Glitz, glam and gambling are the buzzwords in this “Las Vegas of the East”, but dig a little deeper and you will stumble across a delightful blend of Portuguese and Chinese cultures, family-forward entertainment and a culinary cosmos that is simply unbeatable.
A former Portuguese trading post and colony from the mid-16th century until 1999, Macau was returned to Chinese sovereignty that year, Macau was transferred to China in 1999. Perched on the western side of the Pearl River estuary, this Special Administrative Region of China is now Macau is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading gambling and entertainment destinations. But the metropolis equally holds its charm for the culturally curious.
Macau’s most famous landmark, the Ruins of St. Paul’s is symbolic of the city’s rich heritage. Constructed from 1602 to 1640 by Jesuit priests, the stunningly beautiful architecture was destroyed by fire in 1835, leaving only its gorgeous and gargantuan facade and the front stairway. But the museum at the back of the ruins is a preserves the history of the church and Macau’s Catholic heritage.
A 10-minute walk from Ruins of St. Paul’s takes you to Senado Square, which is still laced with a quintessential Portuguese vibe. Hemmed by pastel shades of colonial-era buildings including St Dominic’s Church, the Holy House of Mercy and Leal Senado that was the seat of the former Portuguese rulers, Senado Square remains the cultural epicentre of Macau and hosts festivals and public events throughout the year.
Built during the Ming dynasty on the Macau Peninsula in 1488, the spectacular A-Ma Temple is one of Macau’s most important temples dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu and predates the city itself. Located halfway up the ridge of Barra Hill, the temple complex is hewn into the slopes and divided into six segments. The ornate pavilions, the rather intimidating-looking stone lions and the statue of the presiding sea goddess Ma-tsu bear the legacy of an ancient Chinese culture at this temple, which is part of the UNESCO-listed Historic Centre of Macau.
Nestled on the shore of the outer harbour, Fisherman’s Wharf is the largest leisure and themed entertainment complex in Macau Peninsula. It was the venue for the world-famous Asia Powerboat Championship. The integrated waterfront arena boasts of an outdoor colosseum, hotels with 18th-century designs, a scintillating casino and a vibrant boulevard where you can sample food from across the world.
The Macau Tower is another defining landmark of the city, and a popular tourist attraction. Standing tall at 338 metres, the tower has an observation deck that commands stupendous views of the glittering city and the bay area, and hosts a plethora of restaurants, theatre houses and shopping malls. Skywalk X, a walking tour around the outer rim, offers enough thrill along with breathtaking views. For those seeking bit more of an adrenaline rush, one of the world’s highest commercial bungee jumps at the 233-meter mark is a nerve-tingling option!
Entertainment is the operative word in Macau, but the one that reigns supreme is none other than The House of Dancing Water remains one of Macau’s best-known resident stage productions. A seamless blend of creative marvel and engineering feat, the water-based stage production is a sensory extravaganza with nearly 100 international artists performing to create a magical kingdom with stunning special effects and visual treats. Belgian theatre director Franco Dragone and his creative team take the audience through a sublime journey with their imaginative production.
A trip to the bit offbeat Giant Panda Pavilion is a must if you are travelling with kids. The 3000 sq.m. fan-shaped layout is creatively designed to merge the terrain’s natural undulations with the architectural characteristics. The indoor activity quarters and the outdoor yard contains multiple animal species such as from gorillas, flamingos, monkeys, and of course the famous and endangered pandas in a serene, natural environment.
And if you are in Macau, no visit to Macau feels complete without experiencing its casino resorts-hopping! Hotel-casinos offer supreme gambling facilities juxtaposed with great concerts and lip-smacking cuisine to see through your gambling night. So, just take a flyer at the uber-luxe Venetian Macao or similarly enticing Grand Lisboa, Wynn Palace or MGM.
Shopping
When it comes to swanky shopping, Macau still plays second fiddle to its sister SAR Hong Kong, but it offers competitive prices of luxury and leisure tags. Decked out in a faux Renaissance design underneath a blue-sky ceiling, Grand Canal Shoppes, with its Venetian gothic architecture and artificial canal, creates a sublime shopping experience with more than 300 global superbrands vying for your attention. Perched on the third floor one of the world’s largest casino resorts – The Venetian Macao – this uber-luxe shopping destination has become emblematic of the city with a romantic Italian touch. The sprawling food court offers culinary fare from across the globe.
A high roller venue for those looking for premier global designer brands, One Central Plaza is linked to Mandarin Oriental and MGM hotels and a favourite with the well-heeled Macanese as well as the visiting international luxury travellers. Opened in 2009, the waterfront shopping complex houses luxe labels such as Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Gucci, Fendi, Ermenegildo Zegna and Dolce & Gabbana within its floor area of 200,000 square feet. The dining and entertainment options are unbeatable.
If you are a traveller who wants to soak up the indigenous charms of a destination, head straight over to Cunha Bazaar, a popular lifestyle and souvenir store located in the prominent location of pedestrian Rua do Cunha, offering a wide variety of local designer gifts, T-shirts, candies and much more. The exotic, colourful façade of the four-story building sets the stage for an immersive experience to explore the shops offering a wide array of merchandise – from ceramics to local art, and from traditional snacks to knick-knacks that you will love to pack back home.
Restaurants & Bars
Macau holds the coveted designation of “UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy” and the city is peppered with multiple Michelin-starred outposts. Its Macanese cuisine is a distinctive blend of Chinese and Portuguese influences, layered with spices and techniques from Africa, India, and Southeast Asia. Signature favourites include Portuguese egg tarts, pork chop buns, and seafood rice.
Joël Robuchon helped shape Macau’s international fine dining scene in Macau when he opened his enclave in 2001. Located atop Grand Lisboa Hotel, Robuchon au Dôme has held on to its Michelin stars for years with its delectable degustation dinner menu and set lunches that pack finest contemporary French cuisine whipped up with intense local flavours. Exemplary service, a gorgeous dessert spread and one of the best wine lists of Asia complete the spectacle. Enjoy a laidback, sumptuous dinner while soaking in the sweeping views of the dazzling cityscape.
Specialising in haute Cantonese cuisine, The Eight is another three-Michelin starrer inside Grand Lisboa. The luxurious interior, designed by Hong Kong creative Alan Chan, oozes a quintessential Oriental vibe with crimson overtones and traditional Chinese goldfish motifs. The culinary fare is beautifully plated where the star is the crackling suckling pig along with a curated collection of scrumptious dim sums. Look around to find the number eight in different shapes, sizes and forms integrated into the design elements – a symbol of good luck and prosperity in ancient Chinese culture.
Two Michelin-starred Mizumi recreates Japanese classics in its wide array of delectable omakase sushi and shabu-shabu menus. Wood-and-stone architecture accessorized with artworks create a natural, relaxing flair to this fine dining venue helmed by a trio of award-winning chefs who prepares craft sets of sushi, sashimi and donburi with freshest seasonal ingredients flown in from Japan.
Beyond its headline restaurants, Taipa Village is one of the essential tourist spots for food lovers, known for local Macanese bites and treats.
Macau boasts of a pulsating nightlife and a vibrant clubbing canvas.
The Ritz-Carlton Macau Bar & Lounge features panoramic views, celebrity DJs, comfort cuisine and creative cocktails. Located on the 51st floor of The Ritz-Carlton, the rooftop bar and lounge epitomizes sophisticated design with beautiful solid wood flooring, comfortable plush sofas, and an exquisitely crafted Italian marble bar, where refined high tea and an enticingly classy nightlife blend seamlessly.
With its extravagant drapes, gold trims, shimmering gold-and-emerald hues and an 18th-century chandelier, Wing Lei Bar impresses even its most seasoned, upscale clientele. The renowned inhouse tea sommelier handcrafts exotic tea brews for the classy afternoon sessions and signature cocktails with a modern twist, prepared by master mixologists and served in hand-cut crystal glassware here in this exquisite den cocooned inside Wynn Palace on the breathtaking Cotai strip.
Museums, the Arts & UNESCO World Heritage
Nestled within the stucco 17th-century Fortaleza do Monte, near the Ruins of St. Paul’s, the Macau Museum sits by the historic center and helps explain Macau’s layered heritage. As part of the wider UNESCO-listed area, whose 20 locations reflect a blend of Portuguese and Chinese architecture, it is a space dedicated to the cultural heritage of Macau. Housing a stupendous collection of objects of historical and cultural significance that showcases the way of life of different communities through the centuries. The three-storey museum hosts both permanent and short-term exhibitions and also focuses on Macau’s folk arts and folk customs including entertainment, traditional festivals, people’s livelihood, traditional handicrafts and industries of Macau. And the leafy, tranquil garden commands sweeping views of Macau’s magical cityscape.
Five houses, radiant and refurbished, constitute the Taipa-Houses Museum. The turquoise buildings feel like a time warp as they nestle historic exhibits, Portuguese costumes and household antiques to recreate the lifestyle of the affluent Portuguese merchants and bureaucrats on the peninsula, offering a glimpse of old Macau and life in the former Portuguese colony. Every autumn, the Cultural Affairs Bureau organises the Lusofonia Festival at the open space outside the museums.
Macau Museum of Art (MAM) dedicates itself to regional art, showcasing historical and contemporary works from Macau and Southern China. Sprawled across 4000 sq.m. of exhibition area, the five-storey museum has designated spaces for Chinese traditional art, MAM collections and a special gallery for contemporary exhibits.
Exclusive Experience
Amid all the glitz and glam, find a wedge of tranquility at the Banyan Tree Luxury Spa. Located on Level 2 and level 31 of the hotel, the award-winning spa offers more than 20 types of signature luxury treatments, many of which are exclusive in-house treatments. Ensconce yourself in pampered luxury in one of the 19 sophisticated treatment rooms of this urban oasis where the hallmark is a holistic approach to soothing and healing your body, mind and soul.
Side Trip
The neighbouring city of Zhuhai is a shopaholic’s paradise, especially if you love bargaining! From fancy apparels, state-of-the-art electronic gadgets, seafood ingredients and quirky novelties, this bewitching coastal town at the mouth of the Pearl River meeting the South China Sea crams everything into the shopping suitcase. An hour away from Macau, the town also has an enticingly bustling historic centre, historic districts, landscaped gardens and coastal attractions exotic fresh catches from the sea to whet your palate.
Sports
A unique aquatic sport that involves traditional rituals, dragon boat racing is a summer outdoor party that is an immersive experience for the culturally curious and also a spectacular sporting event. The colourful paddle-powered boats with ornate decorations of dragon heads race for a finish on the serene Nam Van Lake on the historic Praia Grande shorefront. Local teams as well as international teams compete at this traditional sporting event that dates back more than 2000 years in an event that has become a major cultural event in this part of the world.
If you are looking for a tee time during your Macau holiday, head over to one of the two 18-hole golf courses. The tree-fringed Macau Golf & Country Club is set close to the Hac Sa beach and designed on the classic sea links. Hemmed with lush greenery that gently slopes to the South China Sea, this beautiful course is characterized by narrow fairways where erratic winds can pose a stiff challenge to your skills. Macau is home to several golf facilities and resort courses catering to leisure travellers and enthusiasts established in 1978, was rechristened as Caesars Golf Macau in 2007. Situated on the Cotai Strip, the 18-hole course is designed with a delightful blend of long and short holes amid rolling greens and nice fairways.
Must Buy Souvenir
Canned in dainty, colourful boxes, the crunchy almond cakes are the ever-popular souvenirs of Macau. The round-shaped crumbly pastries are joined by other beloved local treats, with Coloane Village celebrated for its peaceful atmosphere and as the birthplace of the famous Portuguese egg tarts, and remain among Macau’s best-known traditional snacks. Choi Heong Yuen Bakery, operating since 1935, and Koi Kei are the two famous brands specializing in a wide array of lip-smacking almond goodies of multiple flavours.
Hotels
Spacious suites ensconced within award-winning casino-hotels that command breathtaking views of the glittering cityscape, incredibly luxuriant villas equipped with world-class amenities including on-site water sports facilities and gorgeous boutiques with art nouveau interiors, the five-star hotel scene of Macau redefines elevated luxury hotel. Macau has around 130 hotels spanning different budgets, from affordable stays to ultra-luxurious resorts. For where to stay, the Cotai Strip suits five-star resort stays, while the Macau Peninsula offers more affordable options and easier access to landmarks, along with the most diverse mix of business hotels and international chains.
The First-Class.com guide to the best luxury hotels in Macau:
Getting Around: How to Get Around Macau
Macau International Airport is the main gateway for international flights, and the 10-kilometre distance from the airport to downtown can be easily covered in a 15-minute taxi ride. Travellers coming via Hong Kong and macau routes can also arrive by ferry or bus, with the ferry taking about one hour. The main sea gateways are Macau Ferry Terminal and Taipa Ferry Terminal, including the Macau Taipa Ferry Terminal on Taipa Island. Buses operated by TCM and Transmac run every 15-20 minutes from 6 a.m. until midnight; a public bus fare is about MOP $6, while taxis start at MOP $19 for the first 1.6 km and take around 20 minutes to the city centre. The official currency is the Macau Pataca (MOP), though Hong Kong dollars are widely accepted at close to a 1:1 rate. Most of the major attractions are strewn around the compact centre of the Macau Peninsula and can be easily navigated on foot, and there is a convenient, 24x7 taxi service for faster travel around the 30 square kilometre city. We recommend spending time walking in the historic districts, where narrow streets and major sights sit close together. Free shuttle buses and free casino shuttle buses connect major hotels, Macau International Airport, and the ferry terminal. For links into mainland China, travellers also use macau port, the barrier gate crossing, and nearby Zhuhai Railway Station rather than a railway station in Macau itself. Hong Kong International Airport is another common gateway for visitors continuing onward, including some arriving on international flights via singapore, kuala lumpur, south korea and other destinations. Most countries receive visa-free entry for 30 to 90 days, while others can obtain a macau visa as an arrival visa valid for one month before a trip to macau or when they visit macau.
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