A-Ma Temple

North of Barra Hill is a temple dedicated to the goddess A-Ma and Macau’s namesake – called Ma Kok Miu in Cantonese. She is better known as Tin Hau. This is the oldest temple in Macau and was probably standing when the Portuguese arrived, although the present one may only date back to the 17th century. At the entrance is a large boulder with a coloured relief of a lorcha (a traditional sailing vessel of the South China Sea). During the A-Ma Festival sometime between late April and early May, it is crowded with pilgrims. If you can only visit one temple in Macau, make it this one.