbor is the Murray House, a former British Officer’s quarters, which in 1982 was moved from the north side of the island to Stanley and reconstructed – brick by brick. Murray House offers a wide variety of alfresco dining from Spanish Tapas at El Cid to pizza at Wildfire. Other worthy Stanley stops are the colonial Old Stanley Police Station (one of the oldest surviving police stations in Hong Kong), the World War II cemetery, and the Tin Hau Temple.
Stanley is easily accessible via taxis or buses from Central Bus Terminus. For an added bonus, secure a seat on the top level, front seat of a bus to enjoy a mini-roller coaster ride over the rugged southern coast.
