Why Go
Macau is more than just Asia’s Las Vegas. As a former Portuguese colony, Macau has become the center of the fusion between the East and West through the blending of Macanese and Portuguese cultures. The city’s main square, Largo do Senado, is the perfect example, with its brightly-colored neo-classical buildings almost fooling visitors into thinking that they were in Europe, if it were not for the presence of the locals and the Chinese characters written on the stores’ fronts.
Macau is also the epicenter of the delicious synthesis between Macanese and Portuguese cuisines. Fortunately for tourists in search for gastronomic delights, Macau has such a wide array of restaurants that will always leave food-lovers hungry for more.
Insider Tips
- Spring and autumn (March to May, October to November) are the best times to visit Macau when the weather is mild and pleasant. Try to avoid visiting during the summer months of June to September when the heat is sweltering, making it increasingly difficult to walk around the city.
- The Macau International Airport is served by several budget airlines. Getting to the city from the airport is easy and inexpensive, because of the region’s relatively small size. If your hotel does not offer airport pick-up or a shuttle bus service, you can take a metered taxi for a fare around US$3.75-7.50 with a surcharge of around US$0.25-0.60. The cost per piece of luggage is around US$0.40. There are also local bus services from the airport and the fare is around US$0.62.
- If you’re also visiting Hong Kong, you can go to Macau via ferry either through TurboJET or CotaiJet. Advance booking is recommended to guarantee seats.
- Remember, Macau is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China and has its own separate immigration policies. Thus, entering Macau from mainland China is equivalent to leaving the country itself. If you’re planning to visit Macau on a daytrip from mainland China, make sure that you apply for a multiple entry Chinese visa to avoid inconveniences.
- To get around Macau for free, you can ride one of the many free casino shuttles that provide transportation between resorts in the regions, as well as to and from the airport and harbor. The casinos are usually within walking distance of many popular tourist sites.
- Macau’s currency is the Pataca (MOP), but payments can also be made in Hong Kong Dollar (HK$), which has a 1:1 exchange rate with the pataca. Try using patacas more often, since they’re hard to exchange outside of Macau.
Where to Stay
Staying at The Venetian is an experience in itself! The luxurious casino resort is at the pinnacle of luxury with its indoor canals, marble floors and elegant fountains. It’s also the largest casino in the world with an area of 550,000 sq. ft. Guests will also love the spacious suites, the smallest of which is 755 sq. ft. There are also a lot of attractions within the resort itself. Visitors can spend an afternoon at the Grand Canal Shoppes and eat dinner by the canal before enjoying an indoor gondola ride. Theater and circus lovers can also catch the resort’s resident Cirque du Soleil show.
If you want an affordable hotel that also offers a high level of quality, book a room at Pousada de Mong-Ha. This hotel has excellent ambiance with its beautifully designed rooms and friendly service, provided by local Institute for Tourism (IFT) students.
What to Eat
A trip to Macau is incomplete without a sample of its cuisine, a blending of Portuguese and southeastern Chinese cooking. Near A-Ma Temple in the Macau Peninsula is A Lorcha (289A Rua do Almirante Sergio, 2831-3193), a quaint Portuguese restaurant tucked away in a building beside the temple. Known as one of the best restaurants in region, A Lorcha lives up to its name and it seems like many locals agree, based on the crowds that line up at the restaurant every day. A Lorcha is packed during lunch and dinner, so be sure to come early or to make a reservation.
When at A Lorcha, order the signature Portuguese dish, bacalhau, as well as garlic clams and rice mixed with chorizo.
If Portuguese dishes at A Lorcha have you angling for more, try A Petisqueira, another unpretentious spot but also popular with the locals, so be sure to book ahead. Start off with some Portuguese sausages and fresh cheeses, then sample grilled king prawns or sea bass, curried crab or boar loin. Prices are reasonable for the excellent quality, $15-25 for main dishes.
Fans of fine dining can feast at Robuchon a Galera, a restaurant with three Michelin stars. Located at Hotel Lisboa, Robuchon a Galera is known to have one of the best wine lists in China and in the world with almost 8,000 labels.
Vegans and organic food-lovers will be glad to know that Macau has restaurants that cater to their needs. Some of them are Bodi Temple, (Paragem De Autocarros) and Shanghai Yuen Vegetarian (G/F, 66 Rua de Marques de Oliveir, 853-28358338).
After hours of walking around the city, try having one of Macau’s egg tarts for a snack. Lord Stow's Bakery may be the most well-known egg tart chain, but Margaret’s Café e Nata (Gum Loi Building, Rua Almirante Costa Cabral) serves fresher and crispier pastries. Aside from egg tarts, Macau is also known for its almond cookies which can be bought in several stores in the city, a lot of which are clustered near the Ruins of St. Paul’s. The almond cookies are a favorite souvenir and are easy to take back home.
Meanwhile another famous and meatier Macanes snack is the pork chop bun. This snack consists of fried pork chop which is placed between buns like a sandwich. Despite its simple appearance, the pork chop bun is quite sumptuous with its juiciness! Try the pork chop bun before or after visiting Largo do Senado at Café Kam Lam (50 Rua Da Mercadores).
What to See and Do
A great thing about Macau’s small size is that its attractions are always within easy proximity of each other, allowing tourists to quickly soak up its culture and history. Of course, gaming lovers will want to visit one of Macau’s many casinos such as City of Dreams and the Grand Lisboa. Fortunately, the casinos are close to each other and some even provide shuttles to sister casinos that are farther away.
For a cultural fix, explore the Historic Centre of Macau, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The center is a congregation of around twenty locations deemed to show Macau’s unique history and its long-standing relationship with the West. Start discovering the Historic Centre of Macau by heading to Largo do Senado or Senado Square which has lovely and colorful limestone pavements. The square is surrounded by several Portuguese-style buildings of interest such as St. Dominic’s Church and Leal Senado.
A 15-30 minute walk up a hill from Senado Square will lead you to Macau’s iconic landmark, the Ruins of St Paul. The place is a great setting for photographs and tourists can also climb behind the façade to get a view from the upper portion of the ruins.
On top of the hill beside St Paul’s, is Mount Fortress, one of the defenses the Portuguese built during their conflict with the Dutch in the 17th century. Today, the fort is now a public park decorated with the cannons formerly used for battles. Located on the same hill is the Museum of Macau, a must-stop for history buffs.
To see a more traditional Chinese side of Macau, visit A-Ma Temple, also part of the Historic Centre of Macau, at the southwestern side of the Macau Peninsula. Also known as Barra Temple, A-Ma is the oldest temple in Macau. Its location near the sea and by the hill is an interesting sight, showing the temple’s perfect harmony with nature.
Meanwhile, if you’re a thrill seeker, take a lift up the Macau Tower, where you can experience one of the highest bungee jumps in the world. Scary as it seems, the Macau Tower has one of the best safety records for bungee jumps, ensuring a harmless jump for visitors. Jumpers can also get a DVD of their jump, outstanding proof of their brave feat.
The jump isn’t all the adventure the tower has to offer, though. Aside from the jump, there’s also the Mast Climb, Sky Jump and Skywalk X. Macau Tower also has other less terrifying, though also fun entertainment options like its observation decks, cinemas, shops and restaurants.
Another popular Macau attraction is the Guia Fortress, also used to fight off the Dutch invasion a few centuries ago. The hill it’s built on is the highest peak in Macau, making it the perfect observation deck. Guia Fortress also has a chapel and one of China’s first lighthouses, now popular sightseeing attractions.
Are you a theatre fan? Then take the chance to catch one of Cirque du Soleil’s shows at The Venetian. The Montreal-based entertainment company is known to mix circus performance with street shows, leading to fascinating and entertaining acts.