Photo credit: Sports Bureau of Macao SAR Government website
Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast or just want to sweat the stress out, there are amazing places in Macau to play sports with your friends and family. Stretch your legs, have a run or walk and relax at these awesome spots in town–and some are free! There is a multifunction card available to all Macau residents that can be obtained by filling out a form and you’ll be able to book sports facilities and rent equipment if needed.
Basketball, Soccer and Tennis
There are at least six public sports spots in the peninsula that you can reserve in advance to play tennis, basket, soccer, badminton and many others. The ones in Avenida do Comendador Ho Yin are covered, so no need to worry about how the weather is going to be and just play!
Estrada do Canal dos Patos, Rua Central da Areia Preta (next to Macau Baptist College) Alameda da Tranquilidade (next to Keang Peng School) and Cheng Choi (in Estrada Marginal da Ilha Verde) and Avenida Panorâmica do Lago Sai Van (in Sai Van Lake area) areas are all outdoors, which is perfect for those looking for open-air sports and some good times in the fresh air with friends and the team. They are all equipped with football fields, most also have basketball lines and baskets and Cheng Choi even has tennis nets. Some equipment is available to rent upon request and availability.
There are also a few places in Taipa and Coloane, which includes tennis, football and basketball courts. Those are located at Taipa Central Park, Rua de Zhanjiang (close to Lake Building), Hac-Sa Beach (Coloane) and Avenida de Luís de Camões (Hac-Sa Village). One has to pay a minimum price for the time in the field, which rarely exceeds MOP $50. The Macao East Asian Games Dome (situated in Cotai) indoor arena has three basketball courts equipped with fine materials and also available for the public to book.
The Lin Fong Sports Centre was established for sports purposes by the local government in 1940 and part of it used to serve as a greyhound track. Since then, it has suffered several revamps, now boasting two swimming pools, a gymnasium, and many other rooms for specific sports, as well as an outdoor zone for football and basketball. Tap Seac Multi Sports Pavilion is also a good option if you are looking for an indoor area to in case of bad weather.
Some primary and secondary schools, as well as local associations, are also involved in this by partnering up with the government and making their own facilities available to the public. This is the case of Sir Robert Ho Tung Luso Chinese Primary School, San Kio, Keang Peng Secondary School, Kwong Tai Middle School, the Women’s General Association of Macao and the Macau Federation of Trade Unions Workers (that allow the use of their stadium).
Source: Macau Open Badminton 2017 website
Racquet Sports
Although all the above are pretty popular sports in the region, squash, badminton and table tennis can gather quite a crowd as well. Our choice for squash sites are the Vitoria Sports Center (Macau side) and the UM Stadium & Sports Complex (in Taipa)–where you can rent an indoor room for MOP $30 and play until 11:00pm.
Table tennis facilities are available at the UM Sports Complex and the Olympic Sports Centre (multi-purpose zone). The Lin Fong Sports Centre also has 10 table-tennis tables available for booking, some for free and others for just MOP $10 per hour.
The tennis academy is adjacent to the Bowling Centre and in the vicinity of the Macao East Asian Games Dome and the International Shooting Range. It costs MOP $30 per hour and boasts more than 10 well-maintained courts for those looking for some serious racquet time. The academy has a website with schedules, pricing and other information. For people looking to have classes, the Ténis Civil (which also has a restaurant) has experienced instructors, although prices can be a bit higher for both learning and renting a court. There are other spots with tennis courts, such as the one in Avenida do Almirante Magalhães Correia, in Taipa.
Photo credit: Sports Bureau of Macao SAR Government
Kart Racing, Shooting & Other Sports
So you’re not a running or racquet sport kind of person. What about having fun with your friends while doing something out of the box and new, that isn’t eating or heading to the movies? Let’s see what else Macau has been hiding away. Did you know there is a bowling alley, a tennis academy, a kart track, nautical centres and even a shooting range in Macau? Well, here is your chance to try them all!
Both Cheoc Van and Hac-Sa beaches have nautical centres, but the latter is more frequented and usually holds classes and courses for all those interested in learning or enhance their sailing skills. The Macau International Shooting Range is also an interesting place to visit if you feel like blowing off some steam. You can rent the space for MOP $30 an hour and there are several options, including 25 and 50-meter lanes for your enjoyment. To know more about it, check their official website.
Bowling is only fun with friends, so gather a bunch of them, team up and head to either the Future Bright Amusement Park (in Macau side) or the Bowling Centre in Cotai. The above-mentioned park also has an ice-skating rink! How amazing is this, for a place that can reach more than 40º degrees during summer?
Karts are another curiosity in Macau. A pretty common leisurely activity for kids growing up in Macau during the 80s and 90s, this is still fun and brings a bit of excitement to everyone’s life. Bookings are usually made for groups–who wants to race by themselves?–and schedules are subject to change, so be sure to call them (+853 2888 2126) before going just in case. The price is MOP $180 for 15 minutes per kart. Opening hours and schedules can be found here. Another great sport available in Macau is swimming! In addition to all the facilities mentioned above, read our take on Macau’s best outdoor pools for the hot weather ahead.
We’ve been talking about how easy it is to reserve a football field or a tennis court in Macau, but how does one do that? That’s the easiest part! All Macau resident can request a card for this. It’s called Sport Easy and lets you book everything online or at the venue! It can be easily obtained by filling out a form available here. Public facilities are usually opened and available from 7:00am to 11:00pm. You can check for updates, news and more information on all the sports facilities in the city on their website.
