Taipa is one of the two islands in Macau that can take you away from views of the streets lined with casinos and big hotels. It is a place rich in culture where you can easily see the humble village life, far different from the city. Taking a tour around Taipa can take a day at most, and to get there from the city is fairly easy as well.

Check out how I got there through the starting point of my Taipa and Coloane trip in Cotai.

Since I was travelling solo, I did a bit of research and got myself a handy e-map before I got there. The Macao Tourism website provided one that I really liked as it was a walking tour map. It was late December, so the weather was a bit chilly at around 15-17°C, but I enjoyed walking around so much. If you're not too much into the cold, don't forget to layer for the winter!

I started my walking tour of Taipa from Rua do Cunha in the town center. It's a narrow street where you can find many kinds of souvenirs and food. That might explain why this place gets pretty crowded most of the time, as it has what many people want to try when in Macau. You'll find Chinese delicacies like egg rolls in the Koi Kei store, or egg tarts in Lord Stow's. There will also be a lot of beef and pork jerky, so don't be shy when one or many stores start offering samples of their jerky as you might have a hard time choosing from the selection.

When I finally got out of food street, I went into the Museum of Taipa and Coloane History. This brightly colored building used to be used by the government, but now it houses beautiful galleries that will teach you all about the village histories. There was an entrance fee of 5 MOP to get inside.

After spending time at the museum, I headed to two nearby temples, Pak Tai Temple and Tin Hau Temple in Taipa. Maybe it was because I've been to many other temples in other countries, but I was surprised to realize that the temples here wouldn't be the same. I went to Tin Hau first, and I almost missed it since it was just a door right beside a restaurant. It was a small and simple space with incense to greet you as you enter. In a short while, I was already walking the other way to find Pak Tai, which was fairly easier to spot this time. There were a couple of people entering the temple, and I noticed it was rather larger than the first. Nonetheless, similar to the first, this temple dates back decades yet is still a remarkable reminder of people's devotion.

My half-day walk commenced at a wallace fountain somewhere in the middle of Rua do Regedor and Rua Correia da Silva. From the area, it was easy to find places to eat. Should you care for some fast food or some Portuguese dishes, these were all available within the vicinity. As I ended my short exploration of Taipa, I was fully convinced that there's so much more to Macau than what many would initially think.