Hong Kong: Stanley Beach & Repulse Bay

Stanley Beach and Repulse Bay are a great way to spend a day in Hong Kong.  While Stanley is aimed at tourists, with familiar restaurants and modern shopping centres, it's a gorgeous scenic spot for photos. 

 

We had an early lunch at Stanley Cave, an underground bakery, and it was deliciously cool with blasting air conditioning and everything was sooooo yummy!  It had chefs all in aprons behind the counter, and al of the were so lovely with lots of smiles (and great speaking English too which is always a bonus).  We picked out some salads, baguettes and cakes and all were at reasonable (to us Aussies) prices.  A huge salad, to a long ham and salad baguette, to a yummy cake pictured above, all were about $4 AUD each.  They also had the best frozen yoghurt I've had too.

The beach at Stanley is very picture-esque and encompasses old and new Hong Kong along the beach line.  We found this beach on our last trip 4 years ago and it was a must see for us again because it is where all the shipwrecked broken china washes up.  We combed the sand for a couple of hours picking up centuries old patterned china.

These little houses line Stanley beachfront.  I would *love* one as a holiday house!

Modern china still gets produced in little factories on the beach.

 
Stanley Market is absolute torture if you are pushing a pram.  The laneways so so narrow, it's almost impossible to push one thru so I recommend not taking one at all to Stanley!   The prices at Stanley are supposed to be a lot higher than the rest of the markets in Hong Kong.  Honestly, I couldn't see a real lot of difference and I really like Stanley Market as it stocks items you don't see at other markets like a great range of kids clothes including bridesmaids/flowergirls frilly things, church outfits and brand name clothing that were made as samples only.  All the handbag shops were all Buy 1 Get 1 Free.  They also had a silversmith studio where The Sexy Man got me a fab Bunny ring in silver.

 We ate the BEST strawberries EVER at a Stanley market fruit stall.  They were huge!

 

We then got the bus to Repulse Bay and chucked the kids into the water for a couple of hours.  All 4 were bombarded by Chinese tourists wanting their photo.  Then it was the adults turn.  Sometimes we all felt like rockstars with all the photo taking every day.

 

Ocean Park in the background.

Get this.....they even sweep the sand.  Seriously.  With a straw broom and everything!

 

 

 

 Designated dog parking! 

And catching the Star Ferry.  The Ferry is a must to catch at least once.  It costs something like 30c and the kids are over the moon.  A night trip is also fun as you bob around on the water for a couple of hours and watch the night light show, eating free cake and soft drink.  That costs $14 AUD each adult.

 You guys sick of HK yet?