Reaching the highest point of Macau was only one of the reasons we decided to hike up the Alto de Coloane. It is also the site of two recent additions to the Macau cultural scene. Both were initiated when the agreement was reached between Portugal and China for Macau to return to being a part of the People’s Republic.
The first is a new statue to A-Ma, the goddess who gave Macau its name. It was erected in October 1998 and is 65 ft high. The statue is made of white jade and overlooks much of the estuary to the west, east and south and Taipa and Cotai to the north.
A-Ma is revered in a wide range of other Taoist places and many people visit Macau just to pay homage to their goddess. The highest statue of her attracts many visitors.
The Coloane Heights Park provides some restful gardens to visit, and quite importantly for us, well-serviced public conveniences!
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