A Ma Temple:Macau's name is derived from A-Ma-Gau or Place of A-Ma and this temple dedicated to the seafarers' goddess dates from the early 16th century. According to legend, A-Ma, a poor girl looking for passage to Canton, was refused by the wealthy junk owners but a lowly fisherman took her on board. A storm blew up and wrecked all but the boat carrying the girl. On arrival in Macao she vanished, to reappear as a goddess, on the spot where the fishermen built her temple. It consists of prayer halls, pavilions and courtyards built into the boulder-strewn hill and connected by winding paths through moon gates and tiny gardens. At the entrance is a large rock on which is engraved a traditional sailing junk. On other boulders are carved red characters invoking the gods or repeating a prayer. Three of the four pavilions are dedicated to A-Ma and contain some fine statues of the goddess together with a model of a junk with cannons, brass vessels and chapels to Buddhist and Taoist gods. The top shrine honours Kun Iam. This temple is distinguished by beautiful tiled roofs and spectacular views from the upper gardens. The festival of A-Ma takes place on the 23rd day of the 3rd moon (April or May). Firecrackers, to scare away evil spirits, are exploded in the entrance courtyard to greet tour groups and lions dances are performed here on weekends.
Macau is home to just over 40 casinos, whilst Las Vegas has more than double that amount. According to The Economist, however, gamblers, on average, lay down US$1,354 in Macau casinos compared to just US$156 in Las Vegas. That’s why Macau posts annual profits of up to seven times more than Sin City; this is thought to be due to China’s. MACAU - The crowd inside the Sands Macau casino is thick and raucous, but evidence of high rollers is scant. Men wearing track-suit pants and fanny packs vastly outnumber those attired in Armani. Wearing shorts in the summer is advisable outside. But go “smart casual”. In winter, go for a pair of jeans of “slacks”. And wear a good pair of shoes. If you are checking out the casinos, you´ll probably end up doing quite a bit of walking. Jeans and shorts are fine at most casinos during the day as long as you look clean cut. Macau's casinos employ 20% of the population. When a casino takes on new staff, it checks to see if he or she has family working in the casino and in which section, to avoid the possibility of fraud.
The Senado Square is paved with a wave-patterned mosaic of colored stones, created by Portuguese experts. From the main road to the church of St. Dominic, the pavement extends to the ruins of St. Paul's, making the heart of the city a pedestrian paradise.
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The Handover Gifts Museum of Macao is located next to the Macao Cultural Centre in Avenida Xian Xing Hai (NAPE), the very same area that was used for the Handover Ceremony on 20th December 1999 in which Macau was returned to the Mainland. When the hall was dismantled after the ceremony the area became part of the Macao Cultural Centre. The handover gifts exhibition gallery mainly exhibits the handover gifts presented by the State Council of The People's Republic of China, its country-wide provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The special exhibition gallery will be used to hold different exhibits, which are mainly themed on the local culture and history of Macao. The museum is closed on Mondays and open on public holidays. Free admission.
Lou Kau Mansion: Built in 1889, during the Qing dynasty, Lou Kau Mansion in Travessa da Se No.7, an alley off Senado Square was the former residence of the Lou Kau family until 1910. The grey two-storey brick house is one of the very few xinguan-style mansions still standing in Macao, and a prime example of the mixed Chinese and Western architectural styles unique to Macao. The oyster shell windows, hanging scrolls, plaster molding and brick carvings are commonly found in the central Guangdong Province. But false ceilings, stained glass Manzhou windows and cast iron railings are Western characteristics. On the ground floor, there are two courtyards separating three main halls on the ground level, the Entrance Hall, Tea Hall and Senior Hall which is reserved for more senior members of the family. Despite the fact a lot of time and money was spent on workmanship, the Lou Kau Mansion actually fell into disrepair in the 1970s with up to 20 families living in it at one point in time. In July 2002, the Cultural Institute of the Macao SAR restored Lou Kau Mansion to its original glory and it is now open to the public with regular exhibitions of Chinese arts and free guided tours. Lou Ka, a businessman made a fortune through his money exchange business Bou Hong Bank, was heavily involved in philanthropy, launching schools, rebuilding ancestral temples and selling rice to the public at a low prices. He was knighted by the King of Portugal in 1890 and also has a street in Macao – Lou Kau Street – named after him.
Dr. Sun Yat Sen's Memorial House: Sun Yat Sen was the mentor and driving force of the Chinese republican revolution, which overthrew the weak regime of the Qing Dynasty. A charismatic personality that unites the Chinese soul, he is therefore considered as the 'Father of the Nation'. This place bears witness to his short but significant stay in Macao in the beginning of the century when, while fleeing the power of the imperial mandarins, he tried to move his supporters in order to establish a new regime in China. In Macao he received the support of some friends, at the time important and powerful persons in the political and social life of Macao.
Na Tcha temple was built in 1888 and dedicated to Na Cha in an attempt to halt the Plague rampaging at the time. In contrast to buildings such as the Ruins of St. Paul's around it, the Na Tcha Temple is only a small structure, built with simple materials, but the use of a mixture of reality and illusion in its design manages successfully to create a sense of delicacy and exquisiteness.
Guia Fortress, built in 1637-38, occupies the top of Guia Hill, the highest point in Macau. It was designed to defend Macao from attacks from the sea, but because of its position overlooking the entire city, its chief value has been as an observation post. It originally contained barracks, a water cistern, ammunition and equipment stores, the commander's house, and a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Guia. Today the Fort's most prominent feature is the lighthouse, built in 1865 and the oldest on the China coast. It is 91 meters high and has a light which can be seen for around 20 miles in clear weather. Near the lighthouse is the chapel which contains an image of the Virgin Mary, a few antique pictures, and vestiges of paintings that date back to the construction of the chapel in 1626. Also nearby is a post where signals are hoisted to warn of an approaching typhoon. In earlier times storm warnings were announced from the bell-tower of the chapel.
Kuan Tai Temple is situated on the site of the old Macao bazaar, whose sign still exists. Originally it was a meeting place for merchants, and was very important to the local Chinese community. Prior to the establishment of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Macao in 1912, the area surrounding the temple was the centre of Chinese trading in Macao. After the decline of the bazaar, the temple rose to importance in this area.
St. Dominic's Church: Standing on the site of a chapel and convent built by the Dominicans in the 1590's St. Dominic's Church dates from the early 17th century. It has an imposing facade of cream-colored stone with white stucco moldings and green-shutter windows. Inside, white pillars support a flat ceiling and apron balconies trim the walls. The great baroque alter contains a cream and white statue of the Virgin and Child and a painting of Christ. The church has a fine collection of exquisitely-carved ivory and wood saints. St. Dominic's Church has a violently dramatic past. In 1644 a military officer who supported the Spanish against the Portuguese was murdered at the alter during Mass. In 1707 the Dominicans sided with the Pope against Macau's bishop in the Rites Controversy. When local soldiers tried to enforce an excommunication order on them, the friars locked themselves in the church for three days and pelted the soldiers with stones. In 1834 the monastic orders were suppressed and for a time the church was used by the government as barracks, stable and public works office. St.Dominic's Church was renovated in 1997 and opened to the public with a museum, on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floor. The museum shows paintings, sculptures and liturgical ornaments that illustrate the history of the Roman Catholic church in Asia.
(source: china.org.cn, China Internet Information Center)
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Shorts, a t-shirt or polo shirt will be best during the day time but nighttime may require you to wear something more formal depending on your supposed place of visit for the night. Autumn season in Macau has been deemed to be the best time to visit the city due to its pleasant weather conditions.