Discover 35 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Macau (China). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Macau Fisherman's Wharf, Macau Tower, and Ruins of St. Paul's. Also, be sure to include Rua do Cunha in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Macau (Macau).
Table of Contents
Macau Fisherman's Wharf
Also known as: 澳門漁人碼頭
Theme park and shopping complex. The Macau Fisherman's Wharf is an integrated waterfront, hotel, convention, dining, retail and entertainment complex in Sé, Macau, China.[1]
Address: Outer Harbor, Macau
Macau Tower
Also known as: 澳門旅遊塔會展娛樂中心
Tower with a revolving restaurant and more. The Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Center, also known as Macau Tower, is a tower located in Sé, Macau. The tower measures 338 m in height from ground level to the highest point. Its observation deck features views, restaurants, theaters, shopping malls and the Skywalk X, a walking tour around the outer rim. It offers the best view of Macau and in recent years has been used for a variety of adventurous activities. At 233 meters, the Macau Tower's tethered "skyjump" and Bungee jump by AJ Hackett from the tower's outer rim, is the highest commercial skyjump in the world, and is also the second highest commercial decelerator descent facility in the world, after Vegas' Stratosphere skyjump at 252 meters.
The tower was created by Moller Architects and is one of the members of the World Federation of Great Towers. In addition to observation and entertainment, the tower is also used for telecommunications and broadcasting. It and the Grand Lisboa hotel are the most recognizable landmarks of the Macau skyline.[2]
Address: South Bay New Reclamation Area, Macau
Ruins of St. Paul's
Also known as: 大三巴牌坊
Iconic church facade and religious museum. The Ruins of Saint Paul's are the ruins of a 17th-century Catholic religious complex in Santo António, Macau, China. They include what was originally St. Paul's College and the Church of St. Paul also known as "Mater Dei", a 17th-century Portuguese church dedicated to Saint Paul the Apostle. Today, the ruins are one of Macau's best known landmarks and one of the Seven Wonders of Portuguese Origin in the World. In 2005, they were officially listed as part of the Historic Centre of Macau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[3]
Address: Rua de Sao Paulo, Macau
Rua do Cunha
Also known as: 官也街
Street in Macau. Rua do Cunha is a narrow pedestrian street in Vila da Taipa, the town centre of Taipa, Macau. It is wrong to say that the street is named after the Portuguese explorer Tristão da Cunha. According to the government of Macau, the street is named after Pedro Alexandrino da Cunha, a Portuguese navy captain who was the 81st governor of Macau for a few more days than a month. He arrived in Macau in 1850 and he died 37 days later from cholera, being one of the first victims of the disease in Macau.
It is known for shops selling almond cakes, phoenix egg rolls, coconut flakes, cherikoff, and peanut candy, which travellers buy as "souvenirs", such as Choi Heong Yuen (Chinese: 咀香園) and Koi Kei (Chinese: 鉅記). It is also known for its various Portuguese restaurants, including 'O Santos', which has been in business for 20 years, and 'O Galo'.[4]
Museum of Macau
Also known as: 澳門博物館
Stately museum with cultural displays. The Macau Museum is located on the hill of the Fortaleza do Monte in Santo António, Macau, China. The museum presents the history of the city and territory of the former Portuguese colony of Macau, now a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.
Planning for the museum started in April 1995, its construction began in September 1996. The museum was inaugurated on 18 April 1998. The museum building is located within the interior of the Fortaleza do Monte. Its total size is about 2,800 m2, with around 2,100 m2 of exhibition space.[5]
Address: No.112 Museum Qiandi, Macau
A-Ma Temple
Also known as: 媽祖閣
Long-standing, 15th-century temple. The A-Ma Temple is a temple to the Chinese sea-goddess Mazu located in São Lourenço, Macau, China. Built in 1488, the temple is one of the oldest in Macau and thought to be the settlement's namesake.[6]
Address: Barra Square, Macau
Galaxy Macau
Also known as: 澳門銀河
Casino in Cotai, Macau. Galaxy Macau is a casino resort located in Cotai, Macau, SAR of People's Republic of China. Construction on the Cotai project began in 2002. Its opening was rescheduled several times. Its developer, Galaxy Entertainment Group, announced on 10 March 2011 that the HKD 14.9 billion resort would officially open on 15 May 2011. The resort is designed by Gary Goddard. The resort currently consists of five different hotels, each with its own 'theme', Galaxy Macau, Banyan Tree, Hotel Okura, The Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott.[7]
Address: Macau, Galaxy Macau™ Resort, Cotai Strip, Macau, China
Grand Lisboa
Also known as: 澳門新葡京酒店
Hotel in Macau. Grand Lisboa is a 47-floor, 261-metre-tall hotel in Sé, Macau. It is owned by Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau and designed by Hong Kong architects Dennis Lau and Ng Chun Man with the interiors created by Khuan Chew, Design Principal of KCA International. Its casino and restaurants were opened on February 11, 2007, while the hotel was opened in December 2008. The casino offers 800 gaming tables and 1,000 slot machines. The hotel contains 430 hotel rooms and suites. The Grand Lisboa is the tallest building in Macau and the most distinctive part of its skyline.
The casino is the first in Macau to offer Texas hold 'em poker ring games. It was also the first to offer craps, though several other casinos in Macau now offer the game.
In 2017 it was reported that the Grand Lisboa suffered a decline in revenue and profits during 2016.[8]
Address: Avenida De Lisboa, Macau
The Venetian Macao
Also known as: 澳門威尼斯人
Luxe palatial resort with pools and dining. The Venetian Macao is a luxury hotel and casino resort in Macau owned by the American Las Vegas Sands company. The 39-story structure on Macau's Cotai Strip has 10,500,000-square-foot of floor space, and is modeled on its sister casino resort The Venetian Las Vegas. It is the second-largest casino in the world, the largest single structure hotel in Asia, and the seventh-largest building in the world by floor area.
The main hotel tower was finished in July 2007, and the resort officially opened on 28 August 2007. It has 3,000 suites, 1,200,000 sq ft (110,000 m2) of convention space, 1,600,000 sq ft (150,000 m2) of retail space, and 550,000 square feet (51,000 m2) of casino space (with 3,400 slot machines, 800 gambling tables), and the 15,000-seat Cotai Arena for entertainment and sports events.
Its lead architects were Aedas and HKS, Inc. who were responsible for its design, coordination and implementation.[9]
MGM Macau
Also known as: 澳門美高梅
Hotel in Macau. MGM Macau is a 35-story, 600-room casino resort in Sé, Macau. Under a sub concession approved by the Macau government, the project is owned and operated as a 50–50 joint venture between MGM Resorts International and Pansy Ho, daughter of Macau casino magnate Stanley Ho. The sub-concession is one of several examples of new casino construction following the end of the government-granted monopoly held for decades by Stanley Ho.[10]
The Londoner Macao
Also known as: 金沙城中心
Shopping mall in Cotai, Macao. The Londoner Macao is a casino resort on the Cotai Strip, Macau. On 5 August 2011, Sands China announced that the $4 billion property, long referred to as parcels five and six, would be officially named Sands Cotai Central. The first portion of the resort opened on 11 April 2012. The resort was rebranded as The Londoner Macao in 2021.[11]
Address: Macau, Cotai Strip
Fortaleza do Monte
Also known as: 大炮台
17th-century fort with a rooftop park. Fortaleza do Monte is a fort in Santo António in Macau. It is the historical military centre of Macau. The fort forms part of the "Historic Centre of Macau" and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The fort was built between 1617 and 1626 on the 52-metre tall Mount Hill, located directly east of the Ruins of Saint Paul's. It was constructed to protect the properties of the Jesuits (mainly Portuguese Jesuits) in Macau, especially from pirates. Later, the fort was taken over by the Portuguese colonial governor and the relevant authorities for the defence of Macau.
The fort occupies an area of roughly 8,000 square metres. Thirty-two muzzle-loading cannon were placed around the fort's walls, and the two corners of the southeastern fort wall have small watchtowers. The fort proved crucial in successfully holding off the attempted Dutch invasion of Macau in 1622.
The fort remained a restricted military area until 1965 when the barracks in the fort were converted into a weather observatory and the fort was opened to the public. The observatory ceased its function and was relocated to Taipa in 1996 before it was demolished to make way for the Museum of Macau, which was officially opened on 19 April 1998. The tree-covered park at the top of the fort has a panoramic view of the mainland area of Macau.
Apart from being a fortress, it has served various functions:
- The first residence of the governors of Macau (in 1623 and in 1740).
- The base for two companies of the Portuguese Prince Regent Battalion to act as a police force from 1810 to 1841.
- A weather observatory of the Meteorological Department of Portuguese Macau (from 1966 to 1996).
- The Museum of Macau (1998 to present).
Address: Off Estrada do Repouso, Macau
Senado Square
Also known as: 議事亭前地
Public square with shopping and dining. The Senado Square, or Senate Square, is a paved town square in Sé, Macau, China and part of the UNESCO Historic Centre of Macau World Heritage Site. It is an elongated triangular shaped square and connects Largo do São Domingos at one end and Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro on the other. It covers an area of 3,700 square meters[13]
Address: Central District of Macau Peninsula, Macau
City of Dreams Casino
Also known as: 新濠天地
Shopping mall in Cotai, Macau. City of Dreams is a casino resort in Cotai, Macau, SAR of People's Republic of China. Built, owned and managed by Melco Resorts & Entertainment, the resort, also known as CoD or CoD Macau, opened on June 1, 2009. Described as a "mega-casino" by The Guardian, in 2020 City of Dreams was the third-largest casino in the world. In total the property comprises three separate casinos, four hotels, five hotel towers, around 2,270 total hotel rooms, around 30 restaurants and bars, and 175,000 square feet of retail space.[14]
Address: Macau, Estrada do Istmo
Wynn Macau
Also known as: 永利澳門
Hotel in Macau. Wynn Macau is a luxury hotel and casino resort in the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China with two towers containing a total of 1,008 rooms and suites, approximately 273,000 square feet of casino space, over 59,000 square feet of retail space, eight casual and fine dining restaurants, two spas, a salon and a pool.
Wynn Macau is operated by international resort developer Wynn Resorts.
Wynn Macau opened on 6 September 2006 and its second tower, Encore, opened on 21 April 2010.[15]
Guia Fortress
Also known as: 東望洋炮台
The Guia Fortress is a 17th-century colonial military fort, chapel, and lighthouse complex in São Lázaro, Macau. The complex is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Centre of Macau.
The view of the fortress and the lighthouse has been blocked by the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region since 2010. Local citizens and scholars criticize such case proved that the Macao government had ignored the conservation of heritage in urban planning.[16]
Address: Top of Dongwangyang Mountain, Wangdetang District, Macau
L'Arc Macau
The L'Arc Macau is a hotel and casino in Sé, Macau, China.
The casino and hotel is 53 floors, has 283 rooms, and is located across from the Wynn Hotel and Casino. The architecture is Portuguese-influenced, with a distinctively large pot of gold in its lobby.[17]
Address: Avenida 24 de Junho, NAPE, Macau
Studio City
Also known as: 新濠影滙
Hotel in Cotai, Macau. Studio City is a hotel casino resort on the Cotai Strip in Cotai, Macau. The Hollywood studio-themed leisure resort is the first in Asia to integrate television and film production facilities, retail, gaming and hotels. It is majority-owned by Melco Resorts & Entertainment and its subsidiary Studio City International Holdings Limited, Its two towers are connected by the world’s first and highest figure-8 ferris wheel.[18]
Address: Macau, Estr. Flor de Lotus
St. Dominic's Church
Also known as: 玫瑰堂
Baroque church established in 1587. Saint Dominic's Church is a late 16th-century Baroque-style church that serves within the Cathedral Parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Macau. It is in the peninsular part of the city at the Largo de São Domingos, near the Leal Senado Building.
It was finished in 1587 and overseen by three Spanish Dominican priests. Due to renovations and reconstruction, the current structure dates from the early 17th century. It is one of 29 sites forming the Historic Centre of Macau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[19]
Address: Largo de São Domingos, Macau
Red market
Also known as: 提督街市
The Red Market, officially Almirante Lacerda Market is a three-story wet market building in Santo António, Macau, China.[20]
Address: Macau, Avenida do Almirante Lacerda
Sands Macau
Also known as: 澳門金沙
Hotel in Macau. Sands Macao is a hotel and casino resort located in Sé, Macau, SAR - China. It is owned and operated by the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, and was designed by Steelman Partners, LLP. It comprises a 229,000 square feet casino, and a 289-suite hotel.
Las Vegas Sands chairman Sheldon Adelson has said that his company will soon be a mainly Chinese enterprise, and that Las Vegas should be called "America's Macau". The president and chief operating officer of Las Vegas Sands Corporation predicted on February 12, 2007 that Macau's gaming revenue has topped that of the Las Vegas Strip and will more than double again by 2010.[21]
Address: Av. Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, Macau
Hotel Lisboa
Also known as: 澳門葡京酒店
Casino in the Municipality of Macau, Macao. Casino Lisboa is a hotel casino in Sé, Macau, owned by the Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau, a Stanley Ho company. This three-storey complex was built in late 1960s.
The original casino and the 12-storey round hotel tower were built in 1970 by Stanley Ho, Teddy Yip, Yip Hon and Henry Fok. A 270-room extension was added in 1991 for a total of 927 rooms. In 2006, another extension, the Grand Lisboa, was built next to the current complex. Therefore, a total of 2,362 rooms are in place in Hotel Lisboa as of 2010. This expansion was partly done in competition with the newly opened Wynn Macau, located right next to the original Casino Lisboa.[22]
Address: 2 Avenida de Lisboa, Macau, Macau
Altira Macau
Also known as: 新濠鋒酒店
Resort in Macau. Altira Macau, formerly known as Crown Macau, is a resort and casino located at Taipa, Macau, SAR China. The change of name were caused by the opening of Crown Towers Macau in June 2009 as part of the City of Dreams development. It contains 220 gaming tables, 500 gaming machines, and 216 guest rooms. With 38 floors at a height of 160 meters, Altira Macau is the highest building in Taipa.[23]
Address: Macau, Altira Macau, Avenida de Kwong Tung
Sun Yat Sen Memorial House
Also known as: 澳門國父紀念館
Museum in Macau. Sun Yat Sen Memorial House or Memorial House of Dr. Sun Yat Sen is a museum located in São Lázaro, Macau, China where former family members and relatives of Sun Yat-sen, the 'Father of Modern China' used to live. The House bears witness to his short but significant stay in Macau in the early 20th century where Macau serve as the starting point for Dr. Sun's travels around the world; it also act as an important venue in which he conducted revolutionary activities and finally as the ideal place he chose to settle his family in later years.[24]
Address: Rua de Silva Mendes, Macau
Taipa House Museum
Also known as: 龍環葡韻住宅式博物館
Museum in Macau. The Taipa Houses–Museum is housed in a set of old houses in Taipa, Macau, China.
The museum complex consists of five houses, of which four display various artefacts and exhibits on life during Macau's colonial era while another serves as an event venue. The houses were built in 1921. These colonial residences were restored to recreate houses of well-off Portuguese families living in Macau during the first half of the 20th century. The last house was restored in 1999. The Taipa Houses–Museum opened on 5 December 1999 and is administered by the Macau Civil and Municipal Affairs Bureau.
The houses used to look out over the sea, but due to land reclamation of the Cotai area between Taipa and Coloane. This body of water is now a small wetland.
Every autumn, the Cultural Affairs Bureau organises the Lusofonia Festival at the open space outside the museums.[25]
Address: Avenida da Praia, Macau (氹仔)
Leal Senado Building
Also known as: 民政總署大樓
The Leal Senado Building was the seat of Portuguese Macau's government. It is located at one end of the Senado Square in São Lourenço, Macau, China. The title was bestowed on Macau's government in 1810 by Portugal's Prince Regent João, who later became King John VI of Portugal. This was a reward for Macau's loyalty to Portugal, which refused to recognise Spain’s sovereignty during the Philippine Dynasty that it occupied Portugal, between 1580 and 1640. A plaque ordered by the king commemorating this can still be seen inside the entrance hall.
It currently houses Macau's Municipal Affairs Bureau.[26]
Address: Macau, No. 163 Avenidade Almeida Ribeiro
Maritime Museum
Also known as: 海事博物館
Museum. The Maritime Museum is a museum in São Lourenço, Macau, China.[27]
Address: 1 Largo do Pagode da Barra, Macau
Penha Church
Also known as: 西望洋聖堂
Church. The Our Lady of Penha Chapel is a church in Penha Hill, São Lourenço, Macau, China.[28]
Address: Calcada da Penha, Macau
Macau Museum of Art
Also known as: 澳門藝術博物館
Museum in the Municipality of Macau, Macao. The Macau Museum of Art is an art museum in Sé, Macau, China.[29]
Address: Macao Culture Centre, Av. Xian Xing Hai S/N NAPE, Macau
Macau Science Center
Also known as: 澳門科學館
Modern space center with a planetarium. The Macao Science Center also known as Macau Science Center is a science center in Sé, Macau, China.
The main building has a distinctive, asymmetrical, conical shape with a spiral walkway and a large atrium inside. Galleries lead off the walkway, mainly consisting of interactive exhibits aimed at science education.
There is also a planetarium with 3D projection facilities and Omnimax films.
The building is in a prominent position by the sea and is now a landmark of Macau. It is visible when arriving on the ferry from Hong Kong.[30]
Address: Macau, Avenida Dr. Sun Yat-Sen
Ponte 16
Also known as: 澳門十六浦度假村
Hotel. Ponte 16 Resort Macau is located in Santo António, Macau, is a hotel and casino resort co-developed by SJM Investment Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sociedade de Jogos de Macau (in turn, a subsidiary of Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau, which owns 51% of the project, and Macau Success Limited which owns 49% of the project. The resort opened on 1 February 2008.[31]
Address: Macau, Santo António, Macau
The Parisian Macao
Also known as: 澳門巴黎人
Hotel. The Parisian Macao is a casino resort on the Cotai Strip in Cotai, Macau, China owned by Las Vegas Sands, which features a half-scale Eiffel Tower as one its landmarks. It was originally expected to be operational in late 2015, with that later changed to August 2016. The hotel officially opened on 13 September 2016.[32]
Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady
Also known as: 聖母誕辰主教座堂
Cathedral in the Municipality of Macau, Macao. The Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady also Sé Catedral da Natividade de Nossa Senhora and Igreja da Sé is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Sé, Macau. It is the current cathedral of the Diocese of Macau. The cathedral is also called the "Church of the Nativity of Our Lady".
The cathedral is included in the list of historical monuments of the Historic Centre of Macau, which in turn is included in the list of World Heritage Sites in China.[33]
Address: Largo da Se, Macau
Our Lady of Carmel Church
Also known as: 嘉模聖母堂
Catholic church. The Our Lady of Carmel Church is a church located on the island of Taipa, Macau, China.[34]
Address: Zijiamo Qiandi, Macau (氹仔)
Sai Van Lake
Lake in Macau. Sai Van Lake is a man-made lake in Sé, Macau. It is one of two man made lakes in Macau. It is located at the southern tip of Macau Peninsula.
The lake was once a bay and closed off by infill. Sai Van means West Bay. Sai Van Lake is separated with Nam Van Lake by Avenida Dr Stanley Ho.[35]
Address: Avenida da Republica, Macau