albergue 1601, macau

Travel Agent is on location this week in Macau checking out the Sheraton Macao Cotai Central and the surrounding destination. We’re packing up to head home, but not without serving up our favorites from the week. If you have clients staying in Macau, here are some must-try activities.

RELATED: On Location: Discovering Macau

Dining

Macau is a culinary hotspot with international chefs cooking up all kinds of global cuisine. Here are our top three favorite dining experiences.

Albergue 1601

Once a home for single women to live together in Macau, this historic building has been converted into a Portugese restaurant. The bright yellow house is in a cobblestone courtyard surrounded by small shops and galleries run by Portuguese transplants. Inside the restaurant, the chef is serving up classic Portuguese dishes that have become most popular in Macau. Diners must try the caldo verde (potato and kale soup), frango piri-piri (spicy chicken) and bacalhau a bras (shredded cod with potato and egg). 

Pousada de Coloane

Head over to the Coloane side of Macau, which is rustic and beachy. Here travelers will find the Pousada de Coloane, a boutique hotel on a hill overlooking the Cheoc-Van beach. We loved this restaurant not only for the view and friendly staff, but for the whole dining experience. Through local DMC smallWORLD Experience, travelers can arrange to have a cooking class at the restaurant. Travel Agent got to experience this class first hand and we learned how to whip up some tasty Portuguese/Macanese fusion dishes, like chicken in coconut broth and clams with garlic and white wine. The experience closes with a sampling of delicious Portuguese wines to complement the meal.

Xin

At the Sheraton, travelers must try Xin, which is a traditional hotpot restaurant. Guests can dine on an assortment of dim sum, but the real star of the restaurant is the hot pot experience. Diners are given a bowl full of raw ingredients, from vegetables to shell fish to thinly sliced beef. In individual bowls of flavored boiling water, diners cook their own food right at the table. It’s a fun, interactive experience that lets guests enjoy dinner on another level.

Entertainment

One of the most unique experiences in Macau is the House of Dancing Water, a HK$2 billion production that can only be found in Macau. The Cirque du Soleil-style performance is a frenzy of ballet, acrobatics, martial arts, and a water-and-light show with gorgeous music. The hour-and-a-half performance is truly a must-see experience.

Cultural

A-Ma Temple is one of the oldest and  most famous Taoist temples in Macau. It was built in 1488 and is dedicated to Matsu, the goddess of fishermen. In 2005 the temple became one of the designated sites of the Historic Centre of Macau and it is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. 

The temple is built into the side of a hill and travelers can wander among the rocks to discover hidden shrines and watch locals burn incense and pray.