Vacation In Macau
Macau was on my wish list for travel destinations. I wanted to experience the Casino world in Asia. After researching a bit, I decided to visit Macau since it was just one hour flight from Hong Kong and the entertainment in Macau is considered fun. The trip turned out to be not just about gambling but for leisure, sightseeing and dining as well. Here is how a little bit of research helped me plan my stay in Macau and have a good time.
Most people will go to Hong Kong to take in the glamour and action. While I certainly do enjoy the latter, I’m much more of a fan of nature, serenity and reflection. And that’s why this past weekend, we decided to take a jaunt over for an overnight getaway to Macau, the Las Vegas-like peninsula across the water from Hong Kong. The Venetian is located there with the Grand Lisboa just five minutes up Avenue Northeastern 1, although it cost enough to live in one of its suites for a year to make it worthwhile going to either casino.
Visiting Macau is a lot of fun, there are plenty of things to do. If you go in the Fall or Spring you may be lucky enough to see the Macao International Marathon, which is one of the most famous street races in Asia. Otherwise, check out one of the many casinos and get at least a little bit lucky playing baccarat or blackjack (if you’ve never played before, don’t worry— there are lots of places that will train you). After a day on the tables, take a walk around the historical center of town, called the Historic Centre of Macao – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We actually did that when we were there; it was very interesting!
Macau is more than just an escape. It’s more than a place to take a break from the stress of daily life. Macau is an experience in luxury. Let the perfect setting and service in Macau serve as an escape from all the worries of your everyday life.
Macau is a city in China but gained popularity as a gaming hot spot in 2007. The following years led to it being known as the Las Vegas of Asia. It stands as one of the richest cities in China and offers a lot for tourists. Surrounded by mountains and sea, Macau is located at the tip of the Macau Peninsula where it faces the South China Sea.
Vacation In Macau
1. Try your luck out by gambling at the Venetian, MGM Grand, Sands Casino, and many other enormous and fun gambling venues offering poker, slot machines, video gambling, blackjack, baccarat, and every other game imaginable. Macau is not called the “Las Vegas of the East” for nothing. Even most small hotels have machines and tables available for playing at any time of day.
2. Visit the Canidrome, the only greyhound racing stadium in all of Asia, and have fun betting on which dog will win the races. About 300 dogs race every day, and the minimum betting amount is 10 Macanese patacas, or about 1 dollar and twenty five cents.
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3. Ascend and bungee jump 223 meters (732 feet) off the Macau Tower. This is one of the world’s highest bungee jumping experiences, and the sensation of falling at up to 200 kilometers per hour is incomparable to any other high.
4. Check out the Mau Giant Panda Pavilion, one of the most popular and fun parts of the Seac Pai Van Park. Here, two giant pandas named Kai Kai and Xin Xin welcome visitors every day. They live in a 3000 square meter enclosure with outdoor and indoor facilities, and admission costs only 10 patacas. Children 12 and under and seniors 65 and over can get in for free.
5. The Ruins of St. Paul’s are the most distinctive and memorable structures that represent Macau to the world. Anyone who comes to Macau must visit them. The Church of Mater Dei and St. Paul’s College were constructed between 1602 and 1640 and were mostly burned down in 1835. The remnants still stand and boast Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite architecture styles, along with biblical images, Chinese characters, Japanese chrysanthemums, the statues of Jesuit saints, Chinese lions, and mannerist art. This is a stunning blend of Eastern and Western art and culture, and is wistful suggestion of what once was and what might have been had not most of it been destroyed.
6. Just above the Ruins of St. Paul’s is the Fortaleza do Monte, which is part of the Historic Centre of Macau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Fortaleza sits atop a hill and features tree-lined parks and paths, a series of stone walls, streets, and buildings, and cannons lining the walls that used to defend the city from foreign invaders. There is also the Museum of Macau and the former residence of the Governors of Macau to see on the hill. See Macau’s skyscrapers and neighborhoods from the peak of the hill, and you will feel like you’re on top of the world.
7. If you’re tired of gambling, browse the many high-end shops and restaurants located in the major casinos, which give the shopping centers and casinos in Las Vegas a run for their money. Any store you can think of, including clothing boutiques, jewelers, outdoor retailers, candy shops, and arts and crafts operate in the casino complexes.
8. Looking like a picturesque street in Amsterdam, Macau Fisherman’s Wharf is an enormous theme park that provides visitors with over 150 restaurants, shops, casinos, hotels, a replica volcano, forts, a convention center, and water shows. A day spent here is a day well spent.
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9. The Historic Centre of Macau includes over twenty churches, parks, and museums that give the best of Macau’s unique bicultural heritage. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that can occupy visitors for at least a couple days of exploring. Check out private homes, cemeteries, fortresses, churches, temples, and commercial streets in the heart of Macau.
10. History and politics devotees should check out the Leal Senado Building, where Macau’s colonial government used to convene. It is a stately white building featuring Portuguese art and architecture, and now is the headquarters of the Institute of Civic and Municipal Affairs that governs Macau.
11. Designed by Chinese American architect I.M. Pei, the Macau Science Center juts out along the ocean, and is easily visible to people taking ferries, cars, and trains. Its unique silver conical shape resembles a seashell and contains fourteen galleries, a planetarium, and a theater playing Omnimax movies. This landmark will delight many science fans of all ages.