Things to do · Macau · China
17 best things to do in Macau
17 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Андрей Суриков / Andrey Surikov . Original uploader was Сура at ru.wikipedia, CC BY 2.5
Quick answer
The essential sights in Macau are Ruins of St. Paul's, Senado Square and A-Ma Temple. Of the 17 picks below, 13 are free, 4 work on a rainy day and 5 suit children. Allow about 3 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Ruins of St. Paul's
- Free sights
- 13
- Good on a rainy day
- Monte Fort and Macau Museum
- Time to see the highlights
- 3 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruins of St. Paul's | Senado Square and the Historic Centre | 45 minutes | Free |
| Senado Square | Senado Square and the Historic Centre | 30 minutes | Free |
| A-Ma Temple | Barra and the Inner Harbour | 45 minutes | Free |
| Macau Tower | Nam Van and the peninsula casinos | 1–2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Monte Fort and Macau Museum | Senado Square and the Historic Centre | 1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Guia Fortress and Lighthouse | Guia Hill | 1 hour | Free |
| Taipa Village and the Taipa Houses | Taipa Village | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Coloane Village | Coloane Village | 1–2 hours | Free |
| The Venetian Macao | Cotai Strip | 2 hours | Free |
| St. Dominic's Church | Senado Square and the Historic Centre | 30 minutes | Free |
| Mandarin's House | Barra and the Inner Harbour | 1 hour | Free |
| Lilau Square | Barra and the Inner Harbour | 30 minutes | Free |
| Lou Lim Ieoc Garden | Macau Peninsula | 45 minutes | Free |
| Giant Panda Pavilion | Coloane Village | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Macao Science Center | Nam Van and the peninsula casinos | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Hác Sá Beach | Coloane Village | Half a day | Free |
| Rua da Felicidade | Senado Square and the Historic Centre | 30 minutes | Free |
The 17 best things to do
Historic site · Senado Square and the Historic Centre
1.Ruins of St. Paul's
The carved stone façade of the 17th-century Church of Mater Dei is all that survived a fire in 1835. Reached by a wide flight of 68 steps, it mixes Christian imagery with Chinese and Japanese motifs, and a small crypt and museum of sacred art sit behind it.
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
Macau's main square is paved with black-and-white Portuguese calçada in a wave pattern and lined with pastel neo-classical buildings, including the Leal Senado building and the Holy House of Mercy. It is the starting point for walks to St. Dominic's Church and the Ruins of St. Paul's.
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
Dedicated to Mazu, goddess of seafarers, this hillside temple predates the Portuguese and gave Macau its name. Its pavilions climb a rocky slope among boulders carved with inscriptions and hung with giant incense coils.
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
Viewpoint · Nam Van and the peninsula casinos
4.Macau Tower
The 338-metre tower has indoor and outdoor observation decks with views over the peninsula, the bridges to Taipa and the Pearl River Delta. Adventure activities include a skywalk around the outer rim and a bungee jump of 233 metres.
Go up at sunset to see both daylight and the city lights in one visit.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Bungee jumps and skywalks should be booked in advance, especially at weekends.
- Views
- Active
- After dark
- Iconic
Museum · Senado Square and the Historic Centre
5.Monte Fort and Macau Museum
The Jesuit-built Monte Fort, finished in 1626, overlooks the Ruins of St. Paul's with cannons on its ramparts. Inside, the Macau Museum covers the city's history, Chinese and Portuguese traditions and daily life, including a recreated street of old shops.
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
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Historic site · Guia Hill
6.Guia Fortress and Lighthouse
On the peninsula's highest point, the 17th-century fort shelters a small chapel with restored frescoes and the Guia Lighthouse of 1865, the oldest modern lighthouse on the Chinese coast. A short cable car climbs from Flora Garden, and jogging trails ring the hill.
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
7.Taipa Village and the Taipa Houses
Rua do Cunha's snack shops and bakeries lead to quieter lanes, the Pak Tai Temple and Our Lady of Carmel Church. Below the church, the Taipa Houses are five restored Macanese villas facing what was once the waterfront, now wetlands, furnished as they were in the early 20th century.
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
8.Coloane Village
A slow-paced fishing village on Macau's southern island, with the yellow Chapel of St. Francis Xavier, a small waterfront promenade facing Hengqin and the bakery where Macau's Portuguese-style egg tart first became popular.
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
1.The Venetian Macao
One of the largest buildings in the world, the Venetian holds a mall laid out along indoor canals with gondola rides under a painted sky, a large casino and a 15,000-seat arena. Next door, the Parisian has a half-scale Eiffel Tower with an observation deck.
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
2.St. Dominic's Church
Founded by Spanish Dominican friars in 1587, the church has a cream-and-green baroque façade just off Senado Square. Its bell tower houses a small museum of sacred art with statues, vestments and liturgical silver.
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
3.Mandarin's House
Built around 1869, this large courtyard residence belonged to the family of Zheng Guanying, an influential reformist writer. Its restored rooms, moon gates and courtyards mix Chinese layout with Western details such as Indian-style ceilings and French windows.
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
4.Lilau Square
Lilau Square was one of the first Portuguese residential quarters, built around a spring that once supplied the city's water. Banyan trees shade old houses, and the nearby Moorish Barracks, built in 1874 for Indian soldiers, have arched verandas.
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
5.Lou Lim Ieoc Garden
A Suzhou-style garden built by a wealthy merchant family, with a lotus pond, zigzag bridge, grottoes and a pavilion. Retirees play music and practise tai chi here in the mornings.
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
Zoo · Coloane Village
6.Giant Panda Pavilion
In Seac Pai Van Park in Coloane, the pavilion houses giant pandas in indoor and outdoor enclosures, with a red panda area and a small zoo of other animals in the surrounding park.
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
7.Macao Science Center
A cone-shaped building by architect Kevin Roche on the Outer Harbour waterfront, with hands-on exhibition galleries and a planetarium showing dome films. It is one of Macau's best rainy-day options for children.
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
Beach · Coloane Village
8.Hác Sá Beach
Macau's largest beach is known for its dark sand. It has lifeguards in summer, a public swimming pool, barbecue pits and a long-running Portuguese restaurant nearby.
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
9.Rua da Felicidade
The 'Street of Happiness' was once Macau's red-light district; its houses with red wooden doors and shutters now hold traditional restaurants, jerky shops and bakeries. It has appeared as a backdrop in several films.
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
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Monte Fort and Macau Museum and Macao Science Center |
| History | Ruins of St. Paul's, Monte Fort and Macau Museum, A-Ma Temple and Guia Fortress and Lighthouse |
| Views | Monte Fort and Macau Museum, Macau Tower and Guia Fortress and Lighthouse |
| Outdoors and nature | Lou Lim Ieoc Garden, Giant Panda Pavilion and Hác Sá Beach |
| Food and markets | Taipa Village and the Taipa Houses, Coloane Village and Rua da Felicidade |
| After dark | Ruins of St. Paul's, Macau Tower, The Venetian Macao and Rua da Felicidade |
| With children | Monte Fort and Macau Museum, The Venetian Macao, Giant Panda Pavilion and Macao Science Center |
| On a rainy day | Monte Fort and Macau Museum, The Venetian Macao, Mandarin's House and Macao Science Center |
What to book ahead
- Macau Tower: Bungee jumps and skywalks should be booked in advance, especially at weekends.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Macau?
Ruins of St. Paul's. The carved stone façade of the 17th-century Church of Mater Dei is all that survived a fire in 1835.
+What can you do for free in Macau?
Ruins of St. Paul's, Senado Square, A-Ma Temple, Guia Fortress and Lighthouse and Taipa Village and the Taipa Houses. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Macau when it rains?
Head indoors to Monte Fort and Macau Museum, The Venetian Macao, Mandarin's House and Macao Science Center.
+What is there to do in Macau at night?
Ruins of St. Paul's, Macau Tower, The Venetian Macao and Rua da Felicidade are best after dark.