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Top 5 MUST DO Things in Macao : You have not been to Macao unless you have…

There are many things to do in Macao and many attractions as well. But if you ask me what are the MUST do things in Macao, this is our list of the top 5 MUST DO things in Macao…

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Top 5 MUST DO, MUST VISIT, MUST SEE, MUST TRY Things in Macao

1. MUST Visit – Historic Centre of Macao

Ruins of St. Paul's with long flight of stairs — Ruins of St. Paul’s with long flight of stairs

A visit to Macao is never complete unless you have visited the historic sites of the Ruins of St. Paul’s, Mount Fortress, Guia Fortress, Guia Lighthouse and the Macao Maritime Museum. Take time to learn about the history of Macao. In that you way you will be able to better appreciate the people and culture (& Food!) of Macao.

2. MUST EAT – Portuguese Egg Tart & Pork Buns

Macau's famous Portuguese eggtart — Macau’s famous Portuguese eggtart

This version has a slightly salty but flavourful pork with fatty bits and chewy bun - 20MOP — This version has a slightly salty but flavourful pork with fatty bits and chewy bun – 20MOP

Portuguese egg tarts are world renowned because of its crispy yet flaky outer crust with its rich egg tart fillings. Pork buns on the other hand is flavourful with a tinge of fatty guilt. Yum!

Travel Tip : When you see a stall with portuguese egg tarts or pork buns, DO NOT WAIT TO TRY THEM! Just stop, get one to share. Otherwise, you may just tell yourself that “there will be another stall” and eventually when you leave Macao, you may not have tried them at all!

3. MUST TRY – Sampling at Koi Kei Bakery (鉅記)

Koi Kei Pastry (鉅記) Macau - Dont forget to try the almond cookies & seaweed eggrolls! — Koi Kei Pastry (鉅記) Macau – Dont forget to try the almond cookies & seaweed eggrolls!

There are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO many Koi Kei Bakery stalls in Macao and at almost every turn of the street in the city centre, you may stumble upon one! The best part is that sampling at Koi Kei Bakery is free! There are so many products to choose from including almond, cashew, walnut cookies and an assortment of candies and gifts. But our favourite is the Egg Roll With Seaweed And Shredded Pork. Especially when it is freshly made!

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Travel Tip 1 : You will have to lurk inconspicuously while maintaining “surveillance” over the tables as the chefs out on their final touches before the cookies, candies or egg rolls are complete. In this way, you will be able to sample the freshest bakes from Koi Kei!

Travel Tip 2 : Always go Koi Kei on an empty stomach (a cup of coffee is preferred). You may be tempted to try so many of its products that it can actually become a light meal!

4. MUST SEE – Cotai Strip

Modelled after the Strip in Las Vegas USA, Cotai Strip is the entertainment arena of Macao. With shows, shopping and many top notch restaurants here, you will be spoilt for choice on what to do next in Macao.

5. MUST ENJOY – Luxury Hotels

Indoor heated pool at a nice 31degrees during winter months!

Pamper yourself in one of the many luxury hotels in Macao. Our stay at the Hotel Royal Macau was an enjoyable and it did not cost us a bomb. So kick back, relax and lap up the life of luxury in Macao!

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If you have any other recommendations of the top things to do in Macao, feel free to add them to our comments section below!

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You have just finished a post on our 9 day trip to Hong Kong, Macau and Shen Zhen. Read on to find out more about our adventures during this trip!

Hong Kong Trip : Day 1
Hong Kong Trip Day 2 : The Attractions of Tsuen Wan
Hong Kong Trip Day 3 : Ocean Park and New Year’s Eve Countdown
Hong Kong Trip Day 4 – Side Trip to Macau
Hong Kong Trip Day 5 – Continuing Our Travels in Macao
Hong Kong Trip Day 6 – Rounding up Macao and Returning to HK
Day 7 Hong Kong Trip : Side Trip to Shen Zhen & Debunking Recommendations
Day 8 Hong Kong Trip : What we did in Central 中環 Hong Kong
Day 9 Hong Kong Trip : A Surprise Find at Lian Xiang Ju Dim Sum Restaurant

Hotels and Hostels We Stayed in Hong Kong

New Year’s Eve Countdown at Victoria Harbour Hong Kong
Ibis Hotel Hong Kong Central & Sheung Wan : For the Best Views of Victoria Harbour
L Hotel Nina Convention Centre Hong Kong : Great views over Tsuen Wan
Jordan Comfort Inn Review @ New Lucky House Hong Kong
New China Yan Yan Guest House at Chung King Mansion

Food and Dining in Hong Kong

3 Reasons Why You MUST Try Dim Sum in Hong Kong and Macao
The Minimalist Guide to Eating at Tim Ho Wan Hong Kong
A Classy Treat at Lei Garden International Finance Center Hong Kong
Mak Mun Kee 麦文记 Noodles Shop : Best Wanton and Beef Noodles in Hong Kong
Great Desserts at Australian Dairy Company Hong Kong! ( 澳洲牛奶公司)
Lan Fong Yuen Hong Kong : For a taste of traditional milk tea since 1952
Secret to Enjoying Hong Kong Cafes…
What a typical Hong Kong Cafe is like
Debunking Recommendations of DiscoverHongKong.com : What NOT to eat in Hong Kong

Attractions in Hong Kong

Hong Kong Central Mid Level Escalator : Longest Escalator Walkway System in the World
Avenue of Stars 星光大道 : Hong Kong’s Hollywood Walk of Fame
Ocean Park Hong Kong : Still worth a visit?
Temple Street 庙街 Hong Kong : First glimpse at Hong Kong’s Night Market
Where to shop in Hong Kong? Citygate Outlets Tung Chung!
Elements Shopping Mall at Kowloon Hong Kong
Only make a side trip from Hong Kong to Shen Zhen if…
21 Amazing Travel Experiences in Hong Kong

Hotels We Stayed in Macau

Hotel Royal Macau : Luxury at a Central Location
Regency Hotel Macau : A 5 Stars Hotel?

Attractions in Macau

Guia Fortress and Lighthouse Macao : An Elusive Fortress Found
Macao Maritime Museum : Great Price Good Exhibits
Historic Centre of Macao : Ruins of Saint Paul’s, Mount Fortress & More
Cotai Strip Macau : Games, Shows, Food and Entertainment
Taipa Village Macau : Houses Museum, Pork Buns, Portuguese Egg Tarts
Top 5 MUST DO Things in Macao : You have not been to Macao unless you have…

Grand Lisboa – Looks grand on the outside but has some dodgy arcades within!

Updated on August 19, 2023December 5, 2013Asia China Hong Kong Macau Travel

Hong Kong Trip Day 5 – Continuing Our Travels in Macao!

Day 5 of our Hong Kong, Macao, Shen Zhen trip sees us continuing our travels in Macao! After checking into Hotel Royal Macao, we started out on foot to visit the Historical Centre of Macao!

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As our room was not ready as yet. We decided to head straight to the most iconic structure in Macao – Ruins of St. Paul’s!

Ruins of St Paul with long flight of stairs - middle of stairs — Ruins of St Paul with long flight of stairs – middle of stairs

After visiting the ruins, Kate decided that she was too tired for a climb up to Mount Fortress. So Tom took the challenge (for our readers!) and ascended the fort…

Behind the Canons of Mount Fortress Macao

The view from the top of Mount Fortress was indeed breath-taking. While there, you may also wish to decide on a visit to the Museum of Macau…

Macau Museum at the top of Mount Fortress

After descending down from the Fort, Kate and I headed back to the streets in the general direction of Senado Square. Along the way we savoured the tender pork bun!

Shopping Street Macao selling food snacks with abundance of almond cookie gift shops!

After some quick bites, we proceeded to the area close to the Maritime Museum of Macao but stopped along the way to catch sights such as the St. Dominic’s Church @ Senado Square…

Initially, we did not intend to enter the museum. However, as the sun started to bear down on us, we decided to go in – for a mere 10 MOP. Turns out to be a great decision as there was a good collection of exhibits and history about maritime in Macao (Portuguese & Chinese Maritime history too) for visitors to enjoy.

Macao Maritime Museum – Entry for only 10MOP!

Wheel-driven boat – One of the great inventions in the 16th century by the Chinese

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Following the visit, we headed back to our hotel and en-route, we took some scenic photos around the Sai Van Lake

Taken from Sai Van Lake with View of Grand Lisbon and Wynn

Hotel Royal Macao was one of the best hotel we’ve decided to splurge on in Macao and here’s why…

As the weather was actually quite cold, the indoor heated pool just made the swim all that relaxing (after all that walking!). Snoozing in the comfy bed also revitalised us for the evening ahead as we checked out the glitzy hotels of Macao!

Wynn Hotel Macao with dancing fountain much like that of Bellagio in Las Vegas

We then started to feel really peckish (Kate’s atas word for hungry) and we popped by Wa Fung dim sum restaurant. Turns out to be one of the best dim sums we had in a while!

Siew Mai – 20 MOP (2 prawns each and meat inside!)

To round off the night, we decided to head back to Senado Square to get some gifts and snacks for our friends and relatives. Along the way, we stopped by for some desserts – Red Bean Milk Pudding!

Night at Senado Square – To get some gifts (almond cookies!) and souvenirs

Red Bean Milk Pudding – 25 MOP (Expensive and not as nice as the Australian Dairy Company)

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A very eventful day we had for day 5 didnt we? Stay tune for day 6 of our Hong Kong, Macau and Shen Zhen trip!

Related Posts

You have just finished a post on our 9 day trip to Hong Kong, Macau and Shen Zhen. Read on to find out more about our adventures during this trip!

Hotels and Hostels We Stayed in Hong Kong

Food and Dining in Hong Kong

Attractions in Hong Kong

Hotels We Stayed in Macau

Hotel Royal Macau : Luxury at a Central Location
Regency Hotel Macau : A 5 Stars Hotel?

Attractions in Macau

Updated on August 19, 2023November 28, 2013Asia China Guia Chapel Guia Fortress Guia Lighthouse Macau Macau Travel

Guia Fortress and Lighthouse Macao : An Elusive Fortress Found!

Guia Fortress was one of the landmarks that we told ourselves “WE MUST VISIT!”. On our last day in Macao, it proved to be elusive. The paths and walkways that kept pointing us to Guia Fortress, seemingly never ends! Eventhough the Guia Lighthouse was in sight, it seemed miles away…at some point, we almost gave up…

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In search of the elusive Guia Fortress

The Guia Fortress together with Mount Fortress was instrumental in the defence of Macao against the Dutch invasion in 1622. The Guia Chapel was built in 1622 while the Guia Lighthouse was only erected in 1865.

So here begins our “treacherous” journey in search of the elusive Guia Fortress…

Guia Hill was where it all started. We slept in late that morning and began our climb up the hills of Guia. CAN YOU SEE HOW STEEP THIS SLOPE IS?!

Soon we came to another sign…seemed harmless. Guiding us in the right direction…

Yet another sign pointing to Guia Lighthouse

By the time we reached this sign, we had already circled the Guia park for quite a while. At this point, we almost gave up. Especially when we saw the next slope…

Slope to Guia Lighthouse as pointed by the directional sign above

Wah lao eh! More slope?!

But Kate was very determined. Not sure what had gotten into her that morning. So we continued to conquer the slopes. One after another. Then it came…the first sight of Guia Fortress!

Conquering Guia Fortress

Bomb raid shelter and walls of the Guia Fortress

Description of Guia Fortress - Instrumental in defeating the Dutch in 1622 — Description of Guia Fortress – Instrumental in defeating the Dutch in 1622

Again, at this point we thought that since we have arrived at Guia Fortress, we can finally turn back. But the other side of us told us to persevere on to Guia Lighthouse – which we did!

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Arriving at Guia Lighthouse

Signals hoisted at the Guia lighthouse to inform seafarers of wind direction and speed

All was not that terrible. Along the way, we managed to catch great views over the city and also saw this intricately groomed bush (ala Edward Scissor Hands)

View of the church and cementary from Guia Fortress

Can you spot something interesting along this path?

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Well, the moral of the story is this…to see Guia Lighthouse and Fortress, you must conquer the slopes along the way!

Ok, the true moral is that there are many challenges in life, but let’s persevere and look forward to reaching our “Guia Lighthouse” yah? Remember to take in the sights and sounds (like the views along the way) and enjoy each moment!

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Happy travels everyone!

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You have just finished a post on our 9 day trip to Hong Kong, Macau and Shen Zhen. Read on to find out more about our adventures during this trip!

Hotels and Hostels We Stayed in Hong Kong

Food and Dining in Hong Kong

Attractions in Hong Kong

Hotels We Stayed in Macau

Hotel Royal Macau : Luxury at a Central Location
Regency Hotel Macau : A 5 Stars Hotel?

Attractions in Macau

Updated on August 19, 2023November 26, 2013Asia China Macau Macau Travel

3 Reasons Why You MUST Try Dim Sum in Hong Kong and Macao!

As we wondered about the glittering hotels of MGM, Wynn and Grand Lisboa on the main Macao Peninsula, we started to feel peckish. It was around 4pm and so we thought about grabbing a quick bite before having dinner later on. Since it was just a quick bite, we decided not to splurge (yet) and went into the streets behind to look for a eating joint. And so we came upon this restaurant – Wa Fung Dim Sum Restaurant.

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The restaurant was practically empty as you can see in this subsequent picture…

Inside Wa Fung Dim Sum Char Chan Teng - No One! — Inside Wa Fung Dim Sum Char Chan Teng – No One!

At first, we were a little apprehensive, skeptical even. Usually if there’s no one in the restaurant, it does not bode well for the restaurant (or for that matter the customer – us). The service though was ok, as the Aunty rumbled on in Cantonese, we started to speak in Chinese and got some of our orders underway.

The result? This post – 3 Reasons WHY YOU MUST TRY DIM SUM IN HONG KONG AND MACAO!

Top 3 Reasons Why You MUST Try Dim Sum in Hong Kong and Macao

Reason No. 1 : We never expected to “Bump” right into this GREAT TASTING DIM SUM!

You would not believe this but this was actually one of the best char siew chee cheong fun we’ve ever tasted…

The white outer layer (the chee cheung fun) was springy and chewy (VERY TAONG!) leaving you wanting for more. The char siew bits were fatty, juicy and oh so flavourful! The combination was just exceptionally heavenly!

The custard bun on the other hand was the kind that bursts out when you take a bite into it! So be REALLY careful! Leaves you slurping (on the custard) and chewing on the bun – all at the same time! :p

Reason No. 2 : Generous Authentic Dim Sum

We also went for the classics such as century egg porridge, har gau and siew mai. These classics showed the authenticity of eating dim sum in areas such as Hong Kong and Macao…

Century Egg and Pork Porridge - 26 MOP — Century Egg and Pork Porridge – 26 MOP

Har gau (Prawn Dumplings) - 26 MOP (2 prawns in each har gau!!) — Har gau (Prawn Dumplings) – 26 MOP (2 prawns in each har gau!!)

Only the freshest ingredients were used and the dim sum just revels in its simplicity. Fresh ingredients, masterful concoction of these ingredients coupled with timeless tradition, made these dishes so marvelously tasty!

Reason No. 3 : All at a great price!

Curry Beef Rice - 38MOP — Curry Beef Rice – 38MOP

Can you believe that this huge plate of Curry Beef Rice (with tender beef and tendon) was only 38 MOP?! (6 SGD!) In a restaurant no less!

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For your convenience, we have arranged for the best hotel deals in Macau right here!

After our sumptuous meal (remember it was initially supposed to be only a snack?!), we realised that staff from the hotels nearby also pre-ordered their dinner here. If the locals hit this joint, it must be good right?

So for the above 3 reasons, give yourself a treat at one of the dim sum restaurants while you’re in Hong Kong and Macao!

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You have just finished a post on our 9 day trip to Hong Kong, Macau and Shen Zhen. Read on to find out more about our adventures during this trip!

Hotels and Hostels We Stayed in Hong Kong

Food and Dining in Hong Kong

Attractions in Hong Kong

Hotels We Stayed in Macau

Hotel Royal Macau : Luxury at a Central Location
Regency Hotel Macau : A 5 Stars Hotel?

Attractions in Macau

Updated on August 19, 2023November 25, 2013Asia China Macao Maritime Museum Macau Macau Travel

Macao Maritime Museum : Great Price Good Exhibits

Kate and I didn’t intend to visit the Macao Maritime Museum. We were actually wondering around the Historic Centre of Macao when we realised that there was a Maritime Museum! As the weather was getting hot, we thought it would be a good idea to catch a breather and enjoy some air-conditioning in the museum. The entry was only 10MOP ($1.5 SGD) so we thought “why not?”

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What to see at the Macao Maritime Museum

Wall feature at the entrance of the museum dedicated to the seamen of Macao

There are actually several sections in the Museum.

A section on Maritime Ethnology tells of the various traditions associated with fishermen and in general, living by the sea. Various fishing techniques and even legends are depicted in this section. However, our favourite section is the Maritime History section…

Macau Maritime Museum Portuguese Warship Model

View of the Macau Maritime Museum from the 3rd Level

This section depicts the Maritime history and development of the Portuguese and Chinese. You will be able to see models of many interesting vessels of times past. The Maritime Technology segment was also enjoyable where you get to “interact” with some of the exhibits and also see past inventions such as this wheel-driven boat…

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Opening Hours and Ticket Prices of the Macao Maritime Museum

The Macau Maritime Museum opens from 10am to 6pm daily and closes on Tuesday. The ticket prices to the museum are as follows:

10 to 17 years old: MOP$5.00 (Mon. to Sat.); $3.00 (Sun.)
18 to 64 years old: MOP$10.00 – standard ticket (Mon. to Sat.); $5.00 (Sun.)
Children under 10 or Senior Citizens of 65 years old and above : Free Admission!

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Location & Address of Macao Maritime Museum

The Macao Maritime Museum is located at 1, Largo do Pagode da Barra, Macau

Did you know that there’s even a small aquarium in the museum that you can visit as well? So all in all, we thought that the visit to the Macao Maritime Museum was certainly well worth it – even if its just for a shade from the sun and a quick visit to the toilet…it’s clean! :p

Related Posts

You have just finished a post on our 9 day trip to Hong Kong, Macau and Shen Zhen. Read on to find out more about our adventures during this trip!

Hotels and Hostels We Stayed in Hong Kong

Food and Dining in Hong Kong

Attractions in Hong Kong

Hotels We Stayed in Macau

Hotel Royal Macau : Luxury at a Central Location
Regency Hotel Macau : A 5 Stars Hotel?

Attractions in Macau

Updated on August 19, 2023November 24, 2013Asia China Macau Macau Mount Fortress Ruins of Saint Paul's Travel

Historic Centre of Macao : Ruins of Saint Paul’s, Mount Fortress & More!

The Historic Centre of Macao has several world renowned sites such as the Ruins of Saint Paul’s (often appearing in movies) as well as the Mount Fortress. In this post, we’re gonna introduce you to what you can see and do at the Historic Centre of Macao!

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Historic Centre of Macao : Ruins of Saint Paul’s

Ruins of St. Paul’s is one of the most iconic structure in Macao. Often seen in movies, it was listed as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Site in 2005.

Arty shot of Ruins of St. Paul's by Kate with statues at the bottom of the stairs — Arty shot of Ruins of St. Paul’s by Kate with statues at the bottom of the stairs

Ruins of Saint Paul’s actually refers to the facade of the remains of what was Church of Mater Dei and the St. Paul’s College (built in 1602-1640). Both were destroyed by a fire in 1835. More description of the site as shown

Description of St Paul's Ruins — Description of St Paul’s Ruins

If you take a closer look at the facade of the Church, it actually has several levels as described in the text above. What makes it unique is its fusion of eastern and western influences merging into this intricately designed building. That’s what makes it a perfect spot for photography enthusiasts as well!

Here’s how the interior of St. Paul’s Ruins look like…

The other side of St. Paul's Ruins Macau — The other side of St. Paul’s Ruins Macau

Pictures of the Ruins of St. Paul's over the years — Pictures of the Ruins of St. Paul’s over the years

Historic Centre of Macao : Mount Fortress

Built from 1617 to 1626, Mount Fortress was one of the main defence against seaward attacks and was crucial in holding off the attacks of the Dutch on Macao in 1622.

Interior view of Rows of Canons at Mount Fortress Macao

The climb to the top was actually quite tiring! So much so that Kate did not even want to try! But if you have taken the arduous walk, you would have been rewarded with this view!

View from the top of Mount Fortress Macao!

While you’re at the top of Mount Fortress, you can also visit the Museum of Macau…

The Museum of Macao features the history and culture of Macao, depicting its past, reveling in its arts and traditions and showing a little of the contemporary Macao.

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Historic Centre of Macao : Sights and Sounds near Senado Square

If you take a look at one of the pictures at the stairs of the Ruins of Saint Paul’s, you will notice a lady taking a photo in the opposite direction from the facade of the ruins. She is actually taking a photo of the streets below the steps…