Macau
Even most frequent visitors never think of Macau when they look for a convenient, yet rewarding, hiking destination, but there really is such
an alternative to the gambling and shopping activities normally associated with this former Portuguese colony, so join us as we hike the
southernmost island of Coloane and later visit the historical centre of Macau.
It only takes an hour for our high-speed ferry to make the crossing from Hong Kong to Macau, where immigration formalities usually are
quick and painless, so after a brief taxi ride, we begin our hike at the small zoo at Seac Pai Van by ascending a gently climbing road to the
Coloane Park. Entering the park we find ourselves walking along an excellent and mostly level gravel path, which will be synonymous with
most of the day’s route. In general terms, we will be following a series of contour trails criss-crossing the island.
We start above the village of Coloane with good views towards the mainland, up the river that forms Macau's trading port and across the
enclave's new casino strip. Later, winding our way around boulders and through pines, we look out over the endless South China Sea from
above the modern village of Cheoc Van. Just as Hac Sa beach comes into view, we have to face a steep, but very short, climb up the 141-
steps to the A-Ma Cultural Village, which comprises a bell tower, a drum tower, a carved marble altar in the Tin-Hau Palace and a museum.
Nearby at the top of the Alto de Coloane is a statue of the Goddess A-Ma. Made from white jade, this is the tallest statue of its kind in the world
at 19.99 metres and a good place for a snack break.
From the statue, it is a long and winding descent around more boulders and through woodland to the pretty little Hac Sa reservoir, where a
shortcut can be made across a suspension bridge. Having crossed the bridge, it is just another 15 minutes down to and along the pine tree
fringed Hac Sa (Black Sands) Beach to a well-deserved lunch at the famed Fernando’s Restaurant (not included).
After lunch and having eaten our fill, we make the short journey to the old Coloane Village, which is awash with temples, churches and other
places of historical interest. We will stop for coffee and Portuguese egg tarts, before taking the bus past the fancy casinos on the island of
Tai Pa and across one of the three fancy bridges to Macau proper for a stroll through the UNESCO World Heritage town centre. In contrast to
the people of Hong Kong, the Macanese have been good at preserving large chunks of their physical history, so there will be more historical
buildings to see, though we will also peek into many interesting back alleys and such.
The official Macau outing finishes in time for us to catch the 6:30pm ferry back to Hong Kong, but you must feel free to stay behind or, even,
overnight. Staying on would give you the opportunity to visit Macau's famed casinos - or just to sample more superb restaurants...
Even most frequent visitors never think of Macau when they look for a convenient, yet rewarding, hiking destination, but there really is such
an alternative to the gambling and shopping activities normally associated with this former Portuguese colony, so join us as we hike the
southernmost island of Coloane and later visit the historical centre of Macau.
It only takes an hour for our high-speed ferry to make the crossing from Hong Kong to Macau, where immigration formalities usually are
quick and painless, so after a brief taxi ride, we begin our hike at the small zoo at Seac Pai Van by ascending a gently climbing road to the
Coloane Park. Entering the park we find ourselves walking along an excellent and mostly level gravel path, which will be synonymous with
most of the day’s route. In general terms, we will be following a series of contour trails criss-crossing the island.
We start above the village of Coloane with good views towards the mainland, up the river that forms Macau's trading port and across the
enclave's new casino strip. Later, winding our way around boulders and through pines, we look out over the endless South China Sea from
above the modern village of Cheoc Van. Just as Hac Sa beach comes into view, we have to face a steep, but very short, climb up the 141-
steps to the A-Ma Cultural Village, which comprises a bell tower, a drum tower, a carved marble altar in the Tin-Hau Palace and a museum.
Nearby at the top of the Alto de Coloane is a statue of the Goddess A-Ma. Made from white jade, this is the tallest statue of its kind in the world
at 19.99 metres and a good place for a snack break.
From the statue, it is a long and winding descent around more boulders and through woodland to the pretty little Hac Sa reservoir, where a
shortcut can be made across a suspension bridge. Having crossed the bridge, it is just another 15 minutes down to and along the pine tree
fringed Hac Sa (Black Sands) Beach to a well-deserved lunch at the famed Fernando’s Restaurant (not included).
After lunch and having eaten our fill, we make the short journey to the old Coloane Village, which is awash with temples, churches and other
places of historical interest. We will stop for coffee and Portuguese egg tarts, before taking the bus past the fancy casinos on the island of
Tai Pa and across one of the three fancy bridges to Macau proper for a stroll through the UNESCO World Heritage town centre. In contrast to
the people of Hong Kong, the Macanese have been good at preserving large chunks of their physical history, so there will be more historical
buildings to see, though we will also peek into many interesting back alleys and such.
The official Macau outing finishes in time for us to catch the 6:30pm ferry back to Hong Kong, but you must feel free to stay behind or, even,
overnight. Staying on would give you the opportunity to visit Macau's famed casinos - or just to sample more superb restaurants...
Download Reservation Form here or click here to request more information.
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