Travel Destination: Macao
About Macao
Since the turnover from Portugal to China, Macau is experiencing a boom. It is like a little European city in the East with all the Portuguese architecture, fortresses, buildings and churches. The cobblestone streets, the food, the language all reflect how the city has been shaped by its colonisers’ culture. Who wouldn’t be interested? Macau is so Chinese and yet so Portuguese, a perfect blend of the east and the west.
Macau attracts sightseers, adventurers and the gamblers, these are the main reasons you’re going there anyway. Fly into the Macau International Airport or ride a ferry from Hong Kong or mainland China. Within Macau City, Cotai, Coloane Island and Taipa Island, there are buses and taxis that can take you to any destination. There are plenty of trishaw (a cross between a tricycle and rickshaw) mostly used for sightseeing purposes. You can hire one near the Lisboa Hotel, by the Macau Ferry Terminal. A trip around the city in a nine-seater 1920s English bus replica is available too, as well as bicycles for hire near the Tin Hau Temple in Taipa.
A good place to start is the Historic Centre of Macau which has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. It’s a very urban place with a very distinct look of past glory. There are eight squares to cover, several old houses and mansions, churches, theatres, gardens, temples, fortresses and even a cemetery.
If you want to view the Macau Peninsula landscape from the top, catch a cable car at Avenida Sidonio Pais through the Flora Garden Gate. If you prefer to go trekking instead, the safe routes to follow are the Guia Hill, Taipa and Coloane trails. There are other exciting activities that you can try. For swimming, go to the Cheoc Van Swimming Pool in Coloane Island, Macau Olympic Aquatic Centre in Taipa or Bosco College Sports Complex (Complexo Desportivo do Colégio D. Bosco) in Macau City. The Macau East Asian Games Dome in Cotai and Future Bright Entertainment Centre in Rua de Coelho do Amaral are good for bowling and skating. The causeway linking Taipa to Coloane is where the karting circuit is, in case you want to watch the races or try it out for yourself.
For water sports activities, there are two beaches in the southern part of Coloane Island where you can windsurf, swim, jet ski or enjoy other nautical sports, the Cheoc Van and the Hac Sa beach.
Nightlife is vibrant in Macau, that’s why it’s called the Las Vegas of the East. Most pubs and bars are open till the wee hours of the morning. The Avenida Sun Yat Sen is where the most picturesque night establishments are. The ambiance is also nice in the Taipa Island near the Macau Jockey Club. There are cabaret-style performances at Lisboa Hotel and the Jai Alai Complex is just as bustling. Casinos are found everywhere too. Almost all big hotels have casinos.
There are year-round events to look forward to including the Macau Arts Festival in May, the International Fireworks Display Contest in September, Macau Open (Golf Tournament) in October, Macau Grand Prix in November, International Dragon Boat Festival between May and June, International Music Festival between October and November, Food Festival in November and the International Marathon in December.
Macau brings in a certain spark that attracts a good crowd of fun seekers. It doesn’t really matter if you just want to relax or live the high rolling life because Macau is easy to love, you’ll end up getting more than you bargained for.