This is our final day in Macau, and since our flight departs from Hong Kong International Airport in the evening, we had the flexibility to relax in the hotel or head out for some last-minute shopping. Since our pre-booked bus to Hong Kong is at 3.30 pm, we had a good 3 hours before we needed to leave for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) border to catch our bus to Hong Kong International Airport.

Last Minute Shopping at Senado Square

After breakfast, my sister wanted to head out for some last-minute shopping. To make the most of the time we had, we went to Senado Square, which is a stone’s throw from our hotel. Senado Square seemed to be more crowded than on the second day we were here. We spent the remaining 3 hours we had shopping for souvenirs and clothing in Senado Square, making it a great spot for both shopping and sightseeing.

Macau to Hong Kong Airport

As we flew out of Hong Kong International Airport, we added an additional hour to the airport from Macau. Departing from Macau via bus, only a few airlines allow check-in at the HZMB border. As the airline we are flying is not on this list, we were required to bring our luggage to Hong Kong International Airport and check in at the Sky Pier Terminal (Click here for more information on the airlines eligible for check-in at the HZMB border). Like our entry to Macau, we cleared immigration at the HZMB border relatively fast. Soon, we found ourselves in the immigration area of the border control building, looking for the bus to Hong Kong International Airport. However, after we had found our bus, we were told we were late for check-in. Turns out that we needed to check in for our bus ride 45 minutes before our scheduled departure (we were at the bus at 3.15 pm for our 3.30 pm departure). Fortunately, the next bus departs at 4 pm, 30 minutes after our original bus departs. The helpful staff quickly helped us change our bus tickets and took our luggage. At the Hong Kong International Airport Sky Pier Terminal, check-in was a breeze. After we checked in for our flight and obtained our boarding pass, we were given instructions on where to clear immigration and where to collect our airport tax refund since we technically did not enter Hong Kong.

Afterthought

Macau can be an easy day trip from Hong Kong, provided one leaves early and returns late at night. Given our two full days, there are still areas that we planned for but did not cover. For a slower pace and fuller Macau experience, I thought three full days would be ideal. There are activities such as Go-karting and the Panda conservation centre that are suitable for families. In terms of where to stay, I thought Cotai is suitable for those who are attracted to the glitz and glamour, as well as luxury shopping and casino gaming. For those who want a more authentic Macau experience that is close to the historical attractions, the Macau Peninsula is a great option. In terms of food, I thought Macau’s was not as good as Hong Kong’s. Half the time, we had trouble finding decent food. Perhaps we limited ourselves to Macau Peninsula, where the food is more influenced by Mainland China, or perhaps we did not bother Googling for better restaurants.

Having visited the sights on Macau Peninsula yesterday, today we are focused on the sights on the other island of Macau. We started our day by visiting the A-Ma temple, then headed to the south of Macau, and concluded the day with a visit to the Cotai Strip.

A-Ma Temple – The Temple that gave Macau its Name

Since we are heading south, it makes sense to visit A-Ma Temple, which is on the southern part of the Macau Peninsula, about a 10-minute bus ride from our hotel. It was believed that the A-Ma Temple existed before Macau and that the territory’s name derives from the temple, which literally means “Bay of A-Ma.” Built in 1488, the temple is the oldest in Macau. The purpose of our visit to A-Ma Temple is to offer our prayers to the deities installed here for protection. The main deity worshipped at A-Ma Temple is the Sea Goddess, Mazu. There are technically four shrines in the temple grounds – two on the ground level and two perched on top of the hill. We first headed to the largest temple structure in A-Ma Temple, Zhengjue Chanlin, which is on the right as we enter. From here, we bought some incense and were guided through the prayer sequence. After going through one round of prayer, we visited the Prayer Hall, the small shrine right in front of the stone arch, to offer our prayers to another Mazu statue installed here.

It is time to climb the stairs up the hill to offer our prayers in the remaining two shrines. Perched on the slope, a flight of stairs behind the Prayer Hall is the Benevolent Hall. This hall is believed to be the first and the original shrine in A-Ma Temple. This shrine is even smaller than the Prayer Hall just below, and it also only has the statue of Mazu. The next shrine, the Hall of Guanyin, is perched on the highest point of the temple grounds. This is a relatively large and open shrine that worships the Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin. Apart from offering our prayers here, the “balcony” of this shrine provided a good view of the surroundings. After visiting the four shrines, we headed back to Zhengjiao Chanlin to burn joss paper, where the temple staff offered a prayer for us. Before heading out, we spotted a large rock next to the stone arches. The boat carved into this rock is believed to be the one that brought Mazu to Macau.

Coloane Village – The Quaint Village

After offering our prayers at A-Ma Temple, we continued our sightseeing. The bus ride from A-Ma Temple to Coloane Village took about 30 minutes. Coloane Village is a laid-back village that was once a pirate hideout due to its many sheltered coastlines. Today, the sleepy village is a great place to escape the tourist-packed areas of Macau. This is also where we found the original Lord Stow Eggtart store, which is significantly less crowded than the one in Taipa.

Chapel of St. Francis Xavier

Walking along the coastal road in Coloane Village, our first stop was the Chapel of St. Francis Xavier. Built in 1928, the church is famed for its charming Baroque-style architecture. Adorned in bright yellow colour, this church reminds me of St. Dominic’s Church we visited in Senado Square yesterday. The interior of the church was modest, with only four rows of prayer benches. The square in front of the church is worth a visit. The monument, non-functional water fountains, and Portuguese-style surrounding buildings, the square seems to transport one to an idyllic European Village.

Kun Iam Temple

Our next destination is the Kun Iam Temple, situated 3 minutes’ walk down the lane behind the Chapel of St. Francis Xavier. The temple was built in 1800 and is one of the four temples in Coloane village. The temple was modest in size and could easily be missed if one was not looking for it. Unlike the temples we have visited, the Kun Iam Temple does not have elaborate signage pointing to it. Moreover, its entrance is not on the main thoroughfare. Though modest in size, the Kun Iam Temple, dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin, is also home to several other deities. A helpful temple staff member guided my sibling in the prayer sequence. There is a small gift shop on the side of Kun Iam Temple, where we spent some time looking through the cute Chinese ornaments on sale.

Walking around Coloane Village

Seeing that there wasn’t much to see around Coloane Village, we decided to grab lunch at one of the two eateries near the bus stop where we alighted. We walked along the same coastal road, Avenida de Cinco de Outubro, that we walked on earlier. Here we found more Portuguese-style buildings, painted in bright, cheerful colours. Of these buildings, the Coloane Village Library stood out the most owing to its bright light yellow colour. Walking on Avenida de Cinco de Outubro, with the sea on one side, felt especially relaxing.

The Cotai Strip – Las Vegas of the East

No trip to Macau is complete without visiting the Vegas of the East along Cotai Strip, which is home to numerous large casinos built on reclaimed land. Cotai Strip got its name simply by combining the names of the two areas it was sandwiched between, Coloane and Taipa.

The Big Three of Cotai – The Parisian, The Venetian & The Londoner

There are two bus stops that buses to Coloane Village pull into. The first one is the one we alighted at, in front of Lord Stow’s Bakery, and the other is slightly further across the road, about a 2-minute walk away. We took the bus to Cotai Strip from the farther bus stop, since everyone leaving the village at the nearer stop, making the chance of finding a seat on the bus slim. The bus ride from Coloane Village to Cotai took about 20 minutes. We started our Cotai Strip visit at the Parisian (on the same side as the bus stop we alighted from) and ended at the Londoner, which is opposite the road where the Sky Cab is. Pulling into the bus stop, the Eiffel Tower replica told us we are in Cotai Strip. Having visited the Eiffel Tower in Paris, I thought this scaled-down replica looked quite real. Inside the Parisian, we saw tons of shops, ranging from luxury boutiques to souvenir shops, lined up side by side. In the big three, casinos occupy the ground floor, while shops and restaurants occupy the floor above it. Other than the hotel check-in lobby, which has elaborate frescoes painted on the ceiling, resembling part of the Versailles. The rest of the Parisian looked like your run-of-the-mill shopping mall with not much character.

Compared to the Parisian, our next stop, the Venetian, had more characteristics. There is a replica of Venice’s canals and bridges inside the shopping mall, where people ride gondolas and occasionally the singing by the gondola paddler can be heard. The ceiling of the Venetian shopping mall is painted in bright blue skies with clouds, making the mall perpetually having clear skies all year round. The layout of the Venetian was akin to a maze. We spent hours walking round and round and couldn’t seem to exit the Venetian, and only managed to get out when we went to the casino floor. From there, we found signs pointing to the Londoner. Compared to the Venetian, the Londoner feels much plainer, except for a few archways that seem to mimic London Central Station, some London-style phone booths, and a London double-decker bus. The rest of the Londoner, like the Parisian and the Venetian is lined with luxury shops and restaurants.

Foiled Plan to take the Sky Cab

Our initial plan was to take the complimentary Sky Cab ride that loops around the fountain in front of the Wynn Palace in Cotai. However, the long queue for the cable car ride put us off. I learned about an alternative boarding area inside the hotel, but getting there requires more walking and exploring. Since everyone was tired after walking all day, we decided to cut our losses and head back to the Macau Peninsula for dinner.

Senado Square at Night

After dinner near our hotel, since the night was still young, we headed to Senado Square to buy some souvenirs before heading back to the hotel to rest.

Macau Night Market

We stumbled upon a night market mainly selling street food in one of the alleyways near our hotel. This lively night market operates only on weekends. The street food on offer was another level. In addition to the usual finger food, we also saw some stalls selling BBQ Boston lobsters. The shops in the alley behind, where the street food stalls were still open, offered visitors the option of buying souvenirs rather than eating street food. Compared to Taiwan’s night markets, this one is really small, but it is worth a look.

Municipal Affairs Bureau

Our final stop for the day is at Senado Square, where we buy souvenirs in case we do not have time to get them tomorrow before we leave Macau. As it was near closing time, most of the shops on Senado Square were either closed or closing. However, we managed to get the stuff we wanted from the shop. Despite being late at night, there was still a crowd in Senado Square. As we were preparing to head back to our hotel, I spotted the Municipal Affairs Bureau doors open. This was the building we were unsure about visiting yesterday, and decided to take a look inside. Apart from a few vending machines and Christmas displays, there is nothing much going on inside the Municipal Affairs Bureau. From its main entrance, a straight path led us to a small courtyard, and that’s about it. However, the Portuguese-style tiles on the building’s walls reminded visitors of Macau’s Portuguese heritage. After staying in the Municipal Affairs Bureau momentarily, we headed back to the hotel to rest for the night.

No trip to Macau is complete without paying a visit to the iconic Ruins of St. Paul, the poster child of Macau. The Ruins of St. Paul, along with the historic sights of Macau, are located in the central part of the Macau Peninsula, not far from our hotel. Since we missed all the sights I had planned for yesterday due to our late arrival in Macau, we started earlier than we had initially planned, hoping to catch up on some of the sights we had missed.

Senado Square – The Heart of Historic Macau

Our first stop of the day started at Senado Square, the centre of Macau Peninsula and where all the action is. The elongated, triangular-shaped Senado Square has been Macau’s urban centre for centuries and is one of the SAR’s top four squares. This square linked us to most of the historic sights on the Macau Peninsula, making it a great place to start visiting them. Aside from being a starting point for the World Heritage Sites of Macau, Senado Square is also a great spot for shopping. There are tons of shopping options, from individual boutiques to department stores to souvenir shops. We even found roadside stalls in one of the alleyways near the main road parallel to Senado Square. As it was the centre of action, Senado Square was jam-packed with people taking pictures, shopping, or simply resting on the many benches installed here. The presence of Christmas decorations installed in the middle of the square not only brings a festive mood but also attracts visitors to stay longer.

Standing on Senado Square, we spotted the Municipal Affairs Bureau across the road. We were unsure whether we could visit the building, as the doors were shut during our stay in Senado Square. We merely kept our distance and took pictures of the building across the road.

St. Dominic’s Church – The Yellow Church

The yellow-coloured St. Dominic’s Church is just a stone’s throw from the centre of Senado Square, making it a perfect second stop. The Baroque-style church was founded in 1587 by three Spanish priests from Mexico and features a good mix of European and Macanese elements in its design, as seen in its Chinese-style roof. The white European floral patterns adorned on the facade of the church are especially pronounced against the yellow walls. The inside of the church was neither as massive as those we had seen in European countries nor as elaborately frescoed. Still, the simple ivory-white interior gave us a sense of peace, contrasting with the busy Senado Square we were in moments ago. We spotted an entrance at the side of the church and decided to check it out. The entrance led us to the back of the church, where a small museum now houses a collection of around 300 artefacts. As it would require us to climb up some stairs, we did not visit the museum and exited the church to continue our walk towards the Ruins of St. Paul.

Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady – The Church on the Hill

As we were walking around, half shopping and half looking at the sights in Senado Square, we spotted a plain-looking church perched on top of the slope. This is the Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady, also known as the Cathedral of Macau, first built in 1576 and redesigned in 1623 into a cathedral. This cathedral is the most influential church in Macau, housing the highest administrative division of Catholic affairs in the city. The interior of the church is painted a light green, with stained glass behind the main altar. Like St. Dominic’s church, the Cathedral of Macau also features a rather plain interior, without the carvings and frescoes seen in the larger cathedrals in Europe. The interior of the cathedral consists only of a large prayer hall. As we were not Catholics, we stayed here only briefly before heading to our next stop, the Ruins of St. Paul.

Lou Kau Mansion – The Accidental Find

As we were walking towards the Ruins of St. Paul, following Google Maps directions, we stumbled upon a building with open doors, with visitors streaming in and out. Curious, we checked with a staff member standing by the door if the house was open to the public. The friendly staff welcomed us into the house. This is the Lou Kau Mansion, a traditional Chinese-style house built in 1889 in the middle of heavily European-influenced buildings of Senado Square. Despite its Chinese architectural style, traces of European influence can be seen in the house, including the use of stained glass and decorative motifs. Despite being a two-storey house, only a small portion of the house, such as the ground-level fore and aft halls, and a room that is converted into a projection room introducing the history of the house, was open to the public.

Ruins of St. Paul – Vatican of the East

As I was navigating using Google Maps, I was given directions away from signage in Senado Square that pointed to the sight. My mistake was to trust Google Maps too much, so we were drifting in opposite directions. Only when we reached Senado Square did I realise that my position on the maps was erroneous. We spent a good 30 minutes walking around in circles before trusting the street signage pointing to the ruins. We finally reached the icon of Macau – The Ruins of St. Paul. The forever-crowded Ruins of St. Paul was constructed between 1602 and 1640. The church was the largest Catholic Church in East Asia at the time of completion and was given the title Vatican of the East. The original structure consists of five storeys with a large prayer hall. The church was destroyed by a fire during a typhoon in 1853, leaving only its facade. The surviving facade revealed its baroque architecture, with the statue of the Virgin Mary atop the main entrance to the church. The original name of the church, Mater Dei, was still visible on the beam of its main entrance.

Walking past the facade, we arrived at a large open space where the church used to sit. The original structure of the church can still be visible through the glass floors on both sides of this area. A small building that leads to the lower floors sits at the end of the open area. As we descended the staircase to the lower floor, we could see the church’s surviving structure. A museum houses surviving artefacts used in the church’s everyday life. Compared to the church’s facade, the museum seems to see fewer people, but I thought it was worth a visit. We spent around 5 minutes inside the small museum.

Na Tcha Temple – The Hidden Gem

One sight near the Ruins of St. Paul that visitors often miss is the Na Tcha Temple. The single-chambered, small wooden shrine dedicated to the Child God Na Tcha was built in 1888 and has stood at the same spot for more than 100 years. The temple showcases traditional Chinese architecture and symbolises religious freedom during Portuguese rule in Macau. There is a modest Exhibition Room next to the temple, featuring paintings of the legends of the Na Tcha, alongside objects such as the sedan chair and lion heads used during the deity’s birthday celebration. I thought the small square where the exhibition room is situated provides an oasis of tranquillity for people who want a brief break amidst the hectic crowd at the Ruins of St. Paul.

Travessa da Paixao – The Love Lane

The next spot we visited isn’t really a sight; rather, it is an excellent place for those who want a less crowded spot to take pictures with the Ruins of St. Paul. Travessa da Paixão, or Love Lane, got its name from attracting couples who came here for wedding photo shoots. The small alley situated on the left of the ruins, just a few steps from Na Tcha temple, offers a different perspective on the Ruins of St. Paul.

As we were walking to our next destination, the Guia Hill cable car, somehow my Google Maps started to screw me up again. We spent the next 20 minutes walking in circles. It does help that cabs are difficult to find in this part of Macau. As most of us were tired, we eventually gave up going to the hill. Instead, we wanted to head to our next destination, Macau Tower. We wanted to catch a bus to the tower but were told that the buses were travelling in the opposite direction. Eventually, we got directions from a cleaning staff member at a bus depot, who told us where to catch a bus to Macau Tower. Using the directions given to us, we eventually found ourselves in front of our hotel. We went back to put our stuff down and rest a little before hailing a cab from the hotel to Macau Tower.

Macau Tower – The Thrill Seeking Tower

Macau Tower is one of Macau’s landmarks, standing 338m tall. The tower sits in the southern part of the Macau Peninsula, offering visitors a bird’s-eye view of the Pearl River Delta. By the time we arrived at Macau Tower, it was about 1 hour before it closed. We were perhaps one of the last few to be let up the tower. The staff at the bottom of the lift reassured us that we would have sufficient time to visit the tower. There are two observation decks on the tower, the indoor 58-storey and the outdoor 61-storey. Not knowing which floor to exit, we got out on the 58th storey when the lift arrived at that level. As we walked towards the edge of the tower, we figured the 61st floor would give us a better view and headed for the outdoor deck before coming back down. Level 61, being outdoors, was colder than the indoor level below, with the sea breeze constantly blowing in our direction. As level 61 protrudes out more over the edge, it felt as though we were standing without the glass protection. This level is also where thrill seekers can walk around the tower at its edge or even bungee jump off the tower. As it was already near closing time, the station that manages these activities was closed. From the level 61 observation deck, we were treated to a 360° view of the surrounding areas, from the Macau Peninsula on one side to the flashy Cotai area on the other. We could even see the nearby Chinese city of Zhuhai. We stayed here to take some pictures of the surroundings before heading back down to the observation deck on level 58. Back on level 58, the views were not as stunning as those on level 61, but the glass floor there gave us the impression of walking on thin air. However, the scratches visible when the light was pointed upwards from the tower made it difficult to see through. After visiting the tower, we took one of the casino-sponsored free shuttle buses and landed back in the Lisboa area, where we settled for dinner and headed back to the hotel to rest for the night.

Arrival in Macau

Macau, a Special Administrative Region of China next to Hong Kong, is often visited as a day trip from Hong Kong. However, we had been to Hong Kong several times and would want to focus on Macau for this trip. Macau has its own airport, with fewer airlines landing compared to its neighbour, Hong Kong. Hence, it makes more sense to fly to Hong Kong and connect to Macau. As we flew into Hong Kong International Airport, we could either clear immigration and enter Hong Kong to take a cross-border bus or ferry from downtown Hong Kong to Macau, or connect directly from the Hong Kong International Airport Sky Pier Terminal, eliminating the need to enter Hong Kong. The Macau Tourism Office ran a promotion during our trip (valid until the end of 2025) that offered visitors a complimentary one-way bus ticket from Hong Kong to Macau (we had to purchase the Macau-to-Hong Kong bus ticket, available here). To get the shuttle bus, we headed to counter E2 after deplaning, located past the immigration counters, where a staff member from the bus company helped us book seats and issue our bus tickets. We did not have to worry about our luggage, as the staff at the bus ticket counter took our luggage claim ticket to retrieve them from the carousel and transfer it to the Sky Pier Terminal. Due to the holiday season, we were only able to get bus tickets for the 4 pm departure from Hong Kong International Airport to Macau (despite arriving at the airport around noon). I should have booked our outbound tickets on the website when purchasing our return ticket, instead of relying on luck for a bus that would depart soon after we landed. Since we had 3 hours before our bus departed, we could spend that time at the small arrival area or the Sky Pier Terminal. As we did not have an outbound flight ticket, we couldn’t even access the airport’s transit lounges (located one level above the arrival area). There isn’t much going on at the arrival area at Hong Kong International Airport. Apart from a few small duty-free shops and a convenience shop, this part of the airport is pretty boring. There is also a restaurant where we spent our time waiting, serving mediocre food and with unfriendly staff. After sitting around for 2 hours, we got bored and took the Automated People Mover to the Sky Pier Terminal. The Sky Pier Terminal is dead, apart from people making their way to Macau or Zhuhai and one small convenience shop; there is nothing much going on here. But at least it had an outdoor area where we could enjoy the views of Hong Kong.

The bus ride from Hong Kong International Airport Sky Pier Terminal to Macau took about 40 minutes. The bus terminated at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) border control, where we cleared immigration to enter Macau proper. I’d say the connection between Hong Kong International Airport and Macau was quite seamless. After clearing immigration, which only took mere minutes, I spotted a small family-run shop where we got our mCards – the store value transport card for Macau. My 10-year-old nephew had to pay adult fare, as the child fare is only available for children under 1m. When I was planning this trip, I found that the hotel we stayed at had a regular complimentary shuttle bus to pick up visitors from the border and drop them off at the hotel. However, after spending some time looking, we couldn’t find any buses heading to Ponte 16. It doesn’t help that most of the staff at the bus terminal weren’t exactly helpful with information. After getting several “I don’t knows”, we gave up and took the public bus to our hotel. Fortunately, we bought our mCards at the convenience store just before we left the border control building, which allowed us immediate access to public transport without having to dig through small change. I realised the transport charges are cheaper when using the mCard: instead of the standard MOP6 per trip (regardless of the distance), our card deducted MOP4 for the trip from the border control to the hotel and MOP3 for transportation within Macau. We arrived at our hotel after a 20-minute bus ride. After checking in and settling into our rooms, it was already late. My family wanted to head out for dinner, and I suggested we spend the night watching the Prosperity Tree show at the Wynn Hotel.

Old Macau Casino District: Watching The Prosperity Tree Show

We took bus #26A from the stop opposite our hotel to reach the Lisboa casino district. The Grand Lisboa Casino is one of Macau’s iconic landmarks, known for its lotus-shaped architecture and world-class dining. Grand Lisboa is one of the oldest casinos in Macau, blending east and west elements into its design. One cannot miss the unique building when in this area. One of the things to do in front of the Grand Lisboa Casino is to take a picture with the “billionaire pose” or the “Stanley Ho pose”, where one would cross their arms and stand in front of the casino, mimicking the picture taken of the Godfather of Gaming, Stanley Ho, during a magazine shoot. After taking some pictures, we crossed the road and headed into the Wynn Hotel.

Emerging from the underground pedestrian tunnel and passing through the main door of the hotel, the Prosperity Tree is not difficult to find. The way to the tree is very well marked by signs around the hotel. We arrived 15 minutes past the hour, thinking the show occurred every ½ hour. When the time came, ½ past the hour, there were no signs of the show starting. This is when we realised the show only happens every hour. The Prosperity Tree shows happen every hour on weekdays and every ½ hour on Fridays and weekends. As we already occupied the front-row seats, we did not want to give up our “golden” spots and kept waiting. Soon the hour came, and the show started. The Prosperity Tree is a two-storey tall tree with each of its 98,000 leaves covered in 24-carat gold and brass, symbolising wealth and luck. The 6-minute show began with the ceiling opening to reveal a large LED panel depicting koi fish and Chinese characters for wealth and prosperity. Shortly after, the golden tree emerged from the floor below, accompanied by music and light that depict the vibrant colours of the four seasons. We were here mainly for the wealth and luck that the tree will hopefully bring us. After the show, we headed to a restaurant nearby for dinner before heading back to the hotel to call it a night.