Stanley, Hong Kong - all you need to know

We set off for Stanley first thing in the morning. There was a direct bus from our hotel in Wan Chai, and at around 9.30 am we got off in the seaside neighbourhood, which felt much quieter than the centre of Hong Kong.

Stanley Market was just opening, and we had the place to ourselves for a pleasant stroll along the seafront.

I’d set aside 2–4 hours for Stanley. Within a small area, you can explore the market, the coastal promenade and several beaches.

In the end, what I liked most was the laid-back atmosphere of the place, which is much closer to the city centre than the beaches on Lantau, yet still has restaurants and good facilities.

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For a short trip: the market, the promenade and Stanley Back Beach
For a quieter morning by the water: St Stephen’s Beach
For water sports: Stanley Main Beach
For a full day’s swimming close to the city centre, I’d prefer to head to Repulse Bay

Stanley Market in the morning and a stroll by the sea

When we arrived at 9.30, many of the stalls were already open, whilst others were gradually opening up.

Most of them sell souvenirs, clothes and trinkets. I didn’t find anything there that I wanted to take home, but I enjoyed wandering through the market’s narrow streets.

If you’re mainly interested in shopping, it’s best to arrive after 10.00. Each stall sets its own opening hours, and not all of them may be open first thing in the morning.

If you’re more interested in a leisurely stroll, our timing in the morning was perfect.

The market leads on to the coastal section of Stanley Main Street, with restaurants and places to sit by the sea. We walked along the short promenade and stopped at the small Stanley Back Beach.

Anyone wishing to continue along the waterfront can also visit the historic Murray House and the neighbouring Blake Pier. Murray House originally stood in the centre of Hong Kong; after being dismantled, it was rebuilt here in Stanley. Next to it is Stanley Plaza, with more restaurants and shops.

Which beach in Stanley should you choose?

The beaches are close to one another, but each is suited to a slightly different kind of visit. We visited all three, and St Stephen’s Beach impressed us the most.

Stanley Back Beach: a quick stop by the sea

Back Beach is a small, very pretty beach not far from the market. I particularly liked it as part of a walk: stopping for a moment, looking out over the bay and then carrying on.

If you fancy a swim, I’d choose one of the two larger, officially managed beaches.

St Stephen’s Beach: in my opinion, the best for a quieter morning

From the market, we carried on to St Stephen’s Beach. It’s bigger than Back Beach, but it still seemed quite quiet when we were there. If I were to spend a morning on the sand in Stanley, this is where I’d go.

Allow about 10 minutes’ walk from Stanley Market. The beach has public toilets, showers and changing rooms.

Stanley Main Beach: more facilities, but also more people

We then also visited Stanley Main Beach on the other side of the peninsula. It’s close to the market, with restaurants nearby, and there’s a water sports centre there.

So you can combine a day at the beach with a spot of kayaking, for example.

Personally, I liked this place the least. It was quite crowded, the beach seemed narrow to me, and the restaurants and other businesses in the area made it feel a bit cramped. However, if you’re keen on water sports or want everything close by, Main Beach is a good choice.

There are also public toilets, showers and changing rooms here. The toilets on all the beaches were clean and free during our visit, which is no small thing on a trip lasting several hours.

How much time do you need, how much does entry cost, and when should you arrive?

There’s no charge for a stroll through Stanley Market, along the promenade or for access to the public beaches. You only pay for transport, any food you might buy and water sports.

If you’re not going for a swim, I’d allow about two hours. If you want to sit by the sea, walk along all three beaches or go for a swim, plan for half a day instead. Stanley is best enjoyed when you give it a bit of time.

The morning was pleasantly quiet, but part of the market was still opening. I’d say arriving between 10.00 and 11.00 is the best balance for exploring the market and having a stroll.

If you have the whole day, you can combine Stanley with Repulse Bay, as buses run past it on their way back to the city centre. Personally, though, I’d save Stanley mainly for a stroll and choose Repulse Bay for a longer stay by the water.

How do you get to Stanley and how much does the bus cost?

There’s no metro service to Stanley. From the central part of the island, the easiest option is a direct bus; depending on your starting point, the route and traffic, allow for a journey of around 40–60 minutes.

Central: route 6 to 11,40 hkd, 6X to 11,70 hkd or 260 to 15,10 hkd
Wan Chai: route 260 stops at the Immigration Tower; the fare to Stanley is 15,10 hkd
Tsim Sha Tsui: direct route 973 via 18,10 hkd; from Kowloon, this is a convenient connection with no need to change buses
Repulse Bay: bus 6, 6X or 260 towards Central; the short journey costs 6,40 hkd on routes 6 and 6X, 9,40 hkd on route 260
Causeway Bay: green minibuses 40 and 40X from the Jardine’s Bazaar stop; fare 13,10 hkd

On large Citybus coaches, you can pay using an Octopus card or your own contactless bank card. On the green minibuses 40/40X, bring an Octopus card or the exact fare in cash: standard contactless bank cards are not accepted there. We provide more information on payment and other routes in the chapter on Transport in Hong Kong.

Where to stay if you want to visit Stanley?

We stayed at the Renaissance Hong Kong Harbour View in Wan Chai. The direct bus stop was just a short walk from the hotel, so we were able to travel to Stanley comfortably first thing in the morning and didn’t have to change accommodation just for a single day trip.

If you’d like to stay right by the sea and are planning to spend more time on the south coast, have a look at the Stanley Oriental Hotel on the promenade.

For general sightseeing in Hong Kong, I’d prefer to stay in the central part of the island, which has better transport links. We compare other neighbourhoods and specific hotels in the chapter ‘Where to stay in Hong Kong’.