A-Ma Temple

A-Ma Temple is not only a world cultural heritage, but one of the most famous tourist spot in Macau. It is known as the place in Macau where the Portuguese first land, and is considered to be the starting point of this historical exploration. In July 2005, UNESCO listed "The Historic Centre of Macau" into the World Heritage List, and recognized the architectural legacies interwoven in the midst of the original urban fabric of Macau, which is a successful East-West cultural co-existence.

A-Ma Temple is composed of prayer halls, pavilions and courtyards built into the boulder-strewn hill connected by winding paths through moon gates and tiny gardens. There is a large rock at the entrance, on which there is traditional sailing junk was etched more than 400 years ago. And you can see the red carved characters invoking the blessings of the gods on other boulders. According to the legend that touching the top of the moon gate up the hill will bring good luck in love.

The temple is well known for its beautiful tiled roofs and spectacular views from the upper gardens. In A-ma festival (on the 23rd day of the third lunar month each year), many firecrackers, to scare away evil spirits, are exploded in the entrance courtyard to greet the tourists, and there is the excited lion dances are performended on that day as well as on every weekend.

A Maritime Museum lies on the opposite of the temple, showing the Portuguese and Chinese maritime history that covers the period between the Fifteenth and the Seventeenth Century. And there are several famous Portuguese restaurants near the museum, serving all kinds of delicious cuisine.