Guia Fort
- Address: Rampa Da Guia, Sao Lazaro, Macau, China
- Hours: Tues - Sun: 9am - 5:30pm
- Admission: Free
ATTRACTION Keywords:
Cultural Experience,
Good Views / Viewpoint,
Tip - What to See & Do,
UNESCO Heritage Site,
Monument - Historical,
Tower
Constructed in the 17th century along with a small chapel, the lighthouse at Guia Fort was the first western-style lighthouse built anywhere along the East Asian coastline. Prior to the high-rise skyscrapers which tower outside of the fort today, the light from the lighthouse was visible at distances of up to 20 miles (32.2 kilometers) out to sea. Although the fort was constructed as a defensive position against the neighboring Chinese, the most practical use it ever saw was to warn residents of oncoming typhoons as broadcasted by a messaging system adjacent to the lighthouse.
Located nearby other Macau historic attractions such as Monte Fort and the Ruins of the Church of St. Paul, Guia Fort also houses a curious bit of history at the entrance to the chapel. As visitors will notice, there is a small engraving in Portuguese which states, “Here lies at this gate the remains of Christopher, by accident, for his body does not deserve such an honorable sepulcher.” Seeing as there is no record of just exactly who Christopher was, it’s just another quirky tidbit of the past found in one of Asia’s quirkiest corners.
Latest Reviews
Review by LarryG, May 2013
Doing what: Macau Day Trip from Hong Kong
Macau is a formerly Portuguese outpost just minutes away from the Chinese border. With this location, it is now most influenced by the changes in the modern Chinese economy and culture. This tour explains the past, present and future of Macau. We spent a few minutes at a casino in the old part of town; if you want to see the spectacular Vegas-style Cotai Strip, plan on leaving the tour at the end and making your way back to Shanghai on your own -- easily done with complementary casino transport to and from the jet-ferry station.
Review by Graham F, Australia, April 2013
Doing what: Macau Day Trip from Hong Kong
Great day - all worked well. We were a bit concerned about our passports - but we were looked after by the operator very well. No problkems.
Review by Chanfam, April 2013
Doing what: Macau Day Trip from Hong Kong
Very informative trip. The places we visited were interesting and quite unique from Hong Kong. Our guide Cisco was very knowledgeable about Macau. I loved his sense of humour and he was great in keeping the group on time. Overall the trip was well organised and as described.
