Walking Through Centuries of Stone and Narrow Lanes
Start in the Macau Peninsula, where the alleyways tighten and the architecture shifts between Portuguese pastels and Chinese temple eaves without warning. You'll pass through streets where the human density is almost tactile—this is a place packed with churches, temples, fortresses and other old buildings bearing an interesting mix of Portuguese and Chinese characteristics. The UNESCO World Heritage site designation means 25 buildings and sites within the area have been deemed to have cultural and historic significance, and many are adjacent to one another. The Sao Paulo Cathedral, the Fort and the Macau Museum can be visited individually even if you skip the formal Macau Heritage Walk circuit, and the narrow lanes themselves—hundreds of them forming a maze—are where locals conduct everyday business in ways that feel unchanged by centuries.
When the density becomes overwhelming, slip into one of several pretty gardens for breathing room. If you want to escape the core entirely, head south: Taipa Village and Coloane Village, previously inhabited by fishermen, offer colonial-era shops and houses along similarly narrow lanes, but with considerably fewer people.
Giant Pandas and Rare Animals in an Unlikely Setting
The Macao Giant Panda Pavilion in Coloane sits in the middle of Seac Pai Van Park and rewards the journey. Entry to both the park and the pavilion is free. The pavilion's four resident giant pandas draw visitors who may not have plans to traverse into Mainland China, and the park also houses red pandas, several simians, a flock of flamingoes, and other rare animals. An onsite gift shop sells panda memorabilia. Arrive around 11am—the pandas sleep later in the day and morning visits offer better viewing. You can reach the park via buses 15, 21A, 25, 26, 26A, 50, 59, and N3, with the bus stop located at the north side of the park.
Beaches, Water, and Islands Beyond the Peninsula
Macau's two beaches—Hac Sa (black sand) and Cheoc Van (bamboo bay)—sit on the southern side of Coloane island and are very popular, especially on weekends. If you prefer pools to sand, several public swimming pools dot Macau, and all high-end hotels have their own. The relatively rural islands of Taipa and Coloane also offer hiking and cycling opportunities. In Taipa, the two hills Taipa Grande and Taipa Pequena are the main spots for hiking trails, while a cycling track runs near Ocean Gardens and Avenida dos Jogos da Ásia Oriental da Taipa. Coloane is much more rural and mountainous, creating more opportunities for more serious hiking.
Statues, Architecture, and Unexpected Monuments
Watch for a statue of the Bodhisatta Avalokitesvara (known as kwoon yam in Cantonese) next to the sea near the Sands Casino and MGM Grand at the end of Dr. Carlos d' Assumpção Park. Despite being a Chinese deity, the statue is distinctly European in design and resembles the statues of the Virgin Mary you can find in Europe—a physical embodiment of the cultural fusion that defines Macau.
Height, Risk, and the Modern Macau Experience
At 233 metres, the bungy jump from Macau Tower offers the second highest jump in the world, maintained and operated by A.J. Hackett. If full free fall doesn't appeal, try the Sky jump—somewhat like a bungy but more protected and without the free fall—or the sky walk, a protected platform running around the circumference of the floor. Bouldering and sport climbing activities are also conducted at the tower's base. For a different kind of spectacle, the City of Dreams in Cotai hosts The House of Dancing Water, the world's most expensive theatre show, where the stage holds five Olympic swimming pools worth of water and ushers give the front rows towels.
Casinos and the Strip
The old casino area runs along the waterfront on the southern side of Macau Peninsula. The original Casino Lisboa is still worth a visit—its halls contain many original antiques on display from the private collection of gambling tycoon Stanley Ho. North of the Lisboa, a strip holds many smaller casinos, hotels, bars and restaurants, including several Portuguese ones. The Cotai Strip has become "The Las Vegas Strip of the East," anchored by the Venetian Macao, the largest casino in the world, which opened in August 2007, and the not-much-smaller City of Dreams, which followed in 2009. The Venetian features a Venice-styled shopping mall with canals running through it. There are also several casinos on Taipa, including the Altira Macau.
Begin planning your visit now—whether you come for the specific draw of a particular activity or simply to walk, eat, and observe at street level, Macau rewards both wandering and intention.