Camoes Garden and Grotto was long a wild tract of land under Portuguese rule. Eventually it became the homestead of a merchant who was famous for raising hundreds of doves that occupied the grounds. The garden's acreage was eventually given over to the public and named for the 16th-century poet, Luis de Camoes, who supposedly spent time in Macau finishing his epic poem Os Lusiadas while in exile from Portugal. His bust stands in the grotto and is one of the park's most scenic sights. Covering a sizable piece of land, the Camoes Garden and Grotto is a great place to spend an afternoon just ambling around the winding paths and exploring hidden corners. Sociable locals congregate in the central area, sporting caged birds of all kinds. The trees here provide welcome shade in the summer months or you can escape the sun in the Luis de Camoes Museum, also situated on... more >>

A-Ma Temple (媽閣廟) is the oldest Buddhist temple in Macau. Situated in the Barra District, at the base of Pehua Hill, the temple is dedicated to the god A-Ma (Mother and Queen of the Sea) after whom Macau or "Aomen" is also named. There are numerous legends about A-Ma, but the most popular is that she was a beautiful young girl from Fujian Province who saved a ship from sinking en route to Guangzhou. She vanished on return to Macau, and a temple was built at the spot where she later reappeared as a goddess. Parts of the temple are more than 600 years old and were built before the arrival of the Portuguese. Today, the temple complex consists of Ming dynasty shrines, prayer halls, pavilions and gardens creeping up the hillside. It is a working temple, both fascinating and atmospheric, and is particularly vibrant in April and May during the festival of A-Ma, when it bustles ... more >>

Hac Sa Beach (黑沙海灘or Black Sands Beach) is an enormous crescent-shaped beach on Coloane Island. It's considered to be the most poular beach in Macau and as the name implies, the sand is black (though much of the "native" sand has eroded into the sea and the city has replaced it with imported yellow sand). The water is relatively clean (the dark sand makes it look dirtier than it really is) for swimming. In addition to the sand and sea, Hac Sa offers man-made facilities for entertaining beach-goers. Adjacent to the beach is the Hac Sa Sports and Recreation Park, whose facilities include a pool, tennis courts, golf course and various other kinds of sporting and leisure fun. Macau guide | Macau attractions Macau flights | Macau hotels Macau on the China Travel Blog more >>

Kun Iam Tong Temple is one of Macau's most interesting temples. Dedicated to Kun Iam, Goddess of Mercy, the temple was first built in the 13th century, although the present building only dates back to 1627. Today, the temple complex houses pictures and scrolls dedicated to Buddha and Kun Iam. Beautiful terraced gardens abound with bird life while numerous fortunetellers divine the futures of temple visitors. It is a lively and active temple and a great place to do some people watching while enjoying the peninsula's atmosphere. The temple also has historical importance as the spot where the first Sino-American treaty was signed in 1844. The marble table on which the treaty was signed (declaring opium trade illegal) is on display. Macau guide | Macau attractions Macau flights | Macau hotels Macau on the China Travel Blog more >>

The only classical Chinese style gardens in the Hong Kong and Macau region, the Lou Lim Loc Gardens (盧廉若公園) are a harmonious and charming arrangement of pretty pavilions, delicate terraces, towers, ponds, bridges and winding corridors. The main body of the garden contains a zigzagging bridge, spectacular rockery, a secluded bamboo wood and miniature waterfall. Small paths meander through the rocks, and in summer the trees and plants flower while the garden's waterways can become completely obscured by lilies and beautiful lotus flowers in shades of pink and purple. Macau guide | Macau attractions Macau flights | Macau hotels Macau on the China Travel Blog more >>

The Macau Jockey Club's claim to fame is that it is one of the most high-tech racecourses in all Asia. Up to 18,000 guests can enjoy a flutter on the horses in the comfortable climes of the air-conditioned stands. Offering two race meets a week, the Macau Jockey Club is popular with Hong Kong punters who flock there when racetracks at home are closed. The club's stables can accommodate up to a thousand horses where guests can get a close up look before a race. Macau guide | Macau attractions Macau flights | Macau hotels Macau on the China Travel Blog more >>

The Macau Maritime Museum  (澳門港務局海事博物館) houses an interesting collection of maritime artifacts from throughout Macau's history. The huge Dragon Boat display is particularly enchanting. Dragon boats are tradtionally used in the annual Dragon Boat races which take place in early June. Exhibitions in the museum focus on maritime ethnology, history and technology. The musuem shows off sacred relics, clothing, scale models of dragon boats and the Macau landscape of yesteryear. In addition to these exhibitions, the museum is furnished with three aquariums representing the river, harbor and coral reef sub-aquatic environments. Next to the museum, tours of Macau Harbor are offered on a renovated junk. The trip lasts for 30 minutes and boats leave at various intervals throughout the day. The Maritime Museum stands opposite A-Ma Temple, and the two sites... more >>

Situated on a hill overlooking The Ruins of St. Paul's Cathedral, the Fortaleza do Monte (also known simply as Monte Forte) was built by the Jesuits at the same time as the Cathedral in order to protect the churchmen of St. Paul's from pirates. The fort later became a military base, equipped with facilities and ammunition for a two-year siege. It was only used in this way once—to repel the Dutch from the island in 1622. Today, the area consists of a public park, observatory and museum and affords great views over Macau. Macau guide | Macau attractions Macau flights | Macau hotels Macau on the China Travel Blog more >>

The Ruins of St. Paul's Cathedral (圣保罗大教堂) are Macau's most famous landmark. Atop one of the island's seven hills, this spectacular facade is a symbol of Macau and an image that was projected throughout China leading up to the hand-over in December 1999. St. Paul's Cathedral was first built in the 17th Century, with the design of an Italian Jesuit and the work of Japanese Christians. This mammoth and spectacular building dominated the city until 1835 when it was savagely destroyed by fire, sparing only the facade, the mosaic floor and stone steps approaching the building. The ruins of St. Paul's are still impressive and inspiring despite this destruction, and likely even more so as a result. The magnificent and delicately carved facade looms over visitors as they climb the steps. The facade depicts various scenes from Christianity, harmoniously combining the style which is t... more >>

San Antonio Church was the first Catholic Church in Macau. The existing building is not the original however, and this church is famous for having burned to the ground as many as three times. This modern building is dedicated to Saint Anthony (a military saint) and on 13th June each year a ceremony is held in which the Chairman of the Macau government devotes part of the military provisions of the area in memory of the saints. Be sure to stop by the Camoes Garden and Grotto if you're visiting the church. Macau guide | Macau flights | Macau hotels Macau on the China Travel Blog more >>