20 BEST PLACES IN MACAU
20 BEST PLACES IN MACAU
LEARN MORE ABOUT 20 BEST PLACES IN MACAU AND DISCOVER THE AMAZING PLACES TO VISIT IN MACAU IF YOU PLANNING A TRAVEL
20 BEST PLACES IN MACAU
Macao is a curious confluence of east and west, a blend of historic buildings with cutting-edge style. It is a city that has expanded rapidly into a cutting-edge entertainment hub while yet upholding the rich Chinese and Portuguese traditions and culture in its stunning temples, churches, museums, and festivals. Here is our ranking of the top 20 Macau attractions.
In the 16th century, Portuguese traders came to Macau seeking the fabled land Marco Polo had called Cathay. They discovered Macau and the colony prospered.
Those golden years left a legacy of historic places of interest in Macau, such as buildings, plazas and churches. The street names give away Macau’s heritage. Drive along the tree-lined Rua da Praia Grande or stroll down the broad Avenida Almeida Ribeiro and you’ll spot a blend of Chinese and Mediterranean architecture.
1- RUINS OF ST PAUL’S
You’ve seen it in photos and brochures. Of all the places of interest in Macau, the Ruins of St Paul’s is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is as famous a landmark in Macau as the Eiffel Tower is to Paris or Sydney’s Opera House.
Constructed in 1602, the sculpted church facade is all that remains of the original Catholic church after a fire razed its wooden walls and interior in 1835.
Right next to the ornate facade is St. Paul’s College, which was the first western-style university in Asia.
2- SENADO SQUARE
More than a dash of European flair fills the streets of Macau, which is a fascinating destination where east meets west.
The square is one of the best places in Macau for people watching.
Stand in Senado Square with your eyes shut and listen to the symphony of Cantonese, Mandarin and English.
The compact region is rich in European architecture and Macau’s old town is a UNESCO World Heritage gem with a distinctive Portuguese flavour.
Think cobblestone streets with pastel European-style pastel-hued neo-classical buildings.
Senado Square is a vibrant piazza where you will find a roll-call of festivals, celebrations and spontaneous street-theatre.
Classically paved Portuguese-style tiles seem like they have been teleported from the streets of Lisbon.
Senado Square is packed with souvenir shops, local food stores and boutiques.
Grab an ice cream and sit and watch the crowd go by.
3- A-MA TEMPLE
There are many good reasons why most people have A-Ma Temple at the top of the list of places to visit in Macau.
Built by fishermen in the 16th century, in honour of the sea goddess, the temple is an impressive labyrinth of prayer halls, pavilions and courtyards linked by winding stone paths and moon-shaped gates.
A-Ma is Macau’s oldest temple, built in 1488 before the city was formed.
As A-Ma Temple sits on a rocky hill, look along the rock cliff behind the temple for ancient inscriptions of classical Chinese poetry.
The 15th-century temple is a working temple and lots of people come here to pray.
Spend a couple of hours taking a leisurely walk to the top of the hill as the view is stunning.
4- MUSEU DE MACAU
If you’re wondering what to do in Macau if you’re interested in history and culture, put aside at least a day to explore the Museu de Macau.
Mount Fortress, the city’s main military defence fort for three hundred years, now houses this impressive museum.
The displays and exhibits offer deep insights and interesting stories about Macau’s history making it one of the best places to visit in Macau for history buffs.
Three levels of galleries are packed with information.
You’ll find out everything you need to know about Macau including Macau’s history, commerce and culture.
There’s an entire floor dedicated to traditions, pop art and festivals. And another floor with displays focused on city life.
5- ST LAWRENCE PARISH
While Macau now generates a massive amount of revenue for China, it once was a modest fishing and port town known as Ou Mun which translates as “Trading Gate”.
Its strategic location at the mouth of the Pearl River, which leads inland to the thriving metropolis of Canton (now known as Guangzhou), meant it was visited by trading boats from all over the world.
The Portuguese made it one of their key Asian ports in the 1550s and conducted a huge amount of trade through Macau.
They had administrative control over the area from the mid-16th century until 1999, when it was handed back to China, and left behind beautiful buildings like the 16th-century Baroque church, St Dominic’s.
Impressive colonial-style administrative offices are strewn throughout the historic part of Macau, reflective of the era during which the Portuguese had control over the region.
The charming architecture makes this section of the top places to see in Macau if your interest is history.
The Macau Government Headquarters, pictured here, is the office of Macau’s Chief Executive.
Constructed in 1849, the elegant pink-and-white building was designed using the famous Pombaline style of Portuguese architecture commonly seen in the oldest parts of Lisbon and Porto.
It has been well preserved, as have many of the most significant Portuguese structures in Macau.
6- KUAN TAI TEMPLE
Kuan Tai is located in a small backstreet right near Senado Square.
Its traditional Chinese architecture contrasts with the Western buildings in this area, symbolising the way in which varied cultures existed peacefully in Macau for centuries.
Macau’s Chinese temples are open to the public, who are free to wander the grounds and admire their faded grandeur.
Incense smoke drifts through these religious structures as locals kneel in silent prayer and leave offerings to the Gods.
The interiors of Macau’s temples are particularly interesting, with intricately-carved woodwork, impressive statues and bright colours throughout.
The peace they offer can be a reprieve from the noise and crowds of the streets of Macau, which is one of the world’s most densely populated urban areas.
7- MANDARIN’S HOUSE
Just north of A-Ma temple is another of Macau’s key tourist attractions, Mandarin’s House.
Built about 150 years ago, the huge residential complex was the home of a revered Chinese writer, Zheng Guanying.
Tourists can inspect most of the 4000sqm building, which is predominantly Chinese in style but which incorporates some elements of Western architecture, such as its decorative motifs.
Its courtyards, overlooked by large windows, are especially attractive and a nice place to take a rest.
8- RUA DE FELICIDADE
North beyond Senado Square, the former Red Light district of Rua de Felicidade is one of the liveliest areas of the historical precinct.
With its weathered Chinese shophouses, their doors and windows painted bright red, this area has a unique appearance.
Having long shed off its seedy past, Rua de Felicidade now is populated with lots of small Chinese restaurants, several of which specialise in seafood, including the infamous delicacy Shark Fin Soup.
The Roasted Duck in this neighbourhood is spectacular, making it a perfect spot to have dinner and end your day exploring the Historic Centre of Macau.
9- GUIA LIGHTHOUSE
Macau attained UNESCO status because it was (and still is) a strategic maritime port.
Like most ports, Macau has a fort and lighthouse (situated on Guia Hill).
Guia Lighthouse is a historic star that has been featured on a set of stamps by Macao Post on 8 July 2015.
In recognition of the lighthouse’s 150th anniversary, Macao Post has released a special souvenir set of two stamps and a souvenir sheet with images of the lighthouse and view of Macau peninsula from the old Guia fortress.
The lighthouse is accessible by walking up a gentle rise on a landscaped hillside but there’s also a cable car to the summit.
It’s worth the effort as there are good views of Zhuhai in China and across the South China Sea to Hong Kong.
The fortress on Guia Hill (open from 8 am to 6 pm) was built between 1622 and 1638, after an unsuccessful attempt by the Dutch to take control of the small but strategic territory.
One of the buildings is a small chapel originally established by Clarist nuns who lived here before establishing the Convent of St. Clare.
Nearby, the lighthouse, built in 1864 was the first modern lighthouse to be constructed along the Chinese coastline.
It stands 91m high and the beam can be seen for 20 nautical miles on a clear evening and it’s one of the intriguing places to visit in Macau for nautical history.
Parts of Macau’s heritage heartland of narrow cobble-stoned streets resemble those back in Portugal.
Macau rose to fame as a trading port to export Asian goods to Europe. Its architecture is an attractive mosaic of Moorish buildings,
Chinese temples and European churches dating back to the 16th century.
10- MACAU’S INNER HARBOUR
Travessa do Mastro and Rua da Felicidade are lined with Chinese restaurants and is the ideal place to take a break from the rigors of sightseeing.
The trail winds its way to Rua do Almirante Sérgio. Pier 16 is a good place to view the protected Inner Harbour and the fishing boats that moor here in the waterway separating Macau to mainland China.
11- OPIUM HOUSE
Just off the main waterfront road is Opium House at 16 Praça de Ponte e Horta.
This warehouse was built in 1880 in an architectural style typical of the era.
Opium was only banned in 1946 and in 1996 the building was meticulously banned.
Close by is Praça de Ponte e Horta which is an open square along the Inner Harbour.
12- MACAU’S HANDOVER GIFTS MUSEUM
The Handover Gifts Museum of Macau commemorates the handover ceremony on 20th December 1999 when Macao was returned to China.
When Portugal formally conceded control of Macau to China, Macau’s residents were offered the opportunity to apply for Portuguese citizenship and move to Portugal.
Many stayed in Macau and the city has continued to prosper.
PLACES TO VISIT IN MACAU – COTAI STRIP
13- THE COTAI STRIP
Asia’s version of Las Vegas has its own Grand Canal, Rialto Bridge and Eiffel Tower.
Many of the attractions are truly spectacular and new resorts are popping up each year.
There are plenty of things to do in Macau for kids in Cotai, including Macau pools and water parks.
You could spend weeks exploring Macao’s hotels, resorts and entertainment precincts of The Cotai Strip.
There’s Wynn Macau, Venetian Macao, City of Dreams, Studio City and Sands Cotai Central, Galaxy and City of Dreams.
You could easily spend a few days bar hopping, clubbing, dining in fine restaurants, shopping and watching impressive floor shows (don’t miss The House of Dancing Water for spectacular special effects and acrobatic feats).
The free audio-visual entertainment is worth checking out too.
Wynn Macau has a nightly water show with 300 jets of water synchronised to music. The Dragon of Fortune in the Rotunda atrium is an impressive display of lighting and audio effects.
14- MACAU TOWER
Best place for a bird’s-eye view? Macau Tower’s Outdoor Observation Deck on Level 61 offers a fabulous view with a dash of adrenalin thrown in.
Adventure seekers will love climbing the mast, bungy jumping or walking around the outer perimeter of the tower (on a walkway 1.8m wide) and base jumping (leaping off the tower like a stuntman while attached to a wire cable).
Is anyone up for the thrill of bungy jumping in Macau?
GREEN PLACES TO VISIT IN MACAU
15- LOU LIM LEOC GARDEN
In a compact city like Macau, there’s nothing more precious than a Chinese garden.
The Lou Lim Leoc Garden is a beautiful spot to escape the bright lights and the crowds.
It’s a historic garden with ponds and pagodas.
Macau also has other lovely gardens where you can get away for some peace and tranquility.
16- CAMEOS GARDEN
Totter up to Camoes Garden, one of Macau’s venerable parks, and arguably the lungs of the city.
In the 18th century, this wooded refuge backed onto the residence of the British East India Company’s boss.
From the grotto, pathways entice you through spacious gardens, artfully outfitted in stone courtyards, tropical finery and towering Banyan trees.
For well over a century, Cameos Garden has been the go-to locale for residents to play checkers, take their caged birds for a walk, catch up with friends, and most importantly, to undertake their morning exercises.
An unmissable highlight is the mass assembly of tai chi groups, a pageant of poise, colour and grace. And the affectionate tai chi ladies will happily welcome to join in!
I dutifully did – and managed to disgrace myself in the process – by exposing my appalling lack of coordination.
I also chanced upon spirited old men, giving their feet a vigorous reflexology work-out on the purpose-built pathways of foot massage pebbles. One chirpy chap vigorously exercising looked all of 70 but turned out to be 88!
17- ST FRANCISCO GARDEN
The European influence on Macau’s peninsula is evident in the beautiful St Francisco Garden.
This intimate green space unfurls down a hill a few hundred metres behind the Wynn Macau Casino.
PLACES TO VISIT IN MACAU – TAIPA AND COLOANE
18- TAIPA VILLAGE
Taipa Village is a traditional village that has recently undergone a renaissance.
The main historic attraction is the Taipa Houses Museum, restored colonial homes that where you will get a real feel for how Portuguese families lived in the early 1900s.
19- COLOANE
Even though Macao is one of the fastest growing cities in Asia, there are still pockets of places to escape from the urban spread. Coloane is one such hideaway that remains unchanged by the passage of time.
About 100 years ago, Coloane was a den for pirates to hang out.
Then in 1910, the Portuguese drove the pirates out of the area and built the village square.
The centrepiece of Coloane Village is its baroque St. Francis Chapel, which is a charming reminder of the Portuguese era.
MOST PICTURESQUE PLACE TO VISIT IN MACAU
20- TRAVESSA DA PAIXÃO
For a picturesque place to take a photo next to the Ruins of St Paul’s look for the colourful pastel builtins in Travessa da Paixão.
You could easily imagine you’re somewhere in Europe here.
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