GETTING THERE
There are public buses or
it’s a 15-minute taxi ride
from downtown, but the
best choice is Macau
Cruise (macaucruise.com;
tickets from MOP100),
which now has boats that
run three times daily—at
1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.—
on a 45-minute journey
that offers a sea view of the
UNESCO World Heritage
Sites. This ferry becomes
an even better option once
you consider that the
popularity of Coloane for
day-trippers means finding
an available taxi back to
Cotai or the city center on
weekends is often difficult.STAY
Grand Coloane Resort
Avoid having to commute
for serenity by booking this
family-friendly choice in
Coloane, nestled in lush
gardens and adjacent to a
championship golf course.
The outdoor pools and
Jacuzzi comprise an idyllic
setting to relax, with views
of the South China Sea.
grandcoloane.com; superior
garden-view rooms from
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: STEFAN IRVINE/GETTY IMAGES; LEIGH GRIFFITHS; JAMES NESTERWITZ/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO MOP1,388 per night.
a beachfront restaurant. One
warning: families like to head over
for sundowners and dinner after a
dip in the public pool or at Cheoc
Van Beach.
Nearby, Fernando’s (9 Praia
de Hac Sa; 853/2888-2264) is an
institution that has been around
for decades. The rustic laid-back
interiors and outdoor seating make
for perfectly languid meals on
summer nights over pints of beer
or Portuguese wines. The home-
cooked menu offers robust flavors:
white-wine garlic clams, shrimp
and suckling pig are all favorites.
Located in a quiet corner of
Coloane, Espaço Lisboa (8 Rua
das Gaivotas; 853/2888-2226)
serves up wholesome homemade
Portuguese dishes. Try the duck
rice, delightfully rich and tasty. Add
in fresh seafood, prawns, signature
white wine garlic clams, along with
a simple salad of tomatoes, onions,
black olives and lettuce dressed
in olive oil. Only peckish? Order a
variety of croquettes and codfish
cakes to enjoy over a cold bottle of
vino. If you fancy some Macanese
salted codfish, the bacalhau, simply
pick them up near the pier after
your lunch.St. Francis
Xavier Chapel
on Coloane.The quiet Hac
Sa Beach.Lord Stow's
famous tarts.OFF TO THE BEACH
On the opposite coast from Cheoc
Van Beach is Hac Sa Beach, the
largest in Macau, which fortunately
doesn’t get too crowded even in the
peak summer months. While the
name means “black-sand beach,”
over time, erosion has required
white sand to be imported to
literally shore up this stretch of
coast, so don’t be too disappointed if
you have a mix of the two between
your toes. If you’re up for some
adventure, check out the Hac Sa
Reservoir Country Park, a stone’s
throw from the beach, and rent a
pedal boat or take a stroll around
the placid water.TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA.COM / SEPTEMBER 2019 57