Taipa Houses-MuseumMUSEUM
(龍環葡韻住宅式博物館, Casa Museum da Taipa MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %853 2882 7103; Avenida da Praia, Carmo Zone, Taipa Village; adult/student MOP$5/2, child & senior free, Sun free; h10am-5.30pm Tue-Sun; g11, 15, 22, 28A, 30, 33, 34)
The pastel-coloured villas (c 1921) here were the summer residences of wealthy Macanese. House of the Regions of Portugal showcases Portuguese costumes. House of the Islands looks at the history of Taipa and Coloane, with displays on traditional industries, such as fishing and the manufacture of fireworks. Macanese House offers a snapshot of life in the early 20th century.
Museum of Taipa & Coloane HistoryMUSEUM
(路氹歷史館, Museu da História da Taipa e Coloane MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %853 2882 5361; Rua Correia da Silva, Taipa; adult/student MOP$5/2, child & senior free, Tue free; h10am-5.30pm Tue-Sun; g11, 15, 22, 28A, 30, 33, 34)
This museum has a display of excavated relics and other artefacts on the 1st floor, while the 2nd floor contains religious objects, handicrafts and architectural models.
Church of Our Lady of CarmelCHURCH
(Igreja de Nossa Senhora de Carmo; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Rue da Restauração, Taipa Village; g22, 28A, 26)
Built in 1885, this lovely yellow neoclassical church stands on a hill overlooking the harbour, scenic Taipa Village and the pastel-coloured Taipa Houses-Museum. On weekends, expect to see dozens of couples taking wedding photos here.
Chapel of St Francis XavierCHURCH
(聖方濟各教堂, Capela de São Francisco Xavier MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Rua do Caetano, Largo Eduardo Marques, Coloane; h10am-8pm; g15, 21A, 25, 26A)
This chapel built in 1928 contains paintings of the infant Christ with a Chinese Madonna, and other reminders of Christianity and colonialism in Asia. It’s a quirky place painted in yellow and embellished with red lanterns. In front of the chapel are a monument and fountain surrounded by four cannonballs that commemorate the successful – and final – routing of pirates in 1910.
Macau Giant Panda PavilionZOO
(大熊貓館, Pavihao do Panda Gigante de Macau GOOGLE MAP ; %853 2833 7676; www.macaupanda.org.mo; Seac Pai Van Park, Coloane; MOP$10; h10am-1pm & 2-5pm Tue-Sun; c; g15, 21A, 25, 26, 26A, 50)
Coloane offers a convenient and inexpensive opportunity to see pandas. The pair of cuddly ones are kept inside a purpose-built pavilion inside Seac Pai Van Park (石排灣郊野公園 GOOGLE MAP ; Estrada de Seac Pai Van; h8am-6pm Tue-Sun, aviary 9am-5pm Tue-Sun; g21A, 26A, 50). There are six hour-long viewing sessions daily, from 10am to 4pm. Other animals on display include peacocks, monkeys and a toucan.
A-Ma Statue & TempleMEMORIAL
(媽祖像及媽閣廟, Estátua da Deusa A-Ma GOOGLE MAP ; Estrada do Alto de Coloane; htemple 8am-7.30pm)
Atop Alto de Coloane (176m), this 20m-high white jade statue of the goddess who gave Macau its name was erected in 1998. It's the best part of a touristy 'cultural village', which also features Tian Hou Temple. A free bus runs from the A-Ma ornamental entrance gate (媽祖文化村石牌坊) on Estrada de Seac Pai Van (bus 21A, 25, 50) half-hourly from 8am to 6pm. You can also reach both by following the Coloane Trail (Trilho de Coloane) from Seac Pai Van Park.
Cheoc Van BeachBEACH
(竹灣海灘 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Estrada de Cheoc Van; g21A, 25, 26A)
About 1.5km down Estrada de Cheoc Van, which runs east and then southeast from Coloane village, is the beach at Cheoc Van (Bamboo Bay). It's smaller but somewhat cleaner than Hác Sá beach. There are changing rooms and toilets and, in season, lifeguards on duty (from 10am to 6pm Monday to Saturday, from 9am to 6pm Sunday, May to October). There's also a large public outdoor pool.
The Islands – Coloane
1Sights
1Chapel of St Francis XavierB2
2Cheoc Van BeachC2
4Sleeping
3Pousada de Juventude de Cheoc VanD3
5Eating
4Café Nga TimB2
5Lord Stow's BakeryB1
2Activities
While Macau is no adventure paradise, it offers a taste of everything from spectator sport to extreme sport. For more ways to get those endorphins flowing, visit www.iacm.gov.mo (click ‘Municipal Facilities’).
Guia Hill Hiking CircuitHIKING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP )
There are two trails on Guia Hill in central Macau Peninsula that are good for a stroll or jog. The Walk of 33 Curves (1.7km) circles the hill; inside this loop is the shorter Fitness Circuit Walk, with 20 exercise stations. You can access these by the Guia cable car.
Coloane TrailHIKING
Coloane’s (and Macau’s) longest trail, the 8100m Trilho de Coloane, begins in the mid-section of Estrada do Alto de Coloane and winds around the island. (To get there, take bus 21A and get off at stop Estrata do Campo, then enter Estrata Militar across the road; after 600m, turn right.) You can make a detour to Alto de Coloane (170m) to see the A-Ma Statue.
The shorter Coloane Northeast Trail (Trilho Nordeste de Coloane), near Ká Hó, runs for 3km. Other trails that offer good hiking include the 1.5km-long Altinho de Ká Hó Trail and the 1.5km-long Circuito da Barragem de Hác Sá, which both loop around the reservoir to the northwest of Hác Sá beach.
COLOANE'S STILT HOUSES
Macau was a fishing village before gambling was legalised in the mid-19th century. Now the only vestiges of that idyllic past are found in Coloane.
Along the coastline, on Rua dos Navegantes in Coloane's old fishing village, there are a few stilt houses and shipyards. These huts of colourful corrugated metal, extending like chunky chopsticks out into the harbour, were once landing spots for houseboats. A couple have been turned into dried seafood shops, such as Loja de Peixe Tong Kei (棠記魚舖) at Largo do Cais, the square just off the charming old pier of Coloane.
From the square, take the slope to the right of the Servicos de Alfangega building. After two minutes, you'll see the cavernous cadaver of a shipyard, also on stilts.
TTours
Gray LineTOURS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %853 2833 6611; www.grayline.com.hk; Room 1015, ground fl, Macau Ferry Terminal; 10hr tour adult/child 3-11yr MOP$1275/1200 incl ferry ticket to Hong Kong)
Quality tours organised by the Macau Government Tourist Office and tendered to agents take around 10 hours.
zFestivals & Events
The blend of Cantonese and Portuguese culture and religious occasions creates an unusual and intriguing succession of holidays and festivals in Macau; Chinese festivals usually fall on dates in the lunar calendar. See the directory for the full list of other festivals and events in China, many of which are also celebrated in Macau.
Feast of the Drunken DragonCULTURAL
(hMay or Jun)
One of Macau's most unique festivals, on the evening of the eighth day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar (in May or June), local fishmongers and fishermen perform drunken dances with a wooden dragon and parade through the streets distributing free 'longevity rice'.
Procession of Our Lady of FatimaRELIGIOUS
(hMay)
A celebration of Macau's Portuguese heritage, this event draws thousands of Catholics into the streets, where they parade from St Domingo's to Penha Chapel in honour of a 1917 sighting of the Virgin Mary in Portugal.
Macau Formula 3 Grand PrixSPORTS
(%853 2855 5555; www.macau.grandprix.gov.mo; hNov)
Macau's biggest sporting event of the year is held in the third week of November.
CONFUCIANISM VERSUS CATHOLICISM
As the Portuguese lost ground to the Dutch and English in trade, religious infighting weakened the status of Macau as a Christian centre. In what came to be known as the Rites Controversy, the Jesuits maintained that central aspects of Chinese belief – such as ancestor worship and Confucianism – were not incompatible with the Christian faith. The Dominicans and Franciscans, equally well represented in Macau, disagreed. It took an edict by Pope Clement XI in 1715 condemning the rites as idolatrous to settle the matter and
this stopped further missionary expansion into China.
4Sleeping
The Macau Peninsula has a range of accommodation, from dated-but-serviceable business hotels at low price points to international luxury brands. Cotai has scads of brand-new casino hotels, many offering excellent weekday deals. Coloane is home to a handful of beachy inns and the city's two hostels.
All rooms listed here have air-conditioning and bathroom unless otherwise stated. Most midrange and top-end hotels have shuttle buses from the ferry terminal.
Macau Peninsula
Cheap guesthouses occupy central Macau, on and around Rua das Lorchas and Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro, with options aplenty on Rua da Felicidade (Street of Happiness), whose shuttered terraces were once Macau’s main red-light district (scenes from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom were shot here). The high-end casino hotels generally occupy the southeast and the centre of town.
San Va HospedariaGUESTHOUSE$
(新華大旅店 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %853 2857 3701, reservations 853 8210 0193; www.sanvahotel.com; 65-67 Rua da Felicidade; d MOP$220-620, tw MOP$360-620, tr MOP$450-650; g3, 6, 26A)
Built in 1873, San Va, with its green partitions and retro tiles, is about the cheapest and most atmospheric lodging in town – Wong Kar-wai filmed parts of 2046 here. However, it’s also very basic, with shared bathrooms and no air-conditioning (just fans).
o5Footway InnINN$$
(五步廊旅舍 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %853 2892 3118; www.5footwayinn.com; 8 Rua de Constantino Brito; d/tr from MOP$1400/2200; naW; g1, 2, 10, 5, 7)
This Singapore-owned accommodation converted from a love motel has 23 small clean rooms, vibrant paintings in communal areas and excellent English-speaking staff. Rates include a self-service breakfast. It's opposite the Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16, which means you can take the latter's free shuttle buses to and from the ferry terminal.
oPousada de Mong HáINN$$
(澳門望厦迎賓館 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %853 2851 5222; www.ift.edu.mo; Colina de Mong Há; r MOP$700-1300, ste MOP$1300-1800; naiW; g5, 22, 25)
Sitting atop Mong Há Hill near the ruins of a fort built in 1849 is this Portuguese-style inn run by students at the Institute for Tourism Studies. Rooms are well appointed, with some having computers, and the service is attentive. Rates include breakfast. Discounts of 25% to 40% midweek and in low season.
Pousada de São TiagoHISTORIC HOTEL$$$
(聖地牙哥古堡 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %853 2837 8111; www.saotiago.com.mo; Fortaleza de São Tiago da Barra, Avenida da República; ste MOP$2800-5400; naiWs; g6, 9, 28B)
Built into the ruins of the 17th-century Barra Fort, the landmark São Tiago is the most romantic place to stay in Macau. No other hotel has such a rich history. All 12 rooms are elegantly furnished suites. Discounts of up to 35% in low season. The restaurant, La Paloma, serves elegant modern Spanish food.
Mandarin OrientalLUXURY HOTEL$$$
(文華東方 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %853 8805 8888; www.mandarinoriental.com/macau; Avenida Dr Sun Yat Sen, Novos Aterros do Porto Exterior; r from MOP$3000, ste from MOP$4800; naiWs)
A great high-end option, the Mandarin has everything associated with the brand: elegance, superlative service, comfortable rooms and excellent facilities. Though relatively small, it’s a refreshing contrast to the glitzy casino hotels.
The Islands
Almost all the hotels in Cotai are part of casino complexes. Some are tacky and flashy, while others are as elegant as you'll find anywhere. Prices vary vastly; you can often find incredible midweek deals, while prices during Lunar New Year and other high-season times can quadruple.
Coloane offers some solid budget options, including two HI-affiliated hostels.
Banyan TreeLUXURY HOTEL$$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %853 8883 8833; www.banyantree.com/en/macau; Galaxy, Avenida Marginal Flor de Lotus, Cotai; ste MOP$2880-63,800, villas MOP$23,600-35,100; g25, 25X)
One of three hotels at the Galaxy Macau, this extravagant resort recreates tropical-style luxury in Macau. All 10 villas come with private gardens and swimming pools, while the suites have huge baths set by the window. If you need more pampering, there’s a spa with state-of-the-art facilities.
OkuraHOTEL$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %853 8883 8883; www.hotelokuramacau.com; Galaxy, Avenida Marginal Flor de Lotus, Cotai; r MOP$1000-5600, ste MOP$3000-20,000; g25, 26A)
In the Galaxy Macau, this Japanese hotel offers attentive service and subdued luxury for a price that tends to be among the area's most reasonable. Rooms are large and bathrooms are even larger, complete with heated Japanese toilet seats and free-standing tubs with televisions.
Pousada de Juventude de Cheoc VanHOSTEL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %853 2888 2024; Rua de António Francisco, Coloane; dm/tw from MOP$100/160; aW; g21A, 25, 26A)
This government-run, beachside hostel is excellent value, but conditions apply. You'll need to book at least a week in advance and own an International Youth Card, International Youth Hostel Card or similar. It's closed to tourists in July and August. Don't expect much of a social vibe – most of the guests here are local or Chinese school groups.
PRICE RANGES
SLEEPING
Breakfast is usually included in the rates for hotels marked $$ and $$$.
$ under MOP$700
$$ MOP$700-2000
$$$ over MOP$2000
EATING
$ less than MOP$200
$$ MOP$200-400
$$$ more than MOP$400
5Eating
Browse a typically Macanese menu and you’ll find an enticing stew of influences from Chinese and Asian cuisines, as well as from those of former Portuguese colonies in Africa, India and Latin America, and from Portugal itself. Coconut, tamarind, chilli, jaggery (palm sugar) and shrimp paste can all feature. While Macau’s Chinese cuisine is excellent, most people come here to sample Macanese or Portuguese food.
Macau Peninsula
oLung Wah Tea HouseCANTONESE$
(龍華茶樓 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %853 2857 4456; 3 Rua Norte do Mercado Aim-Lacerda; dim sum from MOP$14, tea MOP$10, meals MOP$50-180; h7am-2pm; c; g23, 32)
There’s grace in the retro furniture and the casual way it’s thrown together in this airy Cantonese teahouse (c 1963). Take a booth by the windows overlooking the Red Market, where the teahouse buys its produce every day. There’s no English menu; just point and take. Lung Wah sells a fine array of Chinese teas.
Nga HeongBURMESE$
(雅馨緬甸餐廳 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %853 2855 2711; 27 Rua de Fernao Mendes Pinto; mains MOP$25-45; h7.30am-6.30pm; g23, 32)
In Macau's Three Lamps district, an area known for its Burmese immigrants, this popular two-floor greasy spoon dishes out home-style Burmese classics like coconut chicken noodles, braised pig ear salad and shrimp paste–fragrant greens. There's an English menu with pictures.
oClube Militar de MacauPORTUGUESE$$
(陸軍俱樂部 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %853 2871 4000; 975 Avenida da Praia Grande; meals MOP$150-400; h1.45-2.30pm & 7-10.30pm Mon-Fri, noon-2.30pm & 7-10pm Sat & Sun; g6, 28C)
Housed in a distinguished colonial building, with fans spinning lazily above, the Military Club takes you back in time to a slower and quieter Macau. The simple and delicious Portuguese fare is complemented by an excellent selection of wine and cheese from Portugal. The MOP$153 buffet is excellent value. Reservations are required for dinner and weekend lunches.
oGuincho a GaleraPORTUGUESE$$$
(葡囯餐廳 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %853 8803 7676; www.hotelisboa.com; 3rd fl, Hotel Lisboa, 2-4 Avenida de Lisboa; meals MOP$550-1800; hnoon-2.30pm & 6.30-10.30pm; g3, 10)
The international branch of Portugal's famous Fortaleza do Guincho, this luxuriously decorated restaurant brings Portuguese haute cuisine to Macau. The menu features well-executed classical dishes, with a couple of Macanese additions. Set meals are available at lunch (from MOP$310) and dinner (from MOP$630).
Robuchon au DômeFRENCH$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %853 8803 7878;
www.grandlisboahotel.com; 43rd fl, Grand Lisboa Hotel, Avenida de Lisboa; lunch/dinner set menu from MOP$598/1688; hnoon-2.30pm & 6.30-10.30pm; g3, 10)
Encased in a glass dome, this is arguably the most tastefully decorated of the casino restaurants. And as one of two Macau restaurants with three Michelin stars, it has everything you’d associate with the celebrated Robuchon name: fine decor, exquisite Gallic creations and impeccable service. The wine cellar with 8000 bottles is one of the best in Asia.
The Islands
oTai Lei LoiCHINESE$
(大利来 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %853 2882 7150; www.taileiloi.com.mo; 42 Rua dos Clérigos, Taipa Village; buns MOP$40; h8am-6pm; c; g22, 26)
South China's most famous pork-chop bun is made here – a shop founded in 1960 as a street stall by the mother of the current owner. Succulent slices of pork (or slivers of fish) are coupled with warm, chewy buns that emerge from the oven daily at 2pm sharp.
Lonely Planet China Page 110
