Complex A of Guia Hill Military Tunnels — Attraction in São Lázaro

The Guia Military tunnels are part of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Guia Fortress located upon the top of Guia Hill, overlooking the city of Macau. The Fort hours are 9am to 5.30pm but the tunnels are only open from 10am to 5pm - worth keeping in mind if you intend to visit in the morning and want to enter the tunnel.

In short, the Guia tunnels were designed as an air raid shelter. There is a small stretch that you can enter in front of the Guia Fort and walk through, coming out the other end of the Fort. The entire walk through the tunnel last just a couple of minutes. You will find general information and maps detailing the full extend of the tunnels upon Guia Hill, most of which are not open to the public. There are some pictures along the tunnel walls as well.

In the end, the Guia Military Tunnels are an interesting part of the Guia Hill and Fort experience. They are not essential to see but are quick, convenient and free so why not have a look if you plan to spend time at Guia Hill during your visit to Macau.

Note: You can walk (more like hike) up the trails leading to Guia Hill. These require time and effort, not the best choice for those visiting on a day trip or trying to squeeze in as much sightseeing as possible during short stays in Macau. If this is you - take a taxi!

Note: For families with a bit more time, a fun way to visit Guia Hill and Fort is by way of the Guia Cable Car, located at nearby Flores Garden. Rides are cheap (MOP2 single ride, MOP3 return) and take just a few minutes. There is never a crowd either. Cable Car terminus is located at the entrance...

Guided tours available every weekend (Saturdays and Sundays), from 3pm to 5pm. The tour takes visitors inside the tunnels formerly used by the Portuguese army, telling some of the history of the place and of the soldiers, although details are scarce and very little interactivity or photos to accompany the visit. Its interesting to see inside an area that seems very secretive back in the old days. The tour covers all of the facilities, with some exhibitions in some rooms, seeing from the inside an observation post and two gun emplacements. Recommended for those interested in history and military facilities / heritage. On the negative side, the tour is only done in Cantonese / Mandarin. The English of some of the tour guides is extremely limited, but with some luck you can catch a tour guide that can explain...

Not very extensive and the larger of the two that are apparently normally open wasn't open when I visited but they were cool to check out none the less. The larger tunnel could be peered into from various points such as the cannon stations and doors. I found the signage for the second tunnels extremely confusing and even after asking the staff at the cable car station he sent me in the opposite direction. The smaller tunnel that you can go into has some displays and information to check out which is good but you won't spend more than 15 minutes in...