Chapel of St Francis Xavier, Coloane Village.

Coloane (路環 - Louwan in Cantonese, Luhuan in Mandarin) was the southern-most island in China's Special Administrative Region of Macau. It used to be separated from Taipa to the north but the two are now joined by the reclaimed land of the Cotai Strip to form one huge island.

The island, formerly a haven for pirates who sought shelter in its many coves, is largely rural and provides a wonderful break from the crowded and busy Macau Peninsula. Here, you'll find the quaint Coloane Village with its pastel Portuguese-style houses and narrow lanes. Coloane also has two of Macau's best beaches - Cheoc Van and Hac Sa. Many people from Macau come over to Coloane to feast on Macanese cuisine and seafood.

Get in

By bus

Buses connect various parts of the Macau Peninsula with Coloane via Taipa and Cotai. Fares are:

• MOP$5 for buses between Macau Peninsula and Coloane Village
• MOP$6.40 for buses from Macau Peninsula which end their journey at Hac Sa Beach
• MOP$3.20 for buses between Taipa and Coloane
• MOP$3.60 for buses from Taipa which end their journey at Hac Sa Beach
• MOP$2.80 for bus journeys within Coloane

Between Macau Peninsula, Taipa and Coloane:

• 21A - Barra/A-Ma Temple to Hac Sa Beach via Av do Amirante Sergio, Rua das Lorchas, Av de Almeida Ribeiro, Av Infante Henrique, Praca de Ferreira do Amaral/Hotel Lisboa, Taipa City/Av Dr Sun Yat Sen, Cotai/Venetian, Seac Pai Van Park, Coloane Village, Cheok Van Beach.
• 25 (return route)- Portas do Cerco to Hac Sa Beach via Mong Ha Fort (Av Horta e Costa), Av Sidonio Pais (Av de Conselheiro Ferreira do Amaral), Av Rua do Campo, Praca de Ferreria do Amaral/Hotel Lisboa, Taipa City/Av Dr Sun Yat Sen, Taipa City/Jardim Cidade das Flores, Taipa City/Olympic Aquatic Centre, Cotai/Venetian, Seac Pai Van Park, Coloane Village, Cheok Van Beach.
• 26 - Fai Chi Kei to Coloane Village via Red Market, Av das Lorchas, Av do Amirante Sergio/Ponte a Horta, Barra/A-Ma Temple, Macau Tower, Sai Van Bridge, Taipa City/Macau Jockey Club, Taipa City/Jardim Cidade das Flores, Macau International Airport, Universidade de Ciencia e Tecnologia de Macau, Cotai/Venetian, Seac Pai Van Park.
• 26A - Fai Chi Kei to Hac Sa Beach via Red Market, Rua da Ribeira do Patane, Rua Visconde Paco de Arcos, Av de Almeida Ribeiro, Praca de Ferreira do Amaral/Hotel Lisboa, Taipa City/Av Dr Sun Yat Sen, Taipa City/Jardim Cidade daas Flores, Taipa City/Olympic Aquatic Centre, Cotai/Venetian, Seac Pai Van Park, Coloane Village, Cheok Van Beach.
• 50 - Praca de Ferreira do Amaral/Hotel Lisboa to Coloane Village via Taipa City/Av Dr Sun Yat Sen, Cotai/City of Dreams, Seac Pai Van Park, Coloane Village.

Between Taipa and Coloane only:

• 15 - Ocean Garden, Taipa to Ka Ho Village via Taipa City/Macau Jockey Club, Taipa Village, Cotai/Venetian, Seac Pai Van Park, Coloane Village, Cheok Van Beach, Hac Sa Beach.

By road

Coloane is linked by several roads, including the main Taipa-Coloane Isthmus Causeway, to Taipa, which in turn is linked by bridges to Macau Peninsula. The roads go through Cotai, the reclaimed area between Coloane and Taipa.

By boat

There are no regular boat services from Coloane to other parts of Macau, nearby Hengqin Island in Zhuhai, China nor Hong Kong.

See

Rua Caetano, Coloane Village.

• Coloane Village - Quiet and lazy, Coloane Village, the main village on the island, is a joy to just walk around and explore. Its narrow lanes lined with pastel-coloured houses and shops. Avenida de Cinco de Outubro is the main esplanade where you can look across the narrow channel to Hengqin Island in China. Along this street you will find the pretty Chapel of St Francis set back from the road by a square flanked by restaurants. In the square is a monument dedicated to the fight against piracy. Further along is the collonaded Biblioteca (public library) and right at the southern end of the road is the Tam Kong Temple. North of the main square, you'll find the boat-building quarter, the village pier and the Sam Seng Temple.

• A-Ma Statue and Cultural Village - The 20m statue is situated on top of the 176m Alto de Coloane and was erected in 1998. The surrounding cultural village has religious and cultural buildings and a vegetarian restaurant. The statue and cultural village can be reached via Estrada do Alto de Coloane or by walking the Coloane trail.

• Seac Pai Van Park - This 20 hectare park along Estrada Seac Pai Van just south of the Taipa-Coloane Isthmus Causeway, has a medicinal garden as well as other green areas, a mini zoo and a lake. The Museum of Nature and Agriculture is also located within the park.

Do

Swimming

Macau's two beaches are located on the southern side of Coloane and are frequented by locals and visitors, especially at the weekend:

• Hac Sa (黑沙 - black sand) beach, the larger of the two, in a bay with the Westin resort on its eastern end. The water is of mediocre quality but brave swimmers can enter the water here. Those less brave choose the swimming pool just opposite the beach.
• Cheoc Van (竹灣 - bamboo bay) beach, a smaller and more beautiful beach. The sand here is golden and more inviting to sunbathe or play on. There is a nice curved swimming pool just by the beach (as opposed to the traditional rectangular one at Hac Sa). A cordoned-off area of the bay is set aside for swimmers, and members of the Winter Swimmers Association go swimming here daily (yes, even in the coldest of winter!).

Hiking/Cycling

Coloane's large hilly area in the centre of the island is criss-crossed with unpaved hiking trails of various lengths and difficulty. They are also suitable for mountain-biking. It is advisable to cycle there early in the morning or on weekdays to avoid the crowds of hikers during the weekends.

Eat

• Fernando's, Hac Sa Wan, ☏ 882531NOCC. Delicious Portuguese food in a homey atmosphere. They have their own way of doing things; credit cards are not accepted, reservations cannot be made (except on weekdays for large parties) (on weekends head through to the courtyard bar at the back, give your details and relax with a jug of Sangria); ask for Ketchup if you dare. For two people, the Salad (comes with freshly baked bread), the Prawns and the Chicken (served on a bed of chips) should be sufficient. 

• Lord Stow's Bakery, 1 Rua da da Tassara (next to Banco Comercial de Macau), ☏ +853 2888 2534. 7AM-10PM daily. Sit-down cafe and a bakery at the Village Square. A Macau institution, Lord Stow's is famous for its cheesecakes, fruitcakes, sandwiches, and most of all, its Portuguese egg tarts, which are famous throughout Asia. 

• Nga Tim, Coloane Village. What a beautiful outdoor setting! Located in the colonnade on the left as you face St. Francis Xavier Church, the restaurant serves up authentic Portuguese and Chinese fare with views of the church plaza and the waterfront. Popular with tourists and locals, they accept credit cards and are reasonably priced. 

• Pousada de Coloane, Pousada de Coloane, Praia de Cheoc Van, Colane Island, ☏ +853 2888 2143, fax: +853 2888 2251. Open Daily. Pousada de Coloane, and facing the picturesque Cheoc Van Beach, this splendid restaurant serves delicious, home-style Portuguese cuisine in a lovely environment. Resonably priced. 

Sleep

• Pousada de Coloane, Praia de Cheoc Van, ☏ +853 2888 2143, fax: +853 2888 2251. Family 4-star hotel that actually feels more like a 3-star hotel. Even though renovated in 2006, rooms are still not as good as other hotels in Macau. However, its location cannot be beaten, with the better rooms all having a small balcony with views out over the bay. 

• Pousada de Juventude de Hác Sá, Est. Nova de Hac Sa, ☏ +853 2888 2701. Youth hostel. 

• The Westin Resort, 1918 Est. de Hac Sa, ☏ +853 2887 1111, fax: +853-28871122, macau@westin.com. At one time this was Macau's most expensive hotel, however it is now looking a little shabby, however it is still a great place to relax by the pool or on the golf course. Also renowned for its lunch and dinner buffets. Rather impersonal. If you are going to Fernando's, and want to save money.