Macau Shopping

Macau is a place where you can purchase almost any kind of merchandise. The best buys include jewelry (particularly gold), Chinese antiques, porcelain, electronic items, mobile phones, watches, cashmere sweaters and silk clothing. All are available at very reasonable prices. The most popular flea market in Macau is near the ruins of St. Paul's. You'll find crockery, carved figurines, historic memorabilia and other oddities to bargain for. Another flea market operates around Hong Kung Temple, which is located at the heart of the old Chinese bazaar, between Cinco de Outubro and Guimares streets.

Senado Square is the historic heart of Macau, and also the location of one of the newest and best municipal markets, surrounded by several blocks of bustling street stalls. Clothing is the biggest item here, and you'll find vendors specializing in locally manufactured baby clothes, undergarments, shoes, or accessories as well as jeans, sweaters, t-shirts ad sportswear in all sizes and styles.

Macau has many resident artists and their work can often be seen at local galleries. Temporary exhibitions open to the public are held at the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, Casa Garden, the gallery of the Macau Government Tourist Office and the Tourism Activities Center, and works shown at these venues are usually for sale.

Chinese gold is available in many grades in Macau, and is not taxed, so it can be an exceptional bargain. Pearls and semi-precious stones are also available in abundance. There are many reputable jewelry shops near the Lisboa Hotel on Avenida Almeida Ribeiro and on Avenida Horta e Costa.

Taipa Island is famous for its traditional cookies, and in the old village there are shops that have been baking and selling the same fragrant sweet morsels for generations. There are duty free shops at the ferry terminal, Macau International Airport and on the mainland side of the Barrier Gate. Museum shops, like the one at the Macau Museum, have a variety of souvenirs, many of them selling charming handcrafts unique to Macau.

The Maritime Museum offers fascinating books, and imaginative gifts like model kits for the unique 'lorchas' that plied the waters around Macau in earlier times, and other beautifully designed souvenirs with a nautical touch. Souvenir shops around the ruins of St. Paul's offer a wide variety of postcards and other novelties, but for some really interesting and good quality books and prints of authentic Macau artists, do not miss the little shop just inside the entrance to the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau. Books like Anders Ljungstedt's' An Historical Sketch of the Portuguese Settlements in China and of the Roman Catholic Church and Mission and Descriptions of the City of Canton', first published in 1832, and William C. Hunter's 'An American in Canton'(1825-44) offer a romantic and historically accurate glimpse of 19th Century Macau and can be found at the Portuguese Book Store, the Maritime Museum, and at many hotel bookshops.

Many reputable shops and all department stores offer the latest in electronic equipment and cameras. There are two camera shops on Avenida Almeida Ribeiro and Avenida Horta e Costa near the Three Lamps area. Larger shops are recommended for reliability in case of after-sale service, and it is advisable to ask for a warranty card along with your receipt. There are several shops that carry handcrafted goods from China and other parts of Asia in Macau, and perhaps the best of these is located on Avenida Almeida Ribeiro. A tiny shop selling handcrafted traditional tea utensils, clothing, and musical instruments can be found on Rua de Hong Chau, near the Hyatt Regency on Taipa Island - it is worth a visit if only for its picturesque architecture and stone-lined rustic fountain.

Macau has a significant porcelain industry, although most of the factories are across the border in China. There are many wholesalers and retail outlets carrying a huge variety of tableware, vases, and novelty items at very low prices. For more unusual pieces at good prices, try the many shops around Rua de S. Paulo. Many interesting antique and one-of-a-kind pieces can also be found in shops on Avenida Almeida Ribeiro, right in the heart of the commercial district.