Coloane

**Coloane** is ane o the twa main islands o the Macau special admeenistrative region, locatit directly sooth o Macau's ither main island, Taipa (氹仔, Dàngzǎi), an east o Hengqin Island o Zhuhai in Guangdong province.

Coloane wis kent in Cantonese as *Gau Ou Saan* (九澳山, *lit.* "Nine-inlet Muntain", transcribit in Portuguese as **Ká-Hó**) an *Yim Zou Waan* (鹽灶灣, *lit.* "Salt-stove Bay"). The Portuguese name "Coloane" is derivit frae the Cantonese pronunciation o *Gwo Lou Waan* (過路環, *lit.* "Passing-road Ring").

## Geografie

Coloane haes a aurie o 8.07&nbsp;km² (4-km lang) an is 5.6&nbsp;km frae the Macau Peninsula. It is connectit tae Taipa bi a 2.2&nbsp;km causewey, the Estrada dae Istmo, houiver laund reclamation haes pheesically connectit the twa islands an a new toun cried Cotai haes been biggit atween Taipa an Coloane, which is hame tae the Cotai Strip an mony ither casinos unner development.

The narraeest pairt o Coloane is 300 metres. The heichest pynts in Macau are eastren an central Coloane, wi the heichest pynt bein the 171-metre *Alto de Coloane* (Chin.: 疊石塘山, Port.:  Alto de Coloane ). The northren shore o the island is 4.5 m deep, an is the steid o the Macau Deepwater Port. The eastren Hac Sa Beach (Chin.: 黑沙海灘, Port.: Baía de Hác Sá) an the soothren Cheoc Van Bay (Chin.: 竹灣, Port.: Baía de Cheoc Van) are popular soummin beaches. At Baía de Hác Sá thare is a Portuguese restaurant cried "Fernandos", famous amangst locals in Macau an tourists frae Hong Kong.

## History
Frae the Song Dynasty onwairds an till the Portuguese arrival in 1864, Coloane wis a sea saut ferm for Cheenae. Efter thair arrival, the Portuguese made Macau an important tradin port, but Coloane remained desertit, which wis uised as a base bi pirates till 1910. The island haes acome mair populatit efter the Estrada dae Istmo wis feenished in 1969.

## Tourism
Famous steids on the island include:
* Tam Kung Temple (譚公廟), dedicatit tae Lord Tam, a Taoist god o seafares
* Old Tin Hau Temple (天后古廟)
* A-Ma Statue (媽祖像), biggit on 28 October 1998 (lunar calendar: 9 September)
* Kirk o Oor Lady o Sorrows, Ká-Hó (九澳七苦聖母小堂)
* Chapel o St. Francis Xavier (聖方濟各聖堂), o the São Francisco Xavier Pairish (聖方濟各堂區). The chapel, biggit in 1928, is locatit on the soothren coast o the island an staunds near a monument commemoratin a victory ower pirates in 1910. The chapel uised tae contain some o the maist saucrit Christian relics in Asie, includin the remains o 26 foreign an Japanese Catholic priests who wur crucifee'd in Nagasaki in 1597, as well as those o some o the Japanese Christians who wur killed durin the Shimabara Rebellion in 1637. Amang them wis a bane frae the airm o St. Francis Xavier, who dee'd in 1552 on Sanchuan Island,  frae Macau, afore it wis transferred tae Saunt Joseph's Seminar an the Sacred Airt Museum http://www.macautourism.gov.mo/new_site/sightseeing/sightseeing.php?lang=en&catid=8 .
* Museum o Natur an Agricultur (土地暨自然博物館)
* Avenida de Cinco de Outubro (十月初五馬路)
* Hac Sa Bay Park an Coloane Park


image:Coloane3.jpg|Tam Kung Temple
image:Coloane4.jpg|Auld Tin Hau Temple
image:Coloane_Island_rocks.jpg|Coloane rocks
image:Coloane Pier.jpg|Coloane Pier


## External links

*Google Maps : Macau / Coloane