Macau, one of the gems of China and one of the most vibrant cities in Asia is for quite some time popular for its Casinos and extravagant hotels. This tiny island nation located right beside Hong Kong is world class, wealthy and glamorous. But Macau is so much more than just being an entertainment and gambling capital. At par with its glitz, Macau has a century old heritage and culture which cannot be overlooked. This travel guide will give you a quick peek into things to do in Macau and more details about this historic city. We have a Story about a Day Trip to Macau from Hong Kong too which you can check out.
Like its big brother Hong Kong, Macau is a Special Administrative Region of China and an important trade port for centuries. Even though people used to live there for thousands of years, Macau began to grow as a thriving settlement from the 16th century when the Portuguese arrived there.
Macau remained a Portuguese colony right from the mid-16th century and came under Chinese administration as recently as 1999. Hence Macau is truly a unique place where two very contrasting cultures like the Chinese and the Portuguese have blended in a magnificent fusion culture. And this fusion can be seen in all aspects of Macanese life, from food to architecture.
We are a roaming couple who likes to travel on a budget and we generally don’t spend a long time in a particular place. As our blog name suggests, we hop around quite frequently. So if our style, i.e., short trip on a budget, suits you, we believe the following guide will help you to understand the place better. If you like our posts, please subscribe to our travel blog using email or through social media.
Things to do in Macau
1. Casinos
Now there is no doubt that most of the people know Macau for the casinos. It truly can be called the Las Vegas of the East with almost all the major casinos like Venetian, Sands, MGM and more being there. Infact, even with 49 casinos, which is much lesser than Vegas’s 104, Macau posts almost 5 times the revenue of Vegas. And the game that rules this casino city is Baccarat.
The Venetian in Macau is in fact much more magnificent that the Vegas counterpart with extravagant decor and shopping and more inside. Free Shuttle buses frequently run from almost all the Ferry and Bus terminals and borders checkpoints around Macau to give you a convenient ride to the casinos. A list of all the major casinos in Macau can be found here.
2. Streets of Macau
Now for the people who are not into gambling, Macau has so much to offer as a historic city too. In Fact the historic center of Macau was inscribed into the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in 2005. Macau was long being under Portuguese influence right from mid-16th century and came under Chinese administration as recent as 1999.
Even today the portuguse influence can be seen in all aspects of this old city, from architecture to food and culture. And this coexistence of two very different cultures, Chinese and Portuguese, gives Macau a unique vibe. So a casual stroll through the alleys of this beautiful city is not a bad thing to do and there are thousands of opportunities to click something beautiful at every corner. A complete list of all the Old Macau attractions can be found here.
3. Senado Square
This is basically the center of the Macau old town. The square was named after the Leal Senado building, a meeting place for the Chinese and Portuguese in the 16th to 18th centuries. This place is generally jam packed with tourists but if you can ignore that this place has a charm of its own. Lined along by beautiful colonial style colorful buildings, this paved town square has a whole bunch of shops, restaurants and cafes to explore.
4. Monte Fort
Monte fort or Fortaleza do Monte is a crucial part of Macau’s history and is the historical military centre of Macau. Constructed between 1617 and 1626 on top of a hill, this was originally made to save the Portuguese Jesuits from pirates. The walls of the fort were also lined with canons which can also be seen today. Even keeping the history aside, the fort also gives an amazing panoramic view of the whole city which in itself is a proper reason to visit this place, especially during sunsets.
5. Ruins of St. Paul’s
Located just beside the Monte fort, this is unquestionably the most famous historical structure of Macau. Ruins of St. Paul’s is a surviving stone facade and the only remains of 16th century Cathedral of St. Paul which got burned down in 1835. Today it is one of Macau’s must-visit landmarks and also the most visited one.
6. St. Dominic’s Church
St. Dominic’s Church is one of the oldest and the most beautiful churches in Macau. Built in 1587 by Spanish Dominiccan priests near the Senado square, the vibrant yellow church is quite photogenic, noted for its mixed style of European and Chinese architecture and the museum inside it is full of Catholic art, scultures, and tools used by its priests for ages. St. Dominic’s Church is also one of the venues of the annual Macau International Music Festival.
7. A-Ma Temple
Among all the traditional Chinese temples in Macau, A-Ma temple may be is the most renowned. This temple is dedicated to the Chinese sea goddess Mazu and is believed to be the reason for Macau’s name. The temple consists of six main parts, the Gate Pavilion, the Memorial Arch, the Prayer Hall, the Hall of Benevolence, the Hall of Guanyin and the Zhengjiao Chanlin – Buddhist Pavilion.
How to Reach Macau
Even if it is a part of China, Macau has its own administration and, like Hong Kong, it is almost treated as a separate country. Good thing is that Citizens of most countries enjoy either visa free entry or visa on arrival at Macau. You just need a passport to enter Macau. Macau has an international airport of its own. But most foreign tourists enter Macau from Hong Kong.
Fun and Traditional way to reach Macau from Hong Kong is by ferry. Ferries are operated by two companies TurboJet and Cotai Water Jet and most convenient locations to avail them are the Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal in the Shun Tak Centre and the China Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui. There is another Ferry terminal in Hong Kong international airport but only for transiting passengers. In Macau there are two ferry terminals viz, Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal near the old city and the Taipa Ferry Terminal close to the casinos. Ferries cost around 160-175 HKD one way.
A cheaper option to reach Macau though is the bus route. The express bus route is operated by China Link and leaves from Prince Edward in Mong Kok or Kowloon Elements in Tsim Sha Tsui and costs around 120 HKD one way. Even cheaper but little more complicated way is to take the public bus which can only be availed from the Lantau island. It costs around 70 HKD.
Free Shuttle buses frequently run from almost all the Ferry and Bus terminals and borders checkpoints around Macau to give you a convenient ride to the casinos. Public buses are there too and are very cheap and convenient. Honk Kong currency is widely accepted in Macau, even in public buses. If you are taking public buses do keep in mind to keep changes as you wont get change back.
Where to Stay
We are generally a heavy user of Airbnb https://www.airbnb.ca/c/agnibeshd? due to its affordability and more connected to the place feel and Macau has a lot of affordable options in that respect.
If you want to spend a little more, Macau has a good number of choices for absolutely gorgeous hotels too. A few worth checking out are picked below. Just keep in mind that Macau has two very distinct neighborhoods. The old city and the casinos towards Taipa. So make up your mind on where you will spend most time and try to take your hotel there.
Budget | Towns Well Hotel
Right in the historical city of Macau, this affordable hotel is placed in the heart of the city centre.
Midrange | Inn Hotel Macau
A convenient 5-minute drive from Macau International Airport the famous food and souvenir street Rua da Cunha is within a 10-minute walk from the hotel and so is the casino hub.
Midrange | Casa Real Hotel
Conveniently located adjacent to the Macau Ferry and within walking distance to the historic old town.
Luxury | Galaxy Macau
Luxurious 5-star accommodation featuring world’s largest Sky Wave Pool. Very close to Rua do Cunha and the Casino hub for all the entertainment needs.
Having said all these, if you are short on time and don’t want to get in the hussle to plan the trip yourself, you can always check this private tour to Macau from Hong Kong.https://www.viator.com/tours/Hong-Kong-SAR/Private-Tour-Macau-Day-Trip-from-Hong-Kong/d35959-5335MACAU
Or if you are already staying in Macau, this sightseeing day tour of old Macau might interest you. https://www.viator.com/tours/Macau-SAR/Macau-City-Sightseeing-Tour/d4460-3675MFMFD
That was a quick peak into things to do in Macau. Also do check out our other destinations too. Hope you have a great trip ahead!!!
If you liked our Guide on Top 7 Things To Do In Macau, please check out our other Destinations.
[…] hope this will give you a quick peek into this historic city. We also have a separate post about a Complete Guide to Macau which you can check […]