5 Free Things to do in Macau with Kids

I’ve always admired people who can leave family and friends and move to a foreign country that’s so completely different from their own. Agness from eTramping.com is one of those people and she constantly amazes me with her adventures in Asia and Europe. She and her bestfriend, Cez, have a great blog series on visiting cities around the world for less than $25 a day.  I’m so happy to share this post from one of the best budget-minded people I know on free things to do in Macau with kids. I’ve always wanted to visit this area and this post just inspired me more. Thanks Agness!

Although Macau is considered as the casino paradise for gamblers and not necessarily a budget friendly family travel destination, it does not stop parents and their kids from travelling there. Actually, if you know where to go and what to do in Macau, the island can provide great fun for kids and unforgettable experience for the whole family.

The Las Vegas of China is full of free of charge attractions where parents can take their kids to and spend an amazing time together. All you need is to grab a free map of Macau from the airport or your hotel, pack some food and water for your kids and off you go!

1. Walk through Senado Square

Start your day by visiting Senado Square which is one of the most common touristic spot in Macau. Kids can have a nice walk while enjoying the sun and seeing wave-patterned mosaic colored stones and Portuguese styled windows and walls.

Senado Square is mostly famous for its historical buildings and shopping area with plenty of bars and coffee shops. Parents can enjoy a nice cup of Portuguese coffee while kids can grab one of fruit shakes to boost their energy level. If anyone gets hungry, you can try some Macanese local street food – steamed fish-balls, grilled fish or fried octopus.

2. Explore the Monte Forte.

Monte Forte was used as military base in the 16^th century and nowadays features a public park, an observatory and the Macau Museum – all free of charge, open to visitors every day.

You can start exploring the place from enjoying a stunning view over Macau, then let your kids play in the park to finally end up in the Macau Museum where you can learn a lot about the history of the city and territory of the former Portuguese colony of Macau.

3. Visit the historical Ruins of St. Paul

Exploring the Ruins of St. Paul can be a great lesson of history for your kids. The ruins from 17^th century are the most famous touristic spot in Macau.

You can grab one of booklets explaining the history of this place (free of charge), have a walk through the ruins with the kids and take some nice photos. If you get tired, there is a park nearby where you can sit down and have some rest. By the way, get ready for the massive queues!

4. Relax at Holy House of Mercy of Macau

The Holy House of Mercy of Macau is a very quiet and relaxing place. It is listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site “Historic Centre of Macau” and it is also free of charge so it is definitely worth stopping by.

You will be surrounded by traditional Portuguese fountains, narrow windows and balconies, beautiful flowers and some statues made of stone.

5. Have picnic at Hac Sa Beach

After an exhausting walk through Macau, it is time to have a decent rest at one of the most beautiful beaches here called Hac Sa, famous for its black sand. The kids can swim here, play basketball and volleyball, have fun at the playground and you can have a nice picnic together in the forest near the beach at the end of the day.

There are plenty of lifeguards surrounding the beach so it is a family friendly place. You can easily get there by a local bus 25 or 26A which goes directly there from the city center.

To sum up, Macau can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be. There is a great variety of free activities parents can do and enjoy with their kids without worrying about the money.

*What other free attractions in Macau can you add to the list?

Agness is a Polish vagabond who, after graduation, left her comfort zone and set off for a journey of her lifetime to China in 2011. She has been constantly travelling the world since then (slowly, but surely as she says), living like a local for less than $25 a day. She became a photography passionate and adventure blogger sharing her life enthusiasm and travel experience with everyone around. You can follow her adventures on her blog, eTramping.com.

This is a part of a series called Five Free Family Friday which is a collective guide of free family-friendly attractions from places all over the world.  If you’d like to contribute with the free attractions in your home city, I would love your guest posts. Thanks!