Stanley, Hong Kong facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stanley |
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| Chinese | 赤柱 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | "Bandit's post" or "red pillar" |
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Stanley, also known as Chek Chue, is a lively coastal town and a popular place for tourists in Hong Kong. It sits on a peninsula on Hong Kong Island. Stanley is located east of Repulse Bay and west of Shek O. It is close to Chung Hom Kok and Tai Tam. This area is part of the Southern District of Hong Kong.
The Chinese name "Chek Chue" refers to the original village. However, "Stanley" usually means the whole area around the peninsula on Hong Kong Island.
What's in a Name?
Stanley got its English name from Lord Stanley. He later became the Earl of Derby. At the time, he was the British Colonial Secretary when Hong Kong was given to the United Kingdom. He later became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
A Look Back in Time
After Hong Kong became part of the British Empire in 1842, Stanley was the first temporary administrative center. Later, the main center moved to the new Victoria City.
During the Battle of Hong Kong in December 1941, British and Canadian soldiers made their final stand at what is now Stanley Fort. The soldiers who survived had to surrender to Japanese forces. The fort used to be a British Army barracks. After Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997, the People's Liberation Army took over the fort.
Fun Places to Visit
Stanley Market
Stanley Market is a famous place with many small shops and street stalls. You can find it on Stanley New Street, close to the food market. It's a great spot to look for souvenirs and unique items.
Stanley Main Street
Stanley Main Street is a lively area right by the water. It has many restaurants and cafes where you can enjoy a meal with a view.
If you walk west from Stanley Main Street, past the outdoor theater in Stanley Plaza, you'll find the Tin Hau Temple. This temple is dedicated to the Queen of Heaven. It was built in 1767 by Cheung Po Tsai and is one of the oldest temples in Hong Kong.
Murray House
Murray House is a beautiful building from the Victorian era. It was first built in 1846 in the Central business district. It served as living quarters for officers. In the 2000s, the building was carefully taken apart and moved piece by piece to Stanley.
Stanley Plaza
Stanley Plaza opened in 2001, right next to Murray House. It has a shopping area and an outdoor amphitheater. Many free concerts and events happen here throughout the year. The plaza was renovated in 2011. You can find different restaurants, a supermarket, and various shops there. It's also easy to get to nearby tourist spots like Tin Hau Temple and Stanley Ma Hang Park from here.
Stanley's Beaches
Stanley is well-known for its two sandy beaches: Stanley Main Beach and St. Stephen's Beach. Stanley Main Beach is on the east side of the peninsula, and St. Stephen's Beach is on the west. Both beaches have areas for barbecues. They also have special nets in the water to keep swimmers safe from sharks.
Stanley Main Beach is bigger and popular for windsurfing and other water sports. Every June, it hosts the Stanley Dragon Boat Championships to celebrate the Tuen Ng Festival. There's also a Water Sports Training Centre at Stanley Main Beach. It offers courses for water sports at good prices.
St. Stephen's College
St. Stephen's College is a school for both primary and secondary students. It has been in Stanley for over 100 years. Students can attend as day students or live at the school. The oldest building at the college, the School House, was declared a monument in 2011. This makes it one of the few schools in Hong Kong with a declared monument on its campus.
Correctional Services Museum
The Hong Kong Correctional Services Museum is located in Stanley. It is open every day except Mondays and public holidays. The museum has over 680 items in nine galleries. It covers about 480 square meters. You can visit the museum for free. It teaches visitors about the history of correctional services in Hong Kong.
Ma Hang Park
Stanley Ma Hang Park opened on January 17, 2011. The park is very large, covering 50,000 square meters. It has different themed areas for people of all ages. The paths have been improved for easy access. There are display boards that show the birds, butterflies, and plants found in the park. The Pak Tai Temple is also part of the park. It was built in 1805 when Stanley was a major fishing village. It is dedicated to the "protector of fishermen."
Other Interesting Spots
- The Stanley Military Cemetery is located near St. Stephen's Beach.
- The Old Stanley Police Station, built in 1859, is a declared monument of Hong Kong.
- The Stanley Municipal Building opened in 2006. It has government offices and a branch of the Hong Kong Public Library. The library has both English and Chinese books. The building also has recreational rooms like basketball and badminton courts. There is a garden zone on the roof of the library section with a view of Stanley Harbour.
- The Stanley Fort is a military barracks for the People's Liberation Army. It is at the southernmost part of the Stanley peninsula. This area is not open to tourists.
Getting Around Stanley
Stanley is easy to reach by bus. Several bus routes travel along Repulse Bay Road and Tai Tam Road. For example, buses like 6, 6A, 6X, 66, and 260 go from Central Exchange Square. Bus route 14 comes from Sai Wan Ho, and bus route 973 comes from Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon. There are also buses from Cyberport and Causeway Bay. Red taxis are also available in Stanley.
The number 40 green minibus runs 24 hours a day. Its starting point in Causeway Bay is on Jardine's Crescent.
There is no direct MTR train station in Stanley. However, you can use the South Island MTR Line. Passengers can go to the Ocean Park MTR station and then connect to buses or minibuses to reach Stanley. This helps avoid traffic in other parts of Hong Kong. You can also connect to the Chai Wan MTR station by bus or the number 16 minibus.
Hiking Trails
The starting point of Wilson Trail (Section 1) is in Stanley. This trail connects through The Twins and Violet Hill.
Hiking options near Stanley include Chung Hom Shan and the Devil's Paw. These two mountains are in Chung Hom Kok, which is next to Stanley. There are no mountains for hiking directly within Stanley itself.
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