Stanley, Hong Kong
Encyclopedia
Stanley is a town and a tourist attraction in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

. It located on a peninsula
Stanley Peninsula
Stanley Peninsula , formerly known as Tai Tam Peninsula , is a peninsula on the southern Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. Located between Tai Tam Harbour and Stanley Bay, it joins north to Hong Kong Island at the town of Stanley and ends south at Wong Ma Kok.-See also:* Wong Ma Kok Road - The main...

 on the southeastern part of Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...

. It is east of Repulse Bay and west of Shek O
Shek O
Shek O is a beachside village located on the south-eastern part of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. Administratively, it is part of Southern District. The scenery of Shek O is the setting of numerous Cantopop music videos.-Geography:...

, adjacent to Chung Hom Kok
Chung Hom Kok
Chung Hom Kok is an area in the southern Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It is a popular site for barbecue and swimming with a beach and lifeguard services available from April to October. West of Stanley, Chung Hom Kok is referred to the southern most point on a peninsula...

. Administratively, it is part of the Southern District
Southern District, Hong Kong
The Southern District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. It is located in the southern part of Hong Kong Island. It had a population of 290,240 in 2001. This district has the fourth lowest population of Hong Kong.-Geography:...

.

The Chinese name "Chek Chue" refers to the original village-town but "Stanley" generally refers to all the surrounding areas of the peninsula.

Name

There are two possible origins of the name "Chek Chue".

Legend has it that the notorious pirate Cheung Po Tsai
Cheung Po Tsai
Cheung Po Tsai was a 19th century Chinese pirate. He was also known as Cheung Po/Chang Pao/Zhang Bao .Several places in Hong Kong are linked to Cheung Po Tsai:* Cheung Po Tsai Cave, on Cheung Chau island...

 was active in Stanley. That is why the district became known in Cantonese as Chak Chue (賊柱 for Bandit's Post). There was once a Cheung Po Tsai Cave near the Tin Hau Temple west of Stanley, but the cave was filled in the early 1950s.

The original Cantonese name of the village was believed to be based on a big tall cotton tree (Bombax malabaricum, Bombax ceiba
Bombax ceiba
Bombax ceiba, like other trees of the genus Bombax, is commonly known as cotton tree or tree cotton. This tropical tree has a straight tall trunk and its leaves are deciduous in winter. Red flowers with 5 petals appear in the spring before the new foliage. It produces a capsule which, when ripe,...

木棉樹) often covered with bright red blossoms at the time, hence red pillar (赤柱) in Hakka language.

It was given an English name after Lord Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby
Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby
Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, KG, PC was an English statesman, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and to date the longest serving leader of the Conservative Party. He was known before 1834 as Edward Stanley, and from 1834 to 1851 as Lord Stanley...

, 19th-century British Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
The Secretary of State for War and the Colonies was a British cabinet level position responsible for the army and the British colonies . The Department was created in 1801...

.

History

After the annexation of Hong Kong in 1842, the British made Stanley the temporary administrative centre, before moving it to the newly founded Victoria City (present day Central
Central, Hong Kong
Central is the central business district of Hong Kong. It is located in Central and Western District, on the north shore of Hong Kong Island, across Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui, the southernmost point of Kowloon Peninsula...

) on the north shore of Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...

.

Stanley was the location where British and Canadian troops made their last stand before surrendering to Japanese troops during the Battle of Hong Kong
Battle of Hong Kong
The Battle of Hong Kong took place during the Pacific campaign of World War II. It began on 8 December 1941 and ended on 25 December 1941 with Hong Kong, then a Crown colony, surrendering to the Empire of Japan.-Background:...

 in December 1941. Stanley Fort, the former British barracks
Barracks
Barracks are specialised buildings for permanent military accommodation; the word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes. Their main object is to separate soldiers from the civilian population and reinforce discipline, training and esprit de corps. They were sometimes called...

 in Stanley, is now occupied by the People's Liberation Army
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...

. This change followed the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

 in 1997.

Stanley Market and Pat Kan Uk

The ever popular Stanley Market is situated in Stanley New Street near the Stanley food market. It is an array of small shops and street stalls flaunting handicrafts and souvenirs rich in local flavour, as well as household items, toys and low cost fashion. The selection is dazzling and offers great value for money. After a shopping spree one can sit down to sample authentic Hong Kong street delicacies. On hot summer days, the beach nearby is the best place to cool off. Swimwear and other beach items are available in many shops in Stanley Market. You can enjoy sun, sea and sand all at the whim of the moment.

At the end of the market street, continue along the sea front and you will see small kiosks selling souvenirs, clothes and snacks. Shopping by the idyllic seaside setting is always a pleasure.

For a change of scene after Stanley Market and the food kiosks, take a look at Pat Kan Uk, a row of eight houses. Many people think they are abandoned pre-war buildings but each of them is still a home to local elders. There were eight houses belonging to farming families in Wong Ma Kok before the Sino-Japanese War. The government recovered the land to develop barracks and a terrace of eight houses was built here as relocation homes for the local residents.

Stanley Main Street

Stanley is renowned for its many bars and restaurants on its waterfront along Stanley Main Street where visitors can enjoy a variety of different foods (including French, Italian, American, Indian and Thai) or relax with a beer and soak up the friendly atmosphere in one of its bars.

To the west of Stanley Main Street, past the amphitheatre in Stanley Plaza is the Tin Hau Temple (Temple of the Queen of Heaven). Built by Cheung Po Tsai
Cheung Po Tsai
Cheung Po Tsai was a 19th century Chinese pirate. He was also known as Cheung Po/Chang Pao/Zhang Bao .Several places in Hong Kong are linked to Cheung Po Tsai:* Cheung Po Tsai Cave, on Cheung Chau island...

 in 1767, it is one of the oldest temples in Hong Kong.

Murray House


Murray House is a Victorian-era building originally built in the present-day business district of Central in 1846 as officers' quarters of the Murray Barracks
Murray Barracks
Murray Barracks was a barracks for British Army in Admiralty of Central in Hong Kong. It was named after Sir George Murray, the Master-General of the Ordnance at the time of construction.-Location:...

, the building was relocated to Stanley during the 2000s.

Stanley Plaza

Adjacent to Murray House, opened in 2001, it includes a shopping arcade and a community theatre. It is owned by The Link REIT
The Link REIT
The Link REIT is one of the world's largest REITs, or real estate investment trusts with assets of around US$3.3 billion....

. Every Christmas, Stanley Plaza hosts a free concert in the amphitheatre put on by the Hong Kong International School
Hong Kong International School
Hong Kong International School is a prestigious international private school in Tai Tam and Repulse Bay, Hong Kong. Founded in 1966 by a group of Christian businessmen, HKIS spans from reception one to the twelfth grade. Its Lower and Upper Primary Divisions are located in Repulse Bay, and the...

 band. As of September 2010 the arcade is under renovation and will not fully reopen for some 18 months. Some businesses are still open but most have either been closed or relocated.

Stanley's beaches

Stanley is famous for its two beaches: Stanley Main Beach, located on the eastern side of the peninsular, and St. Stephen's Beach
St. Stephen's Beach
St. Stephen's Beach is a secluded beach in the Southern District of Hong Kong, five minutes from Stanley main beach. It is managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and is rated as Grade 1 by the Environmental Protection Department for its water quality.- External links :*...

, on the western side. Both beaches are sandy and have areas designed for barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...

s. Like many beaches in Hong Kong, they also have netted perimeters to protect swimmers from sharks.

The larger of the two beaches - Stanley Main Beach, which is also popular with windsurfers
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...

 and other watersport enthusiasts, hosts the Stanley Dragon Boat
Dragon boat
A dragon boat is a human-powered watercraft traditionally made, in the Pearl River delta region of southern China - Guangdong Province, of teak wood to various designs and sizes. In other parts of China different woods are used to build these traditional watercraft...

 Championships each year in June to celebrate the Tuen Ng Festival.

(See official website for Stanley Dragon Boat Championships)

St. Stephen's College

St. Stephen's College is a primary and secondary school that has been located in Stanley for over 100 years. It has both day students and boarding facilities.

The mission of the College is: to provide quality education for the whole person - with a balanced emphasis on physical, intellectual and spiritual development - in a caring and supportive Christian environment.

Originally a private school, St. Stephen's College became a government-funded public school during the late 1900s.
The College recently announced its intention to become a Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) School, an historic change to the College as it will free the school from the centralised funding system that currently administers secondary education in Hong Kong. If the plan is widely accepted by students, parents and alumni, this new plan will be implemented during the 2008-2009 academic year. Pupils enrolled in the 2006 Primary 4 class at St. Stephen's College Preparatory School, also based in Stanley, will be the first group to enter the DSS system. In order to upgrade the school administrative level, this is the first secondary school in Hong Kong to employ a Registered Professional Housing Manager on its staff to manage and handle all property and facilities-related issues for and on behalf of the school.

While the school is not open to the public or tourists, it is just a short walk from Stanley Main Street.

Correctional Services Department (CSD) Complex

Stanley Prison
Stanley Prison
Stanley Prison is one of the five maximum security prisons in Hong Kong and is currently the oldest institution still in service...

 is a maximum security level correctional facility, established in 1937, that houses the most hardened of criminals from the Hong Kong Judicial System. The Pak Sha Wan Correctional Institution (a medium security institution established in 1999) and the Tung Tau Correctional Institution (a minimum security institution established in 1982) are all part of the overall Hong Kong Correctional Services
Hong Kong Correctional Services
Hong Kong Correctional Services is responsible for prisoners and prisons in Hong Kong. The Commissioner of Correctional Services reports to the Secretary for Security....

 Department complex in Stanley. Nearby on Stanley Village Road is the Ma Hang Prison (a minimum security institution established in 1974) which houses male adult prisoners and clinically old prisoners of low security risk.

The CSD Staff Training Institute is also located in Stanley. It is responsible for planning and implementing training programmes to equip CSD staff with relevant knowledge to fulfill the Vision,
Mission and Values of the Department.

The Correctional Services Museum
Hong Kong Correctional Services Museum
Hong Kong Correctional Services Museum is located at 45 Tung Tau Wan Road, Stanley, Hong Kong. It was originally housed in the Staff Training Institute of Hong Kong Correctional Services Department. Today it is housed in a two-storey building next to the parade ground of the Staff Training...

 is located at the entrance to the Stanley Prison. It's open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm daily except Mondays and public holidays. Admission to the museum is free of charge and occupies an area of 480 square metres. The collection has some 680 artefacts in nine galleries.

Other areas of interest in Stanley

  • The Hong Kong Sea School http://www.hongkongseaschool.edu.hk/ is located in Stanley.
  • The Stanley Military Cemetery
    Stanley Military Cemetery
    Stanley Military Cemetery is located near St. Stephen Bay in Stanley, Hong Kong. It is the only military cemetery of the early colonial era, used for the burials of the members of the garrison and their families between 1841 and 1866...

     is located near St. Stephen's Beach.
  • The Old Stanley Police Station
    Old Stanley Police Station
    The Old Stanley Police Station was a police station constructed in Stanley on Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong in 1859. It is now the oldest remaining police station building in Hong Kong...

    , built in 1859 is a declared monument of Hong Kong
    Declared monuments of Hong Kong
    Declared monuments of Hong Kong are places, structures or buildings legally declared to be "protected". In Hong Kong, declaring a monument requires consulting the Antiquities Advisory Board, the approval of the Chief Executive as well as the publication of the notice in government gazette.As of 12...

    .Today it retains the original architecture, but inside it houses a Wellcome
    Wellcome
    Wellcome is a supermarket chain owned by Jardine Matheson Holdings via its Dairy Farm subsidiary. The Wellcome supermarket chain is one of the two largest supermarket chains in Hong Kong, the other being PARKnSHOP. Wellcome also operates supermarkets in Taiwan under the Wellcome name...

     Supermarket.
  • Blake Pier at Stanley
  • The Stanley Municipal Building opened in the summer of 2006. It houses some government offices, a medium sized branch of the Hong Kong Public Library
    Hong Kong Public Library
    The Hong Kong Public Library system in Hong Kong consists of 66 static and 10 mobile libraries offering a total collection of 12.5 million items...

     http://hkpl.gov.hk/english/locat_hour/locat_hour_ll/locat_hour_ll_hkir/library_80.html containing both English and Chinese books. It also houses several recreational rooms such as basketball and badminton courts. There is a very pleasant "garden zone" on the roof of the library
    Library
    In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...

     section of the building with an outstanding view of Stanley Harbour.
  • The Stanley Fort
    Stanley Fort
    Stanley Fort is a military position on the south side of Hong Kong Island.The fort, which occupied a site of 128 hectares, at one time served as a garrison for the British Armed Forces in Hong Kong. After the British Army ceased to use it, the area became the Kai Chi Children's Centre and the...

     is a PLA
    People's Liberation Army
    The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...

     military barracks located at the southernmost part of Stanley peninsula, south of the lighthouse. It is not open to tourists or to the public.

Ma Hang Estate

Ma Hang Estate is a public housing estate
Public housing in Hong Kong
Public housing in Hong Kong is a set of mass housing programmes through which the Government of Hong Kong provides affordable housing for lower-income residents. It is a major component of housing in Hong Kong, with nearly half of the population now residing in some form of public housing...

 in Stanley. Formerly the site of Ma Hang Squatter Area, the estate is designed as "working village" and consists of 5 residential blocks completed between 1993 and 2000 for providing in-site rehousing for squatters. Stanley Plaza, Murray House
Murray House
Murray House is a Victorian-era building in Stanley in Hong Kong. Originally built in the present-day business district of Central in 1846 as officers' quarters of the Murray Barracks, the building was relocated to the south of Hong Kong Island during the 2000s.- Architecture :Murray House was one...

 and Blake Pier at Stanley are also the territories of Ma Hang Estate.
Name Type Completion
Chun Ma House Harmony Rural 1993
Kin Ma House
Koon Ma House
Leung Ma House
Ying Ma House 2000

Lung Yan Court

Lung Yan Court is a Home Ownership Scheme court in Stanley, next to Ma Hang Estate. Formerly the site of Ma Hang Squatter Area, the court has two blocks built in 1993.
Name Type Completion
Lung Chun House Harmony Rural 1993
Lung Tan House

Lung Tak Court

Lung Tak Court is a Home Ownership Scheme is Stanley, next to Ma Hang Estate and Lung Yan Court. The court was originally planned for rental housing, but it was converted to HOS court for sale finally. it consists of 4 blocks built in 2000.
Name Type Completion
Chun Tak House Harmony Rural 2000
Shing Tak House
Chi Tak House
Yi Tak House

Transport

Stanley is served by Repulse Bay Road and Tai Tam Road
Tai Tam Road
Tai Tam Road in Hong Kong, links between Chai Wan and Stanley, on Hong Kong Island. The famous Tai Tam Tuk Reservoir's dam is a part of the road, which is a narrow road section.-Bus routes:* 9 - Shau Kei Wan to Shek O...

. 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 almost always full of taxis awaiting customers.

Bus

New World First Bus
New World First Bus
New World First Bus Services Limited , abbreviated as First Bus and "NWFB", is the third largest public bus operator in Hong Kong.NWFB was established in 1998, taking over China Motor Bus's franchise on 1 September 1998 to provide bus services on Hong Kong Island together with Citybus...



To/From Stanley Market
Stanley Market
Stanley Market is a street market in Stanley on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The street is a typical example of a traditional old open-air market in Hong Kong and has since become a major tourist attraction, well known for its bargains...

: 65 (Terminus: North Point
North Point
North Point is a mixed-use urban area in the Eastern District of Hong Kong. It is the northernmost point of Hong Kong Island, adjacent to both Causeway Bay and Quarry Bay, and projecting toward Kowloon Bay. Fortress Hill occupies the western end of the North Point area.-History:In 1899, The...

 Ferry Pier) [Operates on Monday-Saturday, via Wong Nai Chung Gap]

To/From Stanley Prison
Stanley Prison
Stanley Prison is one of the five maximum security prisons in Hong Kong and is currently the oldest institution still in service...

: 63 (Terminus: North Point
North Point
North Point is a mixed-use urban area in the Eastern District of Hong Kong. It is the northernmost point of Hong Kong Island, adjacent to both Causeway Bay and Quarry Bay, and projecting toward Kowloon Bay. Fortress Hill occupies the western end of the North Point area.-History:In 1899, The...

 Ferry Pier) [Operates on Sundays & Holidays via Causeway Bay]

To/From Stanley Fort
Stanley Fort
Stanley Fort is a military position on the south side of Hong Kong Island.The fort, which occupied a site of 128 hectares, at one time served as a garrison for the British Armed Forces in Hong Kong. After the British Army ceased to use it, the area became the Kai Chi Children's Centre and the...

: 14 (Terminus: Grand Promenade, Sai Wan Ho
Sai Wan Ho
Sai Wan Ho is a primarily residential area on the northeastern shore of Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, between Quarry Bay and Shau Kei Wan. It is part of the Eastern District, and is administered together with surrounding areas under the Eastern District Council.-Location:Sai Wan Ho is conventionally...

)

To/From Stanley Plaza: 66 (Terminus: Exchange Square
Exchange Square (Hong Kong)
The Exchange Square is a building complex located in Central, Hong Kong. It houses offices and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. It is served by the Central and Hong Kong stations of the MTR metro system....

)

Citybus
Citybus (Hong Kong)
Citybus Limited is one of the three major bus operators in Hong Kong. It provides both franchised and non-franchised bus service. The franchised route network serves mainly Hong Kong Island, cross-harbour routes , Ocean Park, North Lantau and Hong Kong International Airport...



To/From Stanley Market
Stanley Market
Stanley Market is a street market in Stanley on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The street is a typical example of a traditional old open-air market in Hong Kong and has since become a major tourist attraction, well known for its bargains...

: 973 (Terminus: Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui , often abbreviated as TST, is an urbanized area in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is administratively part of the Yau Tsim Mong District. Tsim Sha Tsui East is a piece of land reclaimed from the Hung Hom Bay now east of Tsim Sha Tsui...

, near Hung Hom Station)

To/From Stanley Prison
Stanley Prison
Stanley Prison is one of the five maximum security prisons in Hong Kong and is currently the oldest institution still in service...

: 6 6A 6X and 260 (Terminus: Exchange Square
Exchange Square (Hong Kong)
The Exchange Square is a building complex located in Central, Hong Kong. It houses offices and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. It is served by the Central and Hong Kong stations of the MTR metro system....

); 73 (Terminus: Cyberport
Cyberport
Cyberport is a creative digital community with a cluster of technology and digital content tenants. It is owned and managed by Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited which is wholly owned by the Hong Kong SAR Government...

); 314 (Terminus: Siu Sai Wan
Siu Sai Wan
Siu Sai Wan is a newly developed residential area in the northeastern part of Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It is located in the eastern part of Chai Wan, and is administratively under the Eastern District. The population is about 80,000.-Location:...

 Bus Station; only operates on Sundays & Holidays)

Note:

6, 6X, 63, 65, 66 and 314 have final departures at approximately 19:30.

Route 973's last departure occurs at 22:05 daily.

Only 14, 73 and 260 offer late night departures from Stanley after approximately 22:00.

Minibus

Between Chai Wan
Chai Wan
Chai Wan , formerly mistakenly known as Sai Wan , lies at the east end of the urban area of Hong Kong Island next to Shau Kei Wan. The area is administratively part of the Eastern District, and is a mosaic of industrial and residential areas...

 MTR
MTR
Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...

 Station and Stanley Market
Stanley Market
Stanley Market is a street market in Stanley on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The street is a typical example of a traditional old open-air market in Hong Kong and has since become a major tourist attraction, well known for its bargains...

: 16M

Between Aberdeen and Stanley Prison
Stanley Prison
Stanley Prison is one of the five maximum security prisons in Hong Kong and is currently the oldest institution still in service...

: 52

Between Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay is a heavily built-up area of Hong Kong, People's Republic of China, located on the Hong Kong Island, and covering parts of Wan Chai and Eastern districts. The Chinese name is also romanized as Tung Lo Wan as in Tung Lo Wan Road...

 and Stanley Prison
Stanley Prison
Stanley Prison is one of the five maximum security prisons in Hong Kong and is currently the oldest institution still in service...

: 40

External links

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