19 Macau Local Hidden Gems That You May Not Know

Appreciate art and design in a historic monument

Location: Albergue Scm

Address: No. 8, Calçada da Igreja de S. Lázaro, Macau

Originally a small church in the St. Lazarus District, the neighborhood is now preserved and transformed as a cultural district to support the local creative industry development. The public space now hosts creative and community events, from art fairs, and music performances, to poetry-reading seminars.

Jog along a wetland in front of colonial houses

Location: Baia de Nossa Senhora da Esperanca

Address: Avenida da Praia, Carmo Zone, Taipa, Macau

There is a small lake right in front of the Taipa Houses Museum.

On the other side of the lake are a Wetland Ecological Viewing Zone and a great jogging trail.

The route is about 2-kilometer long with the casinos’ neon lights in the background. Along the trail, the Venetian Resort, Cotai Central, and other newly built casinos and shopping centers are in view. 

Learn about Macau’s colonial history at a world heritage

Location: Casa Garden

Address: Rua do Regedor, Macau

Together with the historic Camoes Grotto park and Old Protestant Cemetery, the Oriental Foundation is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, well hidden in the concrete jungle in the city of Macau.

The mansion is a great photo-shooting spot and a place to learn about the colonial history of Macau.

Take a short excursion to an aqua park in Hengqin

Location: Chimelong Ocean Kingdom

Address: Han Xi Da Dao, Panyu Qu, Guangzhou Shi, Guangdong Sheng, China, 511495

Hengqin is located in Zhuhai across Macau. It is emerging as a new financial district in Zhuhai and tourist attractions are popping up in the last couple of years. The Ocean Kingdom has a great collection of exotic wildlife exhibits from polar bears, beluga whales, manatees, and more.

Check out:The Top 10 Aquariums to Visit in Asia and How to Plan Your Visit There 

Try pork knuckles and ginger stew with a twist

Location: Fung Kei

Address: Rotunda de Carlos da Maia, Macau

Have you heard of a pork knuckle and ginger stew? It is a traditional Cantonese dish prepared for women who have just given birth. Now, it is a common snack that could be found in many dim sum restaurants. Here, in the Three Lamps District market, Fung Kei has a really special recipe for this stew and takes it to the next level, adding other delicious ingredients from pig ears, intestines, and more. If you want to venture to some local food, this is the place to be.

Check out: Macau Food Guide: Best places for Blended Taste of Portuguese and Chinese

Ride the shortest cable car in the world

Location: Guia Cable Car

Address: Av. de Sidónio Pais, Macau

The Guia Cable Car is the world’s shortest cable car system in the world. Connecting the entrance of Flora Garden to the top of Guia Mountain, the cable car ride takes merely 60 seconds.

Enjoy a panoramic view of the concrete jungle

Location: Guia Lighthouse

Address: Top of Dongwangyang Mountain, Wangdetang District, Macau

Macau is the most densely populated city in the world. Guia Hill is the highest point on the Macau Peninsula and a perfect viewpoint to enjoy a panoramic view of the concrete jungle, right in front of the historic Guia Lighthouse.

Stroll through the only Black Sand Beach in China

Location: Hac Sa Beach

Address: Estrada de Hac Sa, Coloane

Located on Coloane Island, Macau’s backyard, the Hac Sa Beach is the only black sand beach in China. Enjoy a walk on the beach and the dramatic view of the South China Sea.

Enjoy a natural escape at Long Chao Kok

Location: Long Chao Kok Coastal Trail

Address: Rua de Hac Sa Long Chao Kok, Macau

The Long Chao Kok Coastal Trail is located in the southernmost part of Macau and it is a great escape from the hustle and bustle of the tourist area. The walking trail is embraced by peculiar rock formations and offers a breathtaking ocean view.

Join a free guided tour at the MAM

Location: Macau Museum of Art

Address: Av. Xian Xing Hai, Macau

Although Macau is tiny, the only art museum is quite large. The museum has a great permanent collection of Chinese paintings, seals, ceramics, and bronzes in the Shang and Zhou Dynasties that tourists rarely see. Tourists may join a free guided tour on the weekends to have a better understanding of these unearthed cultural relics in Macau.

Enjoy authentic Portuguese cuisine on the beach

Location: Miramar

Address: Zona Nordeste da Praia Hac-Sa, Coloane

While Macau is tiny, there are still a bunch of secret restaurants that are off the tourist track, yet taste incredible. Miramar is a beachside restaurant with amazing waterfront scenery and delicious, authentic Portuguese cuisine.

Taste Portuguese food in the yard of a Portuguese chapel

Location: Nga Tim Café

Address: Rua Do Caetano, Coloane

The Chapel of St. Francis Xavier may be located off the tourist track, yet it was where the influential St. Francis Xavier’s digit resided. Nga Tim Café is a small restaurant on the side of the small village’s square, (paved with Portuguese mosaic tiles) – it is a great place to soak up the romantic atmosphere of old Macau and try some authentic Portuguese food.

Have afternoon tea in a former Portuguese fortress

Location: Pousada de Sao Tiago

Address: Avenida da Republica, Fortaleza de Sao Tiago da Barra, Macau

Pousada De Sao Tiago was a restoration of a Portuguese fortress built in the early 17th century; the hotel offers 12 luxurious suites, each in different styles and themes.

You may not stay in the hotel, however, it is a lovely experience to enjoy afternoon tea at the terrace in a  quiet neighborhood, and take a tour of the historic site.

Enjoy authentic Burmese food in Little Burma

Location: Restaurante Birmanes

Address: Shop F, G/F, 27 Rua De Fernao Mendes Pinto R/C, Santo Antonio, Macau

Not many people know that the Three Lamps District is Macau’s Little Burma. There has been a Burmese community in Macau and a few restaurants in the neighborhood offer dishes that are a perfect mix of Chinese and Burmese cuisine.

Enjoy authentic Portuguese cuisine in a nostalgic brick building

Location: Restaurante Fernando

Address: Praia de Hac Sa, No.9, Coloane

For decades, Fernando has received raving reviews from the diners and it has a great celebrity clientele. Located in an old red brick house in the Coloane village, the restaurant also put up its collection of old photos, currencies, and testimonials on its walls.

Walkthrough a local market in Three Lamps District

Location: Rotunda de Carlos da Maia

Address: Rotunda de Carlos da Maia, Macau

The market begins with the Rotunda de Carlos da Maia. The market is filled with stores and street vendors that offer different kinds of local snacks, fresh produce, and goods. The wide variety and creativity may even surprise the locals and there are queues outside some restaurants during weekends.

Hunt for goodies in Taipa Sunday Flea Market

Location: Taipa Flea Market

Address: Bombeiros Square, Taipa

The Taipa Sunday Flea Market has been in the neighborhood for over a decade and it’s popular among locals. Apart from art and crafts stalls and local food, the market has street performances and entertainment for tourists to enjoy.

Check out modern visual art exhibitions in a historic Portuguese building

Location: Tap Seac Gallery

Address: 95 Avenida Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida, Macau

The Gallery is connected with the Macau Public Library and Archives of Macau. The Neoclassical-style building is now a history and art museum that organizes visual arts exhibitions, workshops, and seminars.

Photoshoot with the façade of a cathedral in the background

Location: The Romantic Lane

Address: Travessa da Paixão, Macau

The Romantic Lane is a small lane at the corner of the famous Ruins of St. Paul’s. The lane is only 50 meters long, with a row of historic buildings painted with vibrant colors on one side. The site is featured in many local movies and a great photo spot with the Ruins of St. Paul’s subtly in the background.