Macau people often sigh, “Waiting for a taxi or a bus, I’d be better off walking instead!” Clearly it can be frustrating catching public transport in Macau, but perhaps walking isn’t such a bad idea anyway? The Macau Government Tourist Office offers a number of mapped out walking tour routes around Macau that have been tailor-made for visitors. Depending upon your personal preference, I think this is a wonderful way to find out much more about this fascinating place beyond what you could ever have imagined!
The routes take anywhere from just over an hour to 150 minutes based on a stay of between five and 10 minutes at each location.
I recommend An Experiment of Creativity. The route takes you from Pou Chai Sim Iun (Kun Iam Tong) to the Communications Museum, Macau Reservoir, Guia Cable Car, Guia Fortress, Tap Seac Square, Dr Sun Yat Sen Memorial House, Lou Lim Ieoc Garden and St Lazarus Church.
Most of these attractions tend to be overlooked by visitors yet they not only reflect Macau’s history and culture; the Macau Reservoir, Guia Fortress, the Tap Seac Square and the Lou Lim Ieoc Garden are places where residents often do exercise and walking, so what better way to experience the daily lives of the local people?
The Guia Cable Car is the world’s shortest at just 186 meters and with a journey time of around one minute there is nothing to worry about if you’re scared of heights! The Guia Fortress is the highest point in Macau and overlooks the town panorama. You can also take the opportunity to explore some neo-classical style buildings near the Tap Seac Square such as the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the Central Library, Historical Archives of Macau, Tap Seac Gallery and the Macau Health Bureau.
Visitors can obtain walking tour maps for free at the MGTO’s Tourist Information counters. You can also download the maps or enjoy videos of the routes on MGTO’s website soon at http://www.macautourism.gov.mo.
