Macau has a colorful palette and a plethora of sites despite occupying just 28sq km of the Chinese mainland. From neon-lit casinos to dusky markets, cobbled streets to modern cafés and Baroque churches to Art Deco buildings - there’s a wonderful mix of East and West. Thirty buildings and squares are UNESCO listed and many reflect Macau’s colonial Portuguese legacy, as does the food, laid-back lifestyle and the blue azulejo-tiled street names. Yet Macau has a modern Asian look, rivaling Singapore and Hong Kong.
Macanese pataca (MOP $)
Police, Fire and Ambulance: 999
Macau (Portuguese),
Jornal Tribuna de Macau (Portuguese),
Macao Daily (Chinese),
Macau Post Daily (English),
Ponto Final (Portuguese),
Son Pou (Chinese),
Va Kio Daily (Chinese),
Macau Talk
General business hours are 10am to 8pm.
556 000
Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO)
Largo do Senado 9, Macau
+853 333 000
09.00 - 18.00
It was the Portuguese who settled Macau in 1557, persuading the Chinese to rent them the peninsula and establishing trade links in the region that made them very wealthy. It was this period of prosperity that created the colonial Macau we see today – the Basilica of St Paul, the Mediterranean courtyards, luxurious villas, the hill-top lighthouse and UNESCO World Heritage old city.
By the 17th century Macau was already in decline and became a backwater for licensed gambling, prostitution and organized crime well into the 20th Century. In fact the Chinese refused to take it back until 1999, by which time it was in better shape anyway. By then the Triad gangs had been dealt with, the monopoly on casino licenses revoked and Macau’s economy had kick started as foreign tourism increased.
Today Macau is seen as having something of two faces with people coming to appreciate the fortresses, churches and food of the colonial era or wining and dining in the modern Las Vegas of the East amidst 14 casinos and ritzy hotels. There are also other sights such as Buddhist temples, war bunkers, the excellent Museu de Macau, Macau Tower and the Fisherman’s Wharf theme park.
Macau is based on a peninsula and a couple of islands, including Taipa and Colôane. Most of the sights are packed around a few blocks in the old core around Largo do Senado, a good place to start off your tour.
Largo Do Senado
Leal Senado
São Domingo’s (st Dominic’s)
Basilica of St Paul (são Paulo)
Fortaleza Do Monte
Museu de Macau
Guia Fortress
Macau Tower
Taipa Island
The House of Dancing Water
Coloane
Macau Giant Panda Pavilion
City of Dreams
Macao Science Center
Lou Lim Lok Garden
Macau restaurants serve a spicy blend of Portuguese, Chinese, Malay, Indian and African dishes. The choice should keep all palettes happy because not only can you can find a good dim sum and pork chop bun but there’s excellent Portuguese coffee (bica) and wine, Goanese chicken and fresh Chinese vegetables. Traditional Portuguese dishes to look out for include bacalhau (dry cod) and rich soups like caldo verdo or sopa a alentejena. Famed Macanese (Chinese/Portuguese) dishes include stir-fried curry crab and jagra de ovos (sweet egg tart).
A Lorcha
Camões
Boa Mesa
Fernando´s
Seng Cheong Restaurant
The Golden Peacock
IFT Educational Restaurant
The Eight
Morton's, The Steakhouse
Zi Yat Heen
The Tasting Room
A Petisqueira
Tou Tou Koi
Portofino
Thanks to its Portuguese heritage Macau has got coffee right. It therefore makes sense to head to Portuguese establishments for the best blend of bica and pastries, while the Chinese establishments produce a mean pork bun with milky teas and puddings.
Leitaria I Son
Cafe Tai Lei Loi Kei
Margaret’s Café E Nata
Pizzeria Toscana
Honolulu
Fortunately nightlife in Macau no longer centres on the gambling establishments, although many are still a good place to down a pick me-up and enjoy fine live gigs. However there is a good choice of places to head now including the Dock’s Outer Harbour sidewalk bars on Avenida Dr. Sun Yat-sen. Do note some places are true to Mediterranean form and don’t heat up until after 1am.
Macau Soul
Crazy Paris Show
180 Lounge and Grill
Moonwalker
Bellini Lounge
Casinos
Lion's Bar
CheChe Café
McSorley's Ale House
Due to its tax free status, shopping is a delight in Macau with prices considerably lower than the USA, Europe and other Asian centres. Thanks to recent developments you can find designer shopping centres although there are plenty of exotic Asian markets and traditional shops selling Chinese medicines and Portuguese antiques. Other things to shop for include electronics, jewellery, fabric, porcelain and wine. Prices vary according to quality so be wary of imitations. Avenida Almeira Ribeiro is the main commercial centre and has many designer boutiques.
Grand Canal Shoppes
Senado Square
Red Market
Rua de S. Paulo
New Yaohan Department Store
Three Lamps District
Rua do Cunha
Koi Kei Bakery
Cunha Bazaar
Macau Creations
Macau International Airport
The International Airport is located on Taipa Island and is serviced by flights of Air Asia, China Easter, EVA Airways, Silk Air, Singapore Airlines, Trans Asia Airways and Xiamen Airlines.
From the airport you can catch public buses to Avenida Almeida Ribeiro, the Border Gate, the Jetfoil Terminal and Colôane.
Shuttle bus service to your hotel is available departing from the north exit of the airport parking lot. Buses run every 15-20 minutes between 11:00 am and 9:00 pm. It is also possible to get to Hong Kong airport via the fast ferries from Macau Jetfoil Terminal.
Address: Taipa, Macau
Phone: +853 2886 1111
Website: www.macau-airport.com
Ferries
Ferry services link Macau to Hong Kong and Shenzhen. First Ferry and Turbojet have regular services. You can also get a sampan across the harbour to Wānzái on the mainland.
Website: www.nwff.com.hk
Public Transport
Getting around Macau is easy. Bus services are provided by Transmac and TCM, and routes run from 6.45am until midnight to destinations all over the city. You pay your fare into the box at the front, there’s no change given. You can get a full list of companies and routes from the Macau Tourist Map. Mokes are also a fun way of getting around. These bright, open-sided vehicles are part of Macau history and worth a ride. Many gather outside the casinos and main hotels.
Website: www.transmac.com.mo
Taxi
Taxis can be found at the airport, Jetfoil Terminal and on main streets. There are surcharges between Taipa and Coloane and Macau and Coloane.
Black Taxis
+853 3988800
Yellow Taxis
+853 2851 9519
Post
The General Post Office is located at Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro.
Address: Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro, Macau
Phone: +85 3 2832 3666
Pharmacy
H.& B Pharmacy
865, Grand Canal Street, Level 3
Shoppes at Venetian
Opening Hours:
Sun–Thur 10am - 11pm
Fri–Sat 10am - 12am
Lotus Pharmacy
Seng Tou Street, 407-413 G/F,
Nova Taipa Garden, Macau
Opening hours:
Daily 9.30am-9.30pm.
Address: Seng Tou Street, 407-413 G/F, Nova Taipa Garden, Macau
Phone: +853 2885 5100
Website: www.lotuspharmacy.com.mo
Telephone
The country Code is + 853.
There are no area codes in Macau.
Electricity
220V, 50 Hz