Macau is steeped in demographical and historical generosity. It has a little something for every genre of travel enthusiast. Whether you are a history buff, an adventure freak or a hopeless romantic there is plenty to experience in Macau: the many world heritage monuments that dot the city, and the myriad of unique venues for local music, arts, festivals, entertainment and fashion, all adding to the heartening cultural dimensions and traditional appeal of the city. Macau also offers a wealth of ways to enjoy the lazy, warm days by virtue of exciting outdoor adventures, sports events, lavish spas, colourful street festivals and fine dining experiences.
Good to Know: Macau has two official languages- Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin) and Portuguese, while English is widely spoken too
Transport
In Macau, transportation is never a problem with a host of buses, trains and car hire available readily to get in and around the place. The city connects to various important centres by virtue of road, sea and air transport.
Must Visit Places
The Macau Tower at 338 meters in height is a wondrous piece of construction offering magnificent panoramic views all over Macau and of the Pearl River from its observation deck and revolving restaurant at 223 meter level. The most exciting part of this place is watching a huge line of enthusiastic participants sky walking and bungee jumping. This is a great venue for going clickety click with your cameras besides bringing out the adventurer in you.
The A-ma Temple is a famous Chinese centre of worship, dedicated to the seafarers’ goddess of the early 16th century. Interestingly, Macau has derived its name from A-Ma-Gau or place of A-Ma. The A-ma temple already existed before Macau came into being and makes for a pretty religious sight with Chinese dragon dance being held on a regular basis at the temple premises. A refreshingly colourful and bright sight can make your day as a tourist.
The central attraction is the Senado Square which is paved with a wave-patterned mosaic of coloured stones, created by Portuguese experts. This venue houses a number of fashionable shops, Chinese antique places and architectural structures. With mimic artists, music and food delights to entertain you the square is a charming stretch.
The Macau Science Museum was designed by world renowned Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei and is instantly recognizable with its silvery, cone-shaped exterior. There are fourteen galleries arranged in a spiral and accentuated by an arch shape. The museum hosts 3D shows which can instantly remind you of your childhood visits to science museums.
The enchanting and popular show of The House of Dancing Waters at Hotel Hard Rock is a not-to-be-missed item in your itinerary. It is a breathtaking water-based music and laser show that draws its creative inspiration from the roots of Chinese culture, particularly the ‘seven emotions’ derived from the classical Confucian beliefs, and is touted to be the most extravagant live production ever staged in Asia.
The Taipa Village has dainty and delightful houses with Macanese architectural characteristics of Portuguese matrix, and is considered one of the cultural relics and heritages of the island. Walk down the busy food street full of people, pretty pictures, wall paintings, open air cafes and state of the art buildings.
Other Major Attractions
The Church of St Dominic, near Senado Square is a quaint structure and the pavement extends to the ruins of St Paul’s, making the heart of the city a pedestrian paradise. It was founded in 1587 by Spanish Dominican priests who originally came from Mexico. This church is also connected to the brotherhood of Our Lady of the Rosary.
Harbour Cruise presents a perfect perspective on the city’s rich heritage in the adventurous environment that only a cruise can offer.
Post sunset, a must-visit is the Grand Lisboa Casino. With dedicated men and women around who are focused on their stakes, casino sure is the most sought after game for the people in Macau. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it is the lifeblood of Macau making the city the Las Vegas of the East!
Macau Museum is a historical and cultural museum which demonstrates the way of life and communities which have inhabited the city for ages.
Guia Lighthouse is a ten minute cable car ride to the lighthouse. The Guia hill dominates the Macau peninsula and its top offers the best landscape views in town, namely the Pearl River and the surrounding islands. A fifteen minutes walk via the flora garden gate, which offers the best panoramic view over the hill, can be quite an uphill task but the delightful destination is worth the effort.
The Macau Grand Prix and Wine Museum opened in 1993 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Macau Grand Prix. It features a number of automobile and motorbike races which take place every year in November. Tourists can also sample Portuguese wine at the adjacent wine museum and lug exquisite wine bottles along.
Don’t Miss
Venetian Macau on the Cotai strip, which is a superb place of over one million square feet with over 330 shops and restaurants, ranging from top of the line to moderately priced outlets. There is also a replica of the Gondola Ride (Venice), wherein the sailors/boatmen will sing out aloud entertaining the passengers on the boat. It indeed makes a pretty picture.
Lesser Known Attractions
Entertainment in Macau is 24/7; the city hardly ever sleeps! Walk through the city’s lamp-lit milieus by night or enjoy the night life in the city which is sprinkled with glamour and elegance.
Believe it or not, Macau’s Golf Course, is built on a dumping ground. This lush green magnificent natural setting is an ideal place to play golf and relax, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Macau’s churches and resorts are well known for weddings, so tourists from nearby destinations travel to the city to tie the knot in style.
If you have an extra day in hand, pay a visit to Zhu-Hai for all your shopping needs. From bags, accessories, shoes, clothes, make up to electronics, this three storey arcade is a one stop shop for all your fashion yearnings. Make sure you are good at bargaining or you could end up splurging incessantly
Good to Know: Here they use Chinese currency- Yuan
Gourmet Delights
Macanese food is a fusion, combining Chinese and Portuguese bests, so don’t forget to sample superb seafood, codfish, crab and sardines besides duck, rabbit and chicken dishes which are Macanese delicacies, heavily seasoned with spices such as chilli, turmeric and coconut. From dim sum, African chicken, sesame crackers, salt-and-pepper shrimps to invigorating cups of fragrant Chinese tea and almond cake, eating well is very much a part of Macanese culture which is evident from their diverse range of food specialties.
Aruna’s restaurant which serves delicious Indian food with a warm ambiance is a must try place. From spicy starters to the authentic Indian main course, one cannot ask for more. Little wonder then that it is the favourite haunt of the celebrity brigade.
For sampling some stupendous local Macanese cuisine, one can head straight to the Taipa Village. Try out a quaint café called Antonio at this heritage area for some Macau style Portuguese food.
Try Neo Pa, the refreshing local Chinese herbal drink which is said to detoxify the body and add a glow to your skin. Besides, grab the famous and melt-in-your-mouth egg tarts from the local bakeries.
Try out an exquisite Thai dinner at the Fisherman’s Wharf which houses some of the best world cuisines from the globe. A spectacular Wharf is indeed an interesting place offering top end gastronomic experience with a theme park that is built on reclaimed land between Coloane and Taipa Island. It caters to a variety of traditional folk treats, Chinese kiosks, Tang Dynasty replicas, tea parlours, and oriental cuisines fusing the old with the new brilliantly.
With so much on offer at Macau, it is no wonder that more and more holiday seekers are choosing the beautiful city as their vacation destination and returning with a suitcase full of quaint souvenirs, a mind full of fond memories and a heart full of happiness!