Visit the UNESCO sites in Macau

The Historic Centre of Macau is a collection of over twenty locations that witness the unique assimilation and co-existence of Chinese and Portuguese cultures in Macau, a former Portuguese colony. It represents the architectural legacies of the city's cultural heritage, including monuments such as urban squares, streetscapes, churches, and temples.

Ruins of St. Paul’s

Arguably Macau’s most famous landmark, the Ruins of St. Paul’s continue to captivate visitors centuries after it was originally constructed. Built from 1602 to 1640 by Jesuit priests who traveled to the Far East to spread Catholicism, the site originally included St. Paul’s College and the Church of St. Paul.

Located at the top of a hill, the structure was the largest church in Asia at the time, and was acclaimed as ‘The Vatican of the Far East’. Its existence was meant to express the triumph of the Roman Catholic Church through the ornate grandeur of the buildings. The original structure was made of wood, which burned down in a fire during a typhoon in 1835, leaving only the beautiful granite façade and a grand staircase of 68 stone steps leading up to it.

A-Ma Temple

Built in 1488, A-Ma Temple is the oldest and most famous Chinese temple in Macau. It’s dedicated to the goddess Mazu, protector of seafarers and fishermen, and is believed to be the temple from where Macau’s name is derived.

The site consists of the Gate Pavilion, the Memorial Arch, the Prayer Hall, the Hall of Benevolence, the Hall of Guanyin, and Zhengjiao Chanlin (a Buddhist pavilion). The temple is inspired by Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, and multiple folk beliefs. The goddess A-Ma is still very popular among local residents. On her birthday – the 23rd day of the third moon of the Chinese lunar calendar – the square in front of the temple is packed with all sorts of street performances.

Leal Senado Building

Located in the heart of Macau’s colorful Senado Square, the Leal Senado Building was originally built in 1784. This was Macau’s first municipal chamber and is still home to Macau’s municipal council. The building is neo-classical in design and has retained all of its original master walls and primary layout, including the courtyard garden in the back.

Today the building houses a gallery holding regular exhibitions on the ground floor, a public library storing old foreign books between the 17th century and mid-20th century, and an auditorium with a chapel. At the back of the building, there is a relatively quiet Portuguese-style courtyard with a flower nursery in the shape of a celestial globe and a bust of the Portuguese poet Camoes.

Holy House of Mercy

Founded in 1569, the Holy House of Mercy is famous for its beautiful arcaded façade and was modeled on one of Portugal’s oldest charitable organizations. Part of their work was to help the families of sailors who drowned.

A neo-classical building that’s painted a refined white on the outside, it is closely bound up with the origins of Macau. It is also home to The Holy House of Mercy Museum. Opened in 2001, the museum comprises a collection of Macau’s Catholic relics, which bear testimony to the history of Western culture that was introduced to China through Macau.

See more: Visit Macau to admire incredible artworks

Source: Internet

A guide to go shopping in Macau

When you are in Macau and want to indulge in some retail therapy that does not burn a big hole in your pocket, then these are the places you can head to. There is more than shopping in store for you at these spots, so get ready to have lots of fun.

Senado Square Area

For the shopaholics, Senado Square Area is the main bustling area located at the central downtown on the northern side of Av. Almeida Ribeiro. This space is filled with a vast number of stores and food stalls lined up on the streets. This place is mainly known for its high availability of fashionable clothes.

Three Lamps District

The heart of the historic Three Lamps District is where you should be if budget shopping is on your mind. This circle, as well as the streets around it, is packed with small shops, boutiques and street vendors that specialise in inexpensive clothes that are mostly surplus and seconds from major brands. If that is not all, then the Santo Domingo City Market, which is also in the same area, is a great place to go and shop. This is one of Macau’s best places to look for bargains and you will not be disappointed.

Red Market

Red market is a three-storied wet market located at San Antonio. Built in 1936, this place is famous for the wide variety of seafood available which is delivered from the Mainland China. The market opens daily from 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM and deals with meat, poultry, fruits, vegetables and flowers and a visit to this place will give a glimpse of the Macau’s daily life.

Grand Canal Shoppes

Macau’s biggest mall and home to the swankiest shops, the Grand Canal Shoppes, has become somewhat of a destination for shoppers from China and all over Asia. Set on the third floor of the Venetian Macau casino – the biggest casino in the world – the shops are lined up along the casino's fantastical Venetian inspired canals. With the canals plied by crooning gondola captains and the whole place decked out in faux Renaissance design, this is a shopping experience worth the experience even if you can’t afford the shopping.

New Yaohan & Macau Landmark

Photo SecretMacau

Settled opposite the reclaimed ferry terminal of the city, New Yaohan is the most popular shopping places in Macau. People head to this place to find a wide range of electronic appliances and camera varieties. Along with this the Macau Landmark is reckoned in the recent years and is one of the best place for shopping in Macau. Travelers can find fashion shops, dining center and entertainment facilities at this part of the town.

Cinema Alegria Night Market

For a different kind of budget shopping experience, head to the weekend night market outside Cinema Alegria. Also known as the Lin Kai Market, this place is known for cheap fabrics and readymade clothes and has a variety of local delicacies to try. It is worth taking a look at as it located close to the Lin Kai Temple and the Cinema Alegria, which itself is an Art Deco structure and the place is full of life, especially on weekends.

Read more: Have you ever tried these local dishes in Macau?

Source Internet

Best casinos to try your luck in Macau

No longer regarded as just a Vegas knock-off, Macau has surpassed the famous strip to become the most successful gambling capital in the world. Now home to 40 casinos, which of these glittering gaming dens is the best bet for you?

The Venetian Macao

Macau itself may be small, but not when it comes to casinos. In fact, The Venetian is home to the world’s biggest casino. With 376,000 square feet of gaming space, there’s plenty of room, and chances, for you to place your best bet. There’s no less than 640 gaming tables (baccarat being the most common, alongside blackjack, sic bo and roulette) and 1,760 slot machines.

Furthermore, The Venetian has 3,000 guest suites, more than 30 restaurants – from Michelin-starred fine dining to intimate bars and cafés – four outdoor swimming pools, over 330 retail shops, and even an 18-hole rooftop golf course.

Grand Lisboa

An icon of Macau’s skyline, at 856 ft, Grand Lisboa is the city’s tallest building. Shaped like a giant golden lotus flower, it’s about as attention-grabbing as casinos come. Inside, the gaming space isn’t too shabby either. The casino has over 230 gaming tables and 880 slot machines. Games available include baccarat, blackjack, Carribean stud poker, American Roulette, sic bo, 3 card baccarat and fortune wheel. Bets range from a minimum of HK$300 ($38.35) up to a whopping HK$5 million.

In addition, Grand Lisboa offers 430 rooms and suites, as well as some of the city’s best fine dining restaurants. Among them are the three Michelin star Robuchon au Dome (European cuisine) and three Michelin star The Eight (Chinese cuisine), as well as several other food and beverage offerings, a luxury spa, outdoor swimming pool, and daily entertainment shows.

Wynn Palace

Wynn loves elegance and with this casino it shows. Costing a staggering US$4.2 billion to construct, it delivers on the promise of its name by being nothing short of palatial. In total, the casino itself offers more than 1,000 slot machines and live table games. This includes 350 gaming tables where guests can enjoy playing roulette, blackjack, poker variations and many others.

Wynn Palace is also home to 1,706 rooms and suites, Macau’s largest spa, more than a dozen fine dining and casual dining restaurants, as well as stunning floral creations and artworks. Meanwhile, guests can enjoy entering the resort via air-conditioned Sky Cabs flying over an 8-acre, 325,000-square foot Performance Lake.

MGM Cotai

MGM Cotai opened to the cost of US$3.2 billion in February 2018. The exterior of the glitzy resort is designed to resemble a jewellery box. Inside, it’s no less impressive. The casino features 177 gaming tables (12 for VIP customers) and 1,500 slot machines.

The property offers 1,390 rooms and suites, which include 16 Skylofts and 27 Mansion Villas. Guests can enjoy several dining and drinking options, a luxury spa, and an abundance of art. The star attraction is The Spectacle: 25 LED walls, four-stories high, located in the atrium displaying digital artworks and even visitor-generated content. There’s also more than 300 contemporary Asian paintings and sculptures, as well as 28 Chinese imperial carpets that date back to the Qing Dynasty and once adorned the Forbidden City in Beijing.

Morpheus

As the newest kid on the strip, the US$1.1 billion Morpheus casino (named after the Greek god of dreams) aims to become a new landmark in Macau. Visually striking, with an absence of supporting walls or columns, it’s the world’s first tower to be wrapped in and supported by a free-form exoskeleton. Having opened in June 2018 and designed by renowned Zaha Hadid Architects, Morpheus currently offers 40 gaming tables, but more are expected to be added next year.

The property features 772 guest rooms, suites and villas, an in-house spa, restaurants by star chefs such as Alain Ducasse, and a sky pool that is 130 metres above the ground.

See more: Reasons to add Macau to your bucket list

Source: Internet

Have you ever tried these local dishes in Macau?

Macau is more than just a casino city. It’s also a place where East met West over 400 years ago to produce the world’s first fusion food: Macanese cuisine. A unique blend of both Chinese and Portuguese ingredients and cooking techniques, here are 9 of the tastiest Macanese dishes to try on your next visit.

Minchi

Minchi is a signature Macanese dish. Comfort food at its best, combining minced beef with diced potatoes stir-fried with onions, and seasoned with Worcestershire sauce. It’s often topped with a fried egg and served with a side of steaming white rice. Minchi is a household favorite in Macau, but you can also find it on the menu at several Macanese restaurants in town. Try local canteen-style restaurant Riquexo.

Tacho

This Macanese take on a traditional Portuguese slow-cooked stew is a veritable feast of both European and Asian elements in one. Combining cabbage, with cuts of ham, pork and Chinese meats, including cured sausages and duck, it’s a warming winter stew that is true Macanese soul food. Try it at Restaurant Carlos.

Capela

Capela is a Macanese-style meatloaf. This popular family-style dish consists of beef, pork, chorizo, bread and olives. It’s topped with crispy bacon slices and grated cheese.

African chicken

Considered the quintessential Macanese dish, African chicken is essentially a Macanese take on chicken curry. Created by a local Macau chef in the 1940s, using spices he obtained from trips to Africa, it’s become a staple dish at local restaurants. It’s a moreish combination of chicken baked in a rich sauce made of peanuts, tomato, grated coconut, red pepper, a little chili, and sometimes a touch of paprika.

See more: African chicken, the Macau's national dish

Pork chop bun

Sometimes referred to as ‘the Macanese version of a hamburger’. This signature Macanese snack combines a succulently marinated pork chop wrapped in a warm, chewy bun. Sun Ying Kei specializes in this Macanese specialty.

Braised pork in tamarind shrimp sauce

Another mouthwatering example of Macanese fusion cooking is stewed tamarind pork. A slow-cooked pork stew coated in a rich Macanese shrimp paste sauce. The sauce is a careful balance of sweet, sour and spicy flavors. It blends dried shrimp, brandy, salt and pepper, chilies and bay leaf.

Salted cod fritters (Pasteis de Bacalhau)

These delicious golden brown croquettes, filled with salted cod, mashed potato, onion, egg and parsley, are a staple of Portuguese and Macanese menus. Crunchy on the outside and creamily soft on the inside, they can be served either hot or cold. Try them at O Santos, a local Portuguese restaurant in Taipa Village.

Macanese chili prawns

Also known as gambas à Macau, Macanese chili prawns are stuffed with garlic, red chili, shallot and parsley before being fried and finished with a white wine and garlic sauce.

Macau egg tart

Arguably the city’s most famous snack, Macau egg tarts continue to sell quicker than proverbial hotcakes. Based on the Portuguese pastéis de nata and given a local spin, they combine crispy crème brulée tops, flaky pastry crusts and delicious egg custard centers. Best served fresh from the original Lord Stow’s Bakery, located in the heart of Macau’s Coloane Village.

Source Internet

Things to know before visiting Macau

Macau, otherwise known as the “Las Vegas of China”, is located about an hour west of Hong Kong. It is semi-bordered by China on its North and West sides. Each location provides its own flare and favorite things to do and see with the Macau Peninsula being the most popular with tourists.

Whether you have a few hours or several days, Macau is an eclectic destination that will not disappoint you. Set for your journey with some tips and life-hacks that will make your visit to Macau 100% trouble-free.

What language is spoken?

The two official languages of Macau are Cantonese and Portuguese. However, Cantonese is the most common language spoken by locals. English is also widely understood, mostly in the casino resorts and main tourist areas. However, if you are using taxis it might be better to look up the Chinese address of a place on Google and show the taxi driver that.

Currency

Macau has its own currency called pataca (MOP), which is closely tied to Hong Kong dollar. But you can also pay with HKD everywhere, even in buses. So, don’t panic if you did not visit the exchange office in advance. But bear in mind that while paying with Hong Kong dollars you can still get your change in patacas (MOP), so if you don’t want to keep them as a souvenir, remember to exchange your MOP in Macau. Being one of the world’s least convertible currencies, patacas could be hard to shed, back in your home country.

When is the best time of year to visit?

The best time to visit is between October and December when the weather and temperature is more comfortable. The summer months often bring stifling temperatures and most people tend to stay indoors in the cool air conditioning as outside you just sweat buckets. Macau has a moderate to hot climate and humidity is generally high. Typhoons are possible from May to September.

What to bring

• Passport – Macau is its own territory and requires each visitor to be processed through their immigration.
• Comfortable shoes – the historical area is large and some uneven stone steps and walkways.
• Camera and extra batteries – the plan is to be there all day.
• Sunscreen and a hat – lots of shady places and indoor venues but in between locations the sun is hot.
• Cash – ATMs are available but make sure to let your bank know you will be visiting Macau.
• Insect Repellent – I did not have a huge issue with mosquito bites, but I did walk away with a few.

Driving and walking

Just like its neighbour Hong Kong, Macau is a drive-on-the-left region. If you are traveling from mainland China by car, admire how cleverly the switch between right-side China and left-side Macau is arranged on the Lotus bridge. As a pedestrian, stay vigilant while crossing the road, remember to look right first, then left and not the other way around.

Is Macau a safe place to visit?

For the most part, Macau is very safe and visitors experience very low levels of crime. However, visitors should take the usual precautions that they would take in any city, for example, take extra care of passports, credit cards and money in crowded areas and late at night.

Source Internet

Rua da Felicidade, the blissful street in Macau

When you travel to Macau, a picture of Lisboa Casino would appear in your mind, including luxurious hotels, shopping malls and so on. These are definitely attractive spots in Macau. But we cannot forget that Macau has a long history. Rua da Felicidade is one of them. It is a historic street in the southwest of Macau Peninsula. The name comes from Portuguese, which means blissful street.

History

Rua da Felicidade, meaning ‘the street of joy’ was built in the middle age of Qing dynasty by Macau governor-general. Then, two rich merchants bought it. With their management, it rapidly developed into an entertainment street. Rua da Felicidade was divided into two parts. One is cluster of brothel and teahouse while another part is a perfect place for taking drugs and drinking.
Once you come here, you will find that the street is preserved so well by the government that as if you have come back to hundred years ago. It is a kind of magical time traveling.

Unique heritage site

These days, lined with small retail shops and local eateries, the street is completely reborn and has become one of the most emblematic and unique heritage sites in the city. Some movie lovers may even recognize the street from the Hollywood film, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, where it featured as a backdrop in some scenes.

One of the street’s most notable eateries is Cheong Kei Noodle (68 Rua da Felicidade), considered one of the well-known noodle houses in the city. Here, they still make noodles using the traditional method of a bamboo pole to knead the dough. The prawn roe wanton noodles are a must-try.

Don’t miss the delightful Belos Tempos teahouse (10 Rua da Felicidade), which serves delicious Portuguese-style food, as well as Macanese favourites such as minchi rice.

The street is also home to Macau’s oldest guesthouse. The SanVa Hotel (65-67 Rua Da Felicidade) has been operating as a guesthouse since the 1930s. With more than 30 rooms and some of the most competitive room rates in the city, it is well worth considering. Not only will you be in the heart of Happiness Street itself, you will also be on the doorstep of Macau’s main sites and attractions.

Food

For the popularity of any place, its cuisine is one of the major contributing factors and a source of attraction for the tourists. If you have been fortunate enough to travel around Rua da Felicidade, then you must have an idea that Rua da Felicidade is enriched in providing you a countless number of cuisine varieties that differ from one another according to the provinces. Rua da Felicidade is really world famous for its cuisine. Specialties are Tian FaWan fin and Shrimp eggs.

Tips

Walking here in the morning is such a joyful relaxation, people can feel the strong atmosphere of history from the red windows. You can have your breakfast in the tea shops to experience the local food culture.

Source Culture Trip

5 most luxurious cities to travel in Asia

Metropolises are generally most people's dreamlands to visit once in their lifetime, not only in Asia but also worldwide. However, these 5 Asia megacities prove that tourists have to prepare a large sum of money before dreaming of coming to them.

5. Seoul

These days Seoul seems to be known mostly for its lightning-fast internet connections, and its professional videogame culture, not to mention its pop stars, but there's obviously a lot more to it than that. Even though the city is still quite reasonably priced for its high technology, other things like attractions, accomodations or foods can still cost tourist quite a lot of money.

4. Hong Kong

Hong Kong used to be cheap, but there are now so many rich people and business travelers coming through here that backpackers have to really search for the bargains. Hotels can be quite expensive, though some hostels are still great value.

3. Singapore

Easily one of the world's most modern cities, Singapore can actually be quite expensive for most. The hotels here tend to be quite expensive, so it is best to save money by staying in hostels.

2. Macau

Since there are no hostels here, Macau is not a great choice for those on lower budgets. It's easier and cheaper to come on a day trip by ferry from Hong Kong to see the main sights than staying over in a hotel in Macau.

1. Tokyo

No surprises at the most expensive end of the list, and thanks to weakness in its currency, Tokyo is now similar in price to most famous and popular cities in Europe. Nevertheless, Tokyo is truly an amazing city that everyone should try to visit at least once.

See more: Catch up with some Tokyo’s major districts

Source: Internet