If this isn’t already on your long weekend destination list, you gotta check out these 15 things to do here.
We enter a packed noodle restaurant, the staff asks in rapid-fire Cantonese what we want.
A half-hour later, we walk along cobbled-stone streets, flanked by colourful buildings and tiles resembling those in Lisbon.
This is Macao — it felt like we visited multiple countries in one.
For those who didn’t know, Macao is located along China’s southern coast, right next to Hong Kong. It was a Portuguese colony till 1999 — which resulted in a beautiful fusion of Asian and Western cultures!
If you’ve already visited (and re-visited) places like Bali and Bangkok for short getaways, why not consider Macao? It’s easily accessible with 4-hour direct flights available daily, and there are more than enough activities for a five-day stay.
Click to jump to each section: For the Adventurers | For the Arts and Culture Chasers | For the Hardcore Foodies
For the Adventurers
1) Macau Tower
Few adventure parks are as epic as AJ Hackett’s Skypark in Macao. This playground for thrill-seekers has an awesome view of the city — from the top section of Macau Tower (233m to 338m).
It’s most known for being home to the world’s highest commercial bungy (MOP$3,088) — at a ball-shrinking 233m drop. Our colleagues tried this back in 2016!
I wasn’t about to leap off a freaking tower, so we opted for the tamest activity available — the Skywalk (MOP$788). It wasn’t exactly a walk in the park either, more like a walk-233m-above-ground kinda experience. No biggie.
Our guide Jeff encouraged us to sit at the edge, lean backwards, and even go hands-free. Chao got comfortable quickly, while I could only manage a very slight 5° lean.
Because that wasn’t thrilling enough, Chao also took on the Tower Climb (MOP$2,488). This involves climbing 105m of internal and external ladders to get to the very top of Macau Tower at 338m-high — you won’t get a better view of the city.
This experience is exhilarating on another level (geddit) and even the most hardcore adrenaline junkies will feel their heart jump. There are two guides per group (max. four pax) and currently, there’s just one slot per day at 3PM.
Cost: MOP$788 (Skywalk), MOP$1,888 (Tower Climb), MOP$3,088 (Bungy) — all packages incl. Gopro videos and photos
Timings: Varies depending on attraction — Check the calendar and book in advance
How to get there: From Senado Square, take bus 18B to Torre De Macau station (Google Maps)
2) Coloane Trail
Photo credit: @oanesmimi via Instagram
Whoever thought Macao didn’t have outdoor activities has probably never heard of Coloane Trail. It’s the longest walking trail in Macao — an 8.1km round-trip route circling the central area of Coloane Island.
This trail will take up most of your day, passing several of Coloane’s attractions, like Seac Pai Van Park and A-Ma Cultural Village. It starts at Estrada do Alto de Coloane and ends at Estrada do Alto de Coloane.
Entrance fee: Free
Opening hours: 24 hours
How to get there: From Lord Stow’s Bakery Coloane, take bus 25 to
Est. Do Campo/ Psp-2 station then walk 16min (1km) to the starting point (Google Maps)
3) Hac Sá Long Chao Kok Coastal Trail
If you’re pressed for time, consider one of Coloane’s shorter trails. We did the Hac Sá Long Chao Kok Coastal Trail, a chill 1.2km walk along the coast just off Hac Sá Beach.
The relatively flat trail leads to a striking red pavilion — a great place to watch the sunset!
Entrance fee: Free
Opening hours: 24 hours
How to get there: From Lord Stow’s Bakery Coloane, take bus 26A to Hellene Garden/Orchids Villa station (Google Maps)
4) Macao Giant Panda Pavilion
Photo credit: Macao Government Tourism Office
What’s better than seeing adorable pandas? Seeing adorable pandas for free. You can visit four giant pandas at the Macau Giant Panda Pavilion in Seac Pai Van Park!
Besides giant pandas, there are other attractions like the Floral Garden (home to bunnies and other small animals!) and a red panda exhibit.
Entrance fee: Free
Opening hours: 10AM – 1PM, 2PM – 5PM (Closed on Mon)
How to get there: From Lord Stow’s Bakery Coloane, take bus 25 to One Oasis / Mahogany Tower station (Google Maps)
For the Arts and Culture Chasers
5) Historic Centre of Macao
A-ma Temple.
The Historic Centre of Macao is a collection of 22 buildings that have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.
They’re scattered around the Macao Peninsula (the main island), mostly within walking distance of each other. We managed to visit a majority of them — it was almost like an island-wide treasure hunt!
If you’re lacking time to visit all 22, here are the must-sees:
First is Ruins of St Paul’s — the landmark that appears in most of Macao’s postcards. It’s the facade of the Church of Mater Dei and the ruins of St. Paul’s College, which were destroyed in a fire in 1835.
It houses the Sacred Art Museum and Crypt, but we were happy just to admire the ruins from outside.
Sacred Art Museum and Crypt
Entrance fee: Free
Opening hours: 9AM – 6PM (Wed – Mon, last entry 5:30PM), 9AM – 2PM (Tue)
How to get there: 9min walk from Senado Square (Google Maps)
Next is Mount Fortress, located right beside the Ruins of St Paul’s! This fortress was built from 1617 to 1626 and sits on the 52m-high Mount Hill, operating as the city’s main defence structure. It was armed with cannons, barracks and enough ammunition to endure a siege of up to two years.
Mount Fortress
Entrance fee: Free
Opening hours: 7AM – 7PM
How to get there: 1min walk from Ruins of St Paul’s (Google Maps)
Senado Square is another must-visit. It’s Macao’s urban centre, where a lot of the city’s festivities happen. Located around the square are a couple of UNESCO Heritage-listed buildings — such as the Leal Senado Building, The Holy House of Mercy and St. Dominic’s Church.
Senado Square
Opening hours: 24 hours
How to get there: 9min walk from Ruins of St Paul’s (Google Maps)
6) teamLab Macao
Good news for those who want to visit a teamLab but aren’t looking to fly 7 hours to Tokyo — Macao has a teamLab of her own! teamLab Macao occupies a huge 5,000m2 space in The Venetian Macao, with over 10 interactive exhibits.
One of our favourite exhibits titled Expanding Three-Dimensional Existence in Transforming Space is filled with giant free-floating spheres that change colours! It’s like being in a giant ball pit designed for Instagram photos; we had a lot of fun here.
It’s an additional MOP$100 for entry to three new interactive installations — the Floating Flower Garden, Massless Clouds and En TEA HOUSE. If you’re already visiting teamLab Macao, might as well enjoy the full experience.
The Massless Clouds exhibit is a room filled with soap bubbles; like a massive bubble bath. We suited up in raincoats and shoe covers (all provided) and were left to venture through the room of foam.
We also visited the Floating Flower Garden, a gorgeous three-dimensional display of orchids. Fun fact: Approximately 10% of all plant species belong to the orchid family!
One of the most captivating experiences here was the En TEA HOUSE experience. In a dark room, we’re served a matcha ice cream and a drink. Once the tea is placed on the table, flowers start to bloom. When you move the bowl, the flower petals scatter.
Throughout the year, each month’s seasonal flowers will bloom. What’s incredible is they’re not playing a pre-recorded video — the art is created by a computer program that continuously renders in real time. 🤯
Entrance fee: MOP$288 (~S$49), add-on experience at MOP$100 (~S$17)
Opening hours: 11AM – 7PM (Last entry at 6:15PM), Closed on Wed
How to get there: Take bus 26A from Senado Square (38min) or a 16min taxi ride (Google Maps)
7) Taipa Village
A former fishing village, Taipa has been transformed into a hip neighbourhood with cafes, colourful murals, and well-maintained historic landmarks. Our full list of things to do in Taipa can be found in our Macao itinerary — but here are the highlights:
One of the best things to do in Taipa Village is mural hunting. There’s street art all over Macao, but in my opinion, the ones at Taipa are the most vibrant and well-preserved.
The murals above were painted by local artists, which is a fantastic way to promote the local arts scene. From left to right: Escada do Coxo, Travessa da Boa Vista and Rua Correia da Silva Nº 5.
Of course, you can’t visit Taipa without walking along Rua do Cunha. It’s Taipa’s main pedestrian street — packed with restaurants, bakeries and souvenir shops!
Rua do Cunha
Opening hours: 24 hours — Most shops open around 10AM
How to get there: 23min bus ride (bus 33) from Senado Square (Google Maps)
We also visited the Taipa Houses, a row of five pastel-coloured colonial houses along Avenida da Praia that were built in 1921. They were the homes of senior civil servants, but the government had them revamped and opened to the public in 1999.
Each of them has a different use — one now houses the Macanese Living Museum, which you can visit for free to learn more about Macao’s past as a Portuguese colony. Another is called the Creative Casa, a bookstore and gift shop with an exhibition space upstairs.
Taipa Houses
Entrance fee: Free
Opening hours: 10AM – 7PM, Closed on Mon
How to get there: 7min walk from Rua do Cunha (Google Maps)
8) Vintage Shopping
Macao’s city centre is also home to several vintage and thrift shops, tucked away in shophouses along side alleys. We visited Vintage Pepperland, which sells lots of colourful clothing and jewellery.
Vintage Pepperland
Opening hours: 2PM – 7PM (Mon – Fri), 12PM – 8PM (Sat – Sun)
How to get there: 10min walk from Senado Square (Google Maps)
Nearby is Vintage Market Macau, a two-storey vintage haven selling retro clothing, handmade hats and more. Even if you’re not looking to buy anything, it’s always fun to browse!
Vintage Market
Opening hours: 12PM – 8PM
How to get there: 11min walk from Senado Square (Google Maps)
9) A-ma Cultural Village
Photo credit: @armonteiro.photography via Instagram
A-ma Cultural Village is a sprawling 7,000m2 complex dedicated to A-ma (or Mazu), the goddess of seafarers.
It stands in the middle of Coloane Island and features Tin Hau Palace and a Drum Tower among other pavilions and gates. Visitors can take a short hike up to see the world’s tallest statue of A-ma (20m!) plus a panoramic view of Coloane.
Entrance fee: Free
Opening hours: 9AM – 6PM
How to get there: 11min taxi ride from Lord Stow’s Bakery Coloane (Google Maps)
For the Hardcore Foodies
10) Fernando’s
Located just off Hac Sa Beach in Coloane, Fernando’s has been serving yummy Portuguese food since 1986! It’s popular among both locals and tourists; the main dining room was packed when we visited on a weekday.
We ordered a half-portion each of their signature Fernando-style clams (MOP$136), charcoal grilled chicken (MOP$133) and fried prawns with garlic (MOP$168).
While waiting for our mains, we enjoyed a couple of Super Bocks (a lager from Portugal) and complimentary freshly baked bread. The tasty food combined with a lively restaurant atmosphere made this arguably our favourite meal in Macao!
Cost: ~MOP$230/pax (~S$39)
Opening hours: 12PM – 9:30PM
How to get there: 22min bus from Coloane Library (Google Maps)
11) Lung Wah Tea House
Tucked away on the second floor of an old shophouse is a traditional Cantonese tea house that’s been serving dim sum and zhi char dishes since 1962.
The dining area looks more like someone’s house rather than a restaurant — the owner proudly displays his collection of paintings and antiques all over!
The menu is written in traditional Chinese — so we had to depend on a combination of Google Translate and online images to order. We got siu mai, pork ribs, custard buns and char siew baos which amounted to MOP$160.
I quite enjoyed the first three dishes, but the char siew baos didn’t have enough filling in my opinion.
Cost: ~MOP$80/pax (~S$14) — Cash only
Opening hours: 8AM – 2PM
How to get there: From Senado Square, take bus 33 to Alm. Lacerda/ Mercado Vermelho station then walk 3min (Google Maps)
12) Lord Stow’s Bakery
In Macao, there’s no bigger household name than Lord Stow’s Bakery. Englishman Andrew Stow is known as the creator of Macao’s egg tart — the government actually gave him an award for this.
The original bakery in Coloane Village was founded in 1989 and they’ve since expanded to multiple outlets in Macao and overseas! Their egg tarts are deliciously creamy, we ended up buying five more boxes to take home.
Cost: MOP$65 (~S$11) for a box of six egg tarts
Opening hours: 7AM – 9PM
How to get there: 3min wak from Coloane Library (Google Maps)
13) Lai Kei Sorvettes
For old-school desserts, head to Lai Kei Sorvettes. This third-generation dessert parlour has been around for 80 years and takes pride in fresh, homemade ice cream. They proudly display their history — with photos and original ice cream packaging (designed by the founder) decorating the shop!
They’ve stuck to nostalgic, no-frills desserts like ice cream sodas, milkshakes and drinks. It’s also really reasonably priced — we had a fruit sundae (MOP$28), coconut ice cream (MOP$14) and two drinks (MOP$22 each).
Cost: From MOP$14 (~S$2.40) for a single scoop
Opening hours: 12PM – 7PM
How to get there: 11min walk from Senado Square (Google Maps)
14) 金利麵食 Noodles
金利麵食 Noodles is a popular curry noodle joint recommended to us by our friend Clarence, who grew up in Macao.
He told us to order the beef brisket noodles, but it sold out when we arrived at around noon. So we ordered small portions of the pork slice and chicken curry noodles instead — the broth is like a thinner curry and was really tasty.
If you’ve got a big appetite, get the combo! It’s a bigger bowl with two meats (you can mix and match) for just MOP$47.
Cost: From MOP$32 (~S$4) for a small bowl
Opening hours: 7:45AM – 4:45PM
How to get there: From Senado Square, take bus 21A or 26A to Edf. Chun Leong station (Google Maps)
15) Cafe Vong Kei
For famous pork chop buns in Taipa Village, head to Cafe Vong Kei! This corner store has been around since 1958, with colourful retro-style murals decorating the exterior.
We got their signature pork chop bun (MOP$53), bo lo bao (pineapple bun, MOP$18) and homemade milk tea and coffee (MOP$28 each). I expected more bread than pork, but instead got a generous serving of pork steak spilling out of the bun.
Cost: From MOP$18 (S$3)
Opening hours: 9AM – 9PM (Sun – Fri), 7AM – 6PM (Sat)
How to get there: 1min walk from Rua do Cunha (Google Maps)
Daily Flights from Singapore to Macao
So, is Macao the next go-to long weekend getaway destination?
After visiting Macao for myself, the answer is definitely yes. There are more than enough things to do in Macao for a four or five-day trip, with a good mix of chill and active activities.
For those considering a trip to Macao — Scoot offers daily 4-hour direct flights from Singapore to Macao (one-way fare from S$177*). *Taxes included, terms and travel periods apply.
As a frequent traveller, Scoot’s 10kg carry-on baggage allowance is something I really appreciate. It’s 3kg more than most airlines! The extra allowance is always welcome — especially if you’re planning to travel without check-in luggage, or if you’re like us and carry quite a bit of camera gear.
Scoot offers a range of add-on meals like laksa, nasi lemak and black pepper beef rice — all ingredients are Halal-certified. Meal sets include a dessert or snack; we got ice cream from Udders on our flight there and a pack of cookies on the way back 😋
The best part about this is, you only need to take one or two days off — check out our 2024 long weekend guide to find the best dates for a trip to Macao 😉
Tips for Planning Your First Trip to Macao
Where to stay in Macao: If it’s your first time in Macao, we recommend staying near Senado Square. It’s in the centre of Macao Peninsula (the main island) and is within walking distance to several other landmarks, with frequent buses to Taipa and Coloane.
Here are some accommodation options located near Senado Square:
Budget: Towns Well Motel (from ~S$75/night for a Twin Room)
Mid-range: Caravel Hotel (from ~S$115/night for a Standard Double Room)
Luxury: Grand Lisboa Hotel (from ~S$274/night for a Deluxe Twin Room)
Connectivity: Hong Kong and Macao 15-day E-SIM with unlimited data and 15GB high-speed data (S$23.90)
Getting around: The best way to get around Macao is by bus (MOP$6 regardless of distance), which is frequent. Unless you have a local transport card, payment is via cash — no change is given.
There’s no Grab or Uber in Macao, but you can flag a taxi (MOP$19 for the first 1.6km, MOP$2 added for every 240m after).
*Pro-tip: Download Macao bus app and Macao Taxi Fare app beforehand.
Payment: Macao has her own currency — the Macanese Pataca (MOP) — which is pegged to the Hong Kong dollar (HKD). The exchange rate is MOP103.20 to HKD100. This means you can use HKD in Macao; I even used a mix of HKD and MOP at times.
Attractions like Skypark Macau and established restaurants like A Lorcha accept card payments, but bakeries and small eateries only accept cash — so it’s good to bring some.
Lastly, check out our full five-day Macao itinerary — it includes more things to do in Macao plus our budget breakdown.
Know of other cool things to do in Macao? Share with us in the comments below!
This post was brought to you by Scoot and the Macao Government Tourism Office.
Note: Prices are accurate at the point of publishing and are subject to change.
