Best way to get around Macau is by foot
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IT seems that the best way to get around Macau is by foot. So, you can’t go wrong with a good pair of walking shoes to visit the under Po many historical sights that can be found in this former Portuguese enclave.
Returned to China in 1999 after 440 years under Portuguese administration, this tiny province on the coast of south China opposite Hongkong has retained its interesting blend of culture and architecture that makes for an unusual tourist destination.
On a recent familiarisation trip, courtesy of Air Asia and the Macau Tourism Government, a group of Malaysian journalists spent three hectic days touring the city and its surrounding areas.
The Macau Special Administrative Region is located in Guangdong province. It’s a small area – only 25.8sq km, comprising the Macau Peninsula (8.5sq km, and connected to Mainland China), the islands of Taipa (6.2sq km) and Coloane (7.6sq km).
Our first stop was Lou Lim Ieoc Garden, located in the city centre. This magnificent 19th century landscaped garden, originally built by a wealthy Chinese merchant, Lou Kau, is a popular site for both locals and foreigners. The elderly can be found here usually in the mornings and evenings taking a stroll, playing some traditional music or practising their tai chi.
We then took a cable car ride up Guia Hill, the highest point in Macau, to visit the European-style Flora Garden, which was formerly the grounds of the Flora Palace, an aristocratic Portuguese mansion. The path then leads to the Guai Fort. The fort, built in 1637-38, was designed to defend Macau from attacks from the sea, but ended up being used chiefly as an observation post. Today, the forts’ most prominent feature is the 91m-high lighthouse, built in 1865.
Monte Fort is another tourist attraction situated within the city area. It houses the three-level Macau Museum which was built in this hill fortress.
We crossed over one of the two bridges to Taipa Island and visited the village there. This colourful village is a blend of Chinese shophouses and Portuguese-style offices, with small temples and a former firecracker factory fronting its narrow streets and alleys.
There are also numerous restaurants along the Rua da Cunha (known as Food Street) in the village serving a variety of Portuguese, Macanese, Chinese and Italian cuisines.
We then drove on to neighbouring Coloane Island, passing through the reclaimed land area known as COTAI, where we were introduced to the island’s well-known Lord Stow’s Bakery, famous for its Portuguese egg tarts. The bakery is found in the town’s centre square.
Nearby lies the Tam Kung temple and the Chapel of St Francis Xavier with its picturesque Portuguese-style square. Rising from the highest point in Coloane is the 19.99m-high white marble statue of the goddess A-Ma, made in China’s Hebei Province.
Back on Macau peninsula, we were taken to see the exceptionally beautiful Ruins of St Paul’s situated in the heart of the old city. The church, built in the 17th century by an Italian Jesuit, was destroyed in a fire in 1835, leaving behind only the facade and grand staircase. Another memorable experience in Macau is stepping onto the Skywalk.
This walkway, which is only 1.3m wide, is perched 223m above the ground at the top of the Macau Tower. The only protection is the safety harness hooked to a railing above us. From the walkway, we had an amazing view of the city. The guide gave a brief commentary on the city sights as we circled the tower along the skywalk.
For Formula-1 fans, they should not miss a visit to the Grand Prix Museum. There, they will find a collection of racing cars that have competed and won in the Guia Circuit. The same venue also houses a wine museum on various types of Portuguese wine.
You can never go hungry in Macau. There are many places with their own food specialties. Take the Long Va Chinese Tea House, situated in the heart of the city, for example. Known for its noodle dishes, Long Va is no ordinary teahouse. It is also a music hall, an exhibition gallery and a social gathering place for the community and their birds.
The Long Va Chinese Tea House owner believes in maintaining the old tradition of what a teahouse should be like, and the place literally rings with the sound of chirping birds.
The House of Noodles ‘Wong Chi Kei’, located in Senado Square in the city, has a 150-year history of serving homemade noodles. The restaurant is famous for its wantan noodles and other Cantonese dishes. Especially good is its ‘tau foo fa’ which is so smooth that it slids down your throat effortlessly.
For shopping, head for the arcade Largo do Senado, more commonly known as Senate Square, the focal point of the Macau Peninsula.
The colonial buildings at the square, which house a wide variety of shops and even a library, give the place a warm, historical feel. The interior courtyard is decorated with classic Portuguese azulejo tiles.
Macau is a laidback place with amazing architectural finds and historical significance. But plans are afoot for more family-oriented shopping malls and theme parks to woo more tourists to this quaint ‘half-European’ province on mainland China.
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