Vacation in Macau China with Asian Vacations, Inc.

A-Ma Temple
Situated at the base of Penha Hill, A-Ma Temple, with a history of over 500 years, is the oldest temple among the three ancient temples in Macau (the other two are Kun Iam Temple and Lin Fong Temple). The temple is dedicated to the goddess A-Ma. According to legend, A-Ma, a poor girl looking for passage to Canton, was refused by the wealthy junk owners but a lowly fisherman took her on board. A storm blew up and wrecked all but the boat carrying the girl. On arrival in Macau she vanished, to reappear as a goddess, on the spot where the fishermen built her temple to pay homage. It is said that over 400 years ago when Portuguese reached Macau and landed on the sea promontory opposite A-Ma Temple, they asked the local inhabitants the name of the whole place. The locals misunderstood they were denoting the temple and answered "Ma Kok", which later was transliterated into "Macau" by the Portuguese and became the Portuguese name for Macau. The whole temple includes main hall, stone hall, great mercy hall and Kun Lam hall (Goddess of Mercy, Avalokitesvara). Along the cliff leading form great mercy hall to Kun Lam hall, there are many poems and verses inscribed on stone in all scripts, regular, cursive, seal character and official. Believing A-Ma could predict auspicious and inauspicious things and help people to dispel calamity and turn danger into safety, on 23 March every lunar year, the birthday of A-Ma, and in the spring festival, many disciples gather here to pay homage and to pray for good fortune.

Camoes Garden and Grotto
Camoes Garden is one of the largest parks in Macau. In the early 18th Century, there was a piece of undeveloped land occupied by the Chairman of the British East India Company. After the British moved out in 1835, it was bought over by a Portuguese merchant, who later built his resident house there. The merchant adored raising doves and his hundreds of doves always hovered near the garden, forming a marvelous scene famous near and far. After the death of the merchant, the garden was donated to the government and later opened to public as a memorial garden dedicated to Louis de Camoes, a famous Portuguese poet who lived four hundred years ago. Hence the name Camoes Garden. Cameos Grotto is the most famous scenic spot in this garden. After riling the court officials, Camoes was exiled to Macau and lived in this cave where later he finished the national epic Os Lusiadas. In 1849, a bust of Camoes was installed in this grotto by the Portuguese merchant. Behind the grotto, paths lead up to a wooded hill and a belvedere where stone tables and seats were installed for people to have a rest. At the far end of the garden is a fountain that contains a bronze sculpture entitled "Embrace", specially made to symbolize the centuries' old friendship between Portugal and China.

Grand Prix Museum
If you are a die-hard Formula 1 fan and you miss some of its attraction, you can visit the Grand Prix Museum in Macao and suddenly you will feel back on track. Inaugurated in 1993 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Macau Grand Prix, the museum encourages a closer relationship between the local people and this sports event as well as to enable foreign visitors to know more about this famous international championship. The Macau Grand Prix started in 1954 due to the enthusiasm of a group of Macau residents and the support of the authorities. It includes a number of automobile and motorbike races and takes place every year in November. Since its beginning in 1954, many internationally famous race car drivers came here and participated in the races. Today, it has become an exciting international sports event in Macau. The Museum displays more than 20 racing cars famous for being driven by world class drivers, electric-operated motor cars and accessories related to the Grand Prix. A visit to the Museum will allow the visitor to retrace the history of car race in Macau in the past 40 years. Many historical pictures of splendid car races are also on display. In addition, the museum provides two racing simulators for the visitors interested to experience the race feeling.

Kun Iam Temple
The Kun Iam Temple (Temple of the Goddess of Mercy), also known as "Pou Chai Sim Yun", is the most famous and impressive among the three ancient temples in Macau (the other two are the A-Ma Temple and Lin Fong Temple). The original temple was built over 600 years ago, and since then there have been many additions to the temple complex dedicated to this Goddess. Built in the Buddhist architectural tradition of the peasant plumes style, the Kun Iam Temple is composed of a main temple, prayer halls, shrines, courtyards and pavilions. The Kun Iam Hall is the main hall of the temple. Dressed in embroidered silk with a fringed crown, the statue of Kun Iam, the Goddess , stands in the center of the prayer hall, flanked by 18 arhats which are exquisitely carved with great craftsmanship so that they have a lifelike appearance. The arhats, with their round eyes, high-bridged noses and curly hair, look very much like westerners. It is said that they are based on Marco Polo, a Venetian who studied and practiced the theory of Buddhism when he was in China. In adjoining rooms are funeral chapels and scrolls honoring Kun Iam in pictures and calligraphy. Near the Kun Iam Hall is a courtyard, which has a potted landscape garden incorporating a lotus pond. The shape is unique and has survived many years. Its branches have been interwoven to form the Chinese character for Longevity. Legends have it that by touching this word , Buddhist devotees could live up to one hundred years. At the back of this temple is a terraced garden. Inside, there is a granite table with four benches, where the first Sino-American "Wong Ha (Wangxia) Treaty" was signed in 1844 between the United States and China. There is also a huge banyan tree over a hundred years old called the "tree with branches interlocked" which translated says: "We wish to fly to heaven, as two birds with wings of one. And to grow together on earth, two branches of one tree". It was said at the beginning of the construction of the temple that a couple of lovers, whose marriage was opposed by both their families, committed suicide in desperation. Later, a banyan tree with interwoven branches grew up, symbolizing the everlasting love between the lovers. The festival of Kun Iam is celebrated on the 19th day of the second, sixth, ninth and 11th lunar months of every year. On these days worshippers come to the temple with joss sticks and candles to burn at the hall.

Lin Fung Temple (Temple of the Lotus)
Lin Fung Temple is one of the three famous temples in Macau (the other two are: A-Ma Temple and Kun Iam Temple). Lin Fung Temple has a history of over 400 years as it was originally built in 1592. It was restored many times in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD) and most of the present structures are the result of the restoration which started in 1876. A pair of stone lions guard the entrance, and Lin Fung Temple has a fine facade of intricate clay bas-relief sculptures carved in the 19th Century depicting historical and mythological figures. The main hall of this temple is dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy, whose statue occupies an elaborate altar. The ceiling is a particularly good example of black beam and exposed white tile construction. Historically, Lin Fung Temple has been well known for centuries as the place where Chinese Mandarins from Guangdong province would stay when they came to Macau. The most renowned visitor was Commissioner Lin Zexu, who, in order to suppress the opium trade, interviewed officials of Macau in this temple on September 3rd, 1839. He is now honored with a six-foot granite statue and a new museum in the temple courtyard. Because of this historic occasion, the temple became renowned both at home and abroad.

Lou Lim Iok Garden
Lou Lim Iok Garden, an area of 1.78 hectares in central Macau peninsula, is the only classic Suzhou style garden ever built. A wealthy merchant, Lou Kau, built it. His son Lou Lim Iok inherited the garden from him in 1906. The family fortunes declined and in 1938 some houses in this garden were sold and converted into a school, which still stands today. In the 1970's, the government took over the park, renovated it, and opened it to be enjoyed by the public. Surrounded by high walls, this garden is a landscape with narrow paths winding through groves of bamboo and flowering bushes. A small pond is at the center of this garden, straddled by an elegant nine-turn bridge leading to a large pavilion built in the pseudo-Victorian style of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD). Visitors standing on the verandah can see a rock, which is said to look like Kun Iam, Goddess of Mercy. There are frequent art and craft exhibitions in the pavilion, which is also a recital hall during the annual International Music Festival. Qingcao Hall (Green Grass Hall) is the garden's most famous structure. The exterior is in traditional Chinese style, but the interior decorations are typical western. The outer wall is painted in beige, a color with Portuguese flair, while the corridor pillars are of unique Gothic style. On Sun-yat Sen's 1915 second visit to Macau, he stayed in this hall and gave audience to Macau's rich and famous. This unique garden, in 1992 was named as one of the "Eight Scenes in Macau".

Macau Maritime Museum
Shaping like a ship with three masts full of wind, Macau Maritime Museum "anchors" in front of A-Ma Temple, the place where the first batch of Portuguese was believed to land. First founded in 1987, and opened to public on June 24th of 1990, this Maritime Museum was reputed as the oldest museum in Macau. Mainly focusing on the various maritime activities of China, Macau and Portugal, the museum is divided into four sections according to the different theoretical themes which include Chinese and Portuguese maritime history, traditional fishing and vessels of South of China, etc. The basement mainly displays the traditions and the way of life of the South China fishermen. Visitors can see many types of ships, instruments and ways of fishing, different varieties of fish and shellfish living in these waters. Besides, six short films are shown here, making visitor further understand the social customs and festivals of the fisherman. At the garret between the basement and the first floor, there display models of twelve Portuguese traditional vessels. On board the model ship, there is a small screen in the vessel through which the information of the vessel is shown. The first floor is exclusively dedicated to the maritime history of China and Portugal between 15th and 17th Century. The great trips of Zheng He, a famous navigator of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) who recognized India and Arabia from the sea and reached the eastern coast of Africa, as well as the routes of the Portuguese discoveries of the 15th and 16th centuries are all presented, together with the models of the ships that they once used. The second floor focuses on the navigation discoveries, technologies and instruments, including those used by the Portuguese such as cross-staff, dial and astrolabe and those invented by the Chinese such as compass, balanced ship's wheel and side bulkheads. Also, near the teahouse outside the museum, a navigation simulator is provided, through which visitors can experience the marvelous trip in deep sea.

Macau Wine Museum
Inaugurated on December 25, 1995, the Wine Museum aimed to introduce the development of brewing culture of wine to visitors. The museum occupies an area of 1,400 sq. m with a collection of more than 1,115 brands of wine (756 commercial wines and 359 collection wines), in which "Martle" produced in 1815 is the earliest one. Combining culture, amusement and education into a complete entity, the museum is divided into three main parts: the area of the history of wine-making, the area of the collection of wine and that of wine display. These sections systematically introduces the brewery, the history of the growth of grape and the tools and utensils used for brewery, presenting to the visitor the modern and traditional tools connected to the wine production. Among the newly brewed wine, about 50 varieties of them are offered for tasting, which provides people a rare chance to experience the famous wine. There is another group of exhibits of porcelain bricks decorated with colored drawings belonging to the 18th Century in the museum, in which some are original and some are replica. The drawings on the porcelain bricks concern grape wine and vineyard. In addition, a set of mannequins was displayed with various regional dresses of different regions of Portugal. The museum brings the visitor into contact with the development of the wine brewery as well as the social, economical and cultural importance of the wine in the Portuguese tradition, daily life and celebration rituals.

Monte Fort
Monte Fort, located close to the Ruins of St. Paul's, is one of the major attractions in Macau. Built on granite foundations in 1616 with bastions at each corner, this fort, as a part of St. Paul's Church, was once used to defend St. Paul's Church against pirate. Covering an area of 21,000 sq. ft, the fort contained barracks, cisterns and storehouses. Four cannons were set at the four corners of the fort with very wide fields of fire, covering the inner and outer harbors and the Chinese border. Monte Fort later fell into disrepair after the Jesuits were expelled in 1762. In 1831, the Jesuit College was turned into barracks and in 1835 a fire destroyed the fort buildings, the college as well as the church, only the stone facade of the church remained, which now is noted as Ruins of St. Paul's. Over the following decades, with more and more tress growing from the platform of the fort, the fort became a public park, where residents and visitors came to enjoy the views. In 1998, Macau Museum was installed into the fort with exhibits illustrating the rising and falling fortunes as well the present achievement of Macau. Stand on the fort, one may have a panoramic view of Macau.

Ruins of St. Paul's
The magnificent Ruins of St. Paul's, namely Sam Ba Sing Tzik, are the symbol of Macau. Adjoined the Jesuit College of St. Paul, the first western college in the Far East where missionaries studied Chinese, the magnificent structure actually is the remaining front wall and majestic stairway of the sacred St. Paul's Church. Designed by an Italian Father, the construction of this holy church began in 1602 and completed in 1637 with the help of the Japanese technology of superlative craftsmanship. However, due to an indissoluble cause, the church caught fire three times during its construction period and each time it was rebuilt until the last fire happened in 1853. The fire lasted for two hours and it set nearly the whole church into flames except the front wall, the most valuable part. Before the mischance, the church is extremely splendid. When it was built in the 17th Century, St Paul's Church was considered to be one of the grandest of its kind in the Orient. Famous for its grand appearance and delicate carving, the architecture of St Paul's Church concentrates the style of the European Renaissance period and that of eastern architecture, serving as a good combination of Chinese and western architectural characters. Caved with marvelous relieves, the Sam Ba Sing Tzik is divided into four floors. At the top of it stands aloft the Cross, underneath which is again subdivided into three stories. In the niche of each floor, a bronze statue cast by the Macau cannon manufactory is stored. Under the Cross, there is a bronze pigeon, representing the holy god, and around it, there are stone sculptures of the sun, the moon and the stars symbolizing the pregnancy of St. Virgin Maria in a flash of light. Under the bronze pigeon is a picture of Holy Son - Jesus Christ. Beside it are the tools used to crucify Jesus. Right in the middle of the third floor is carved the statue of St. Virgin Maria surrounded with peony and chrysanthemum on both sides, respectively representing China and Japan. On the left are carved "Eternal Crowd", a "Sailing Boat in Portuguese Style" and a "Monster with Ferocious Features". On the right are carved statues of the Life of Tree and St. Maria conquering the monster and piercing through the death's head, all of which symbolizes the conquest of death. Below the third floor lies a niche floor, on which there is a statue of four figures with Jesus meeting with the sage. At the bottom of the Sam Ba Sing Tzik are three doors. On the main door is inscribed the Latin words MATER DEI, representing Goddess St. Maria. On both sides of it is inscribed the mark "HIS" of Jesus Christ. During the 1990 to 1995, a large-scale restoration work was carried out by the government. After restoration, the backside of the Ruins of St. Paul's was turned into a museum, where exhibits of paintings, sculptures and liturgical objects from churches and monasteries in Macau were stored. Existing as a witness of the history of Macau, Ruins of St. Paul's now attracts more and more visitors from all over the world.

Sun-yat Sen Park
Located next to the canal that forms Macau's border with China, Sun-yat Sen Park is the largest and newest garden in Macau. Covering an area of 7,000 sq. m (70 acres), this park is divided into the southwest and northeast parts. The northeast part, containing artificial lakes, small bridges, pavilions and towers, follows the traditional Chinese architecture style and the southwest part features unique western architecture style with a greenhouse and some sports facilities inside. Besides, there are also some recreation places such as children's playground, pelota courts and multi-purpose sports fields in the center of the park. Near the entrance, there is a building in classical Chinese style, which contains a cafe hall, exhibition hall and library. Outside the gate is a statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, who led the revolution in 1911 and worked in Macau in the 1890s.