Stanley is Hong Kong’s most relaxed neighbourhood, tucked around a bay on the south side of the island where the mountains press close to the sea and the light has a clarity that the north side rarely manages. The bus ride over the mountain pass from Central — winding through residential Mid-Levels, climbing through wooded country park, then descending with the South China Sea suddenly in view — is itself part of why Stanley feels like a different city.
Stanley Market occupies a covered laneway near the waterfront and sells an eclectic mix of silk scarves, oil paintings of Chinese landscapes, casual clothing, lacquered goods, and souvenirs of every conceivable Hong Kong variety. It is not the most sophisticated shopping in the city, but the compact layout, the negotiating culture, and the harbour view at the end of the lane make it one of the most pleasant market-browsing experiences.
Murray House at Stanley Plaza is a genuine colonial anomaly. The original building was constructed in 1844 as military officers’ quarters in Central. When the site was acquired for development in 1982, someone had the foresight to number each stone of the facade and reassemble the entire structure here in 1998. The three-storey colonnaded building now houses restaurants and shops, with outdoor seating on the plaza facing Stanley Bay.
The tin Hau Temple on Stanley Main Street is one of Hong Kong’s oldest, dedicated to the goddess of the sea and patroness of fishermen. The incense is perpetually lit and the interior is dark and dense with hanging offerings. Behind the temple, the old cemetery contains some of the earliest European graves in Hong Kong, some dating to the 1840s.