Free things to do · Macau · China
13 free things to do in Macau
Macau without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
You can fill at least 4 days in Macau without paying an entry fee: Ruins of St. Paul's, Senado Square, A-Ma Temple and Guia Fortress and Lighthouse are all free. The Historic Centre's churches, temples, squares and many small museums are free.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 13
- Low-cost extras
- 3
- Cost level
- Moderately priced
- Lowest hotel prices
- January, March–April, June and September
Free sights and experiences
Historic site · Senado Square and the Historic Centre
1.Ruins of St. Paul's
Come before 9am or after dark, when the façade is lit up and the steps are far less crowded.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
- After dark
Landmark · Senado Square and the Historic Centre
2.Senado Square
Step inside the Leal Senado building to see its tiled staircase and small garden, which most people walk past.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Religious site · Barra and the Inner Harbour
3.A-Ma Temple
Visit early in the morning, when worshippers light incense and the coach tours have not yet arrived.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Iconic
- Photo spot
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Historic site · Guia Hill
4.Guia Fortress and Lighthouse
Ride the small cable car from Flora Garden up, then walk down through the shaded hillside paths.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Views
- Free
- Off the beaten path
Neighbourhood · Taipa Village
5.Taipa Village and the Taipa Houses
Skip the free samples on Rua do Cunha, then have lunch at one of the Portuguese restaurants in the side streets.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Free
- Architecture
- Couples
- Photo spot
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Neighbourhood · Coloane Village
6.Coloane Village
Buy egg tarts warm from the bakery and eat them on the benches by the chapel square.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Free
- Off the beaten path
- Couples
Architecture · Cotai Strip
7.The Venetian Macao
Walk through the connected malls of the Venetian, the Parisian and the Londoner to stay out of the heat or rain.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Rainy day
- Kids
- After dark
- Free
Religious site · Senado Square and the Historic Centre
8.St. Dominic's Church
Step in for a quiet break from the crowds on the way up to the Ruins of St. Paul's.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Free
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Historic site · Barra and the Inner Harbour
9.Mandarin's House
Combine it with Lilau Square next door and the A-Ma Temple a few minutes downhill.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Free
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
Historic site · Barra and the Inner Harbour
10.Lilau Square
Walk up Calçada da Barra from the A-Ma Temple to reach the square and the barracks on foot.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Off the beaten path
- Photo spot
Garden · Macau Peninsula
11.Lou Lim Ieoc Garden
Visit in the early morning to hear local musicians playing traditional instruments in the pavilion.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
- Couples
Beach · Coloane Village
12.Hác Sá Beach
The water is murky from the Pearl River; come for a walk, a barbecue or the pool rather than clear-water swimming.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Outdoors
- Free
- Kids
Street · Senado Square and the Historic Centre
13.Rua da Felicidade
Come in the evening for dinner, when the red shutters are lit and the day crowds have moved on.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Free
- Photo spot
- After dark
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Senado Square and the Historic Centre | Ruins of St. Paul's, Senado Square, St. Dominic's Church and Rua da Felicidade | 45 minutes + 30 minutes + 30 minutes + 30 minutes |
| Barra and the Inner Harbour | A-Ma Temple, Mandarin's House and Lilau Square | 45 minutes + 1 hour + 30 minutes |
| Guia Hill | Guia Fortress and Lighthouse | 1 hour |
| Taipa Village | Taipa Village and the Taipa Houses | 2–3 hours |
| Coloane Village | Coloane Village and Hác Sá Beach | 1–2 hours + Half a day |
| Cotai Strip | The Venetian Macao | 2 hours |
| Macau Peninsula | Lou Lim Ieoc Garden | 45 minutes |
Worth a small ticket
Museum · Senado Square and the Historic Centre
Monte Fort and Macau Museum
Take the escalator beside the Ruins of St. Paul's up to the fort and walk the ramparts for views across the peninsula.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Rainy day
- Kids
Zoo · Coloane Village
Giant Panda Pavilion
Go in the morning, when the pandas are usually feeding and most active.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Museum · Nam Van and the peninsula casinos
Macao Science Center
Book a planetarium show in advance at weekends, as sessions fill up with families.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Architecture
More ways to save
- The Historic Centre's churches, temples, squares and many small museums are free.
- Use the free resort shuttle buses from the ferry terminals and border crossings where they still run, instead of taxis.
- Hotel rates on Cotai drop sharply from Sunday to Thursday compared with Friday and Saturday nights.
- Eat lunch at local cafés and noodle shops; resort restaurants charge several times more.
- Avoid Lunar New Year, Golden Week and Grand Prix week, when room prices peak.
- Spend patacas before you leave; they are hard to exchange outside Macau.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Macau expensive to visit?
Macau is moderately priced for most visitors, but 13 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Macau?
Ruins of St. Paul's: Come before 9am or after dark, when the façade is lit up and the steps are far less crowded.