Macau’s mixture of East and West brings together an eclectic mix of Old World Europe and the Orient in one beautiful package.
Portuguese traders leased Macau from the Guangzhou Mandarins in 1557. Portugal governed Macau for more than 440 years until returning it back to China in 1999. Macau still maintains its Portuguese-style and coupled with the numerous Mediterranean buildings, it feels as European as it does Chinese.
Senado Square, surrounded by bright colored Portuguese buildings and cobbled stone alleys; this is the best place to get a feel for what Macau has to offer. Surrounding Senado Square you will find some of the best shopping in Macau, everything from antique Chinese furniture to the latest in designer fashion. The beautiful St. Dominic Church, which has been standing for the past 400 years, east of Senado Square, holds mass on the weekends in Cantonese. Farther down the cobbled stone street is the Ruins of the Church of St. Paul. Built in the 1602 by Jesuit priests, the church was destroyed by fire in 1835, and only the massive stone façade survived. Today the ruins of St. Paul are the official symbol of Macau and offer great photo ops. Next to the ruins is Monte Fortress, the largest fortress remaining from Macau’s imperial past. Inside the fort is the Macau Museum, an interesting museum with artifacts and a detailed history of Macau from the early days to the present.
Within walking distance of the museum is St. Michaels Cemetery to the east and Camoes Grotto and Gardens, to the north. South of Senado Square is the tallest point in Macau, the Macau Sky Tower, standing at 338m, it’s hard to miss. Along the road leading to the tower you’ll pass by the brightly painted Residence of the Portuguese Consul and the Chapel of Our Lady of Penha. The gothic church sits on top of a small knoll overlooking the bay and glows eerily when lit up at night. Macau Sky Tower offers an unparalleled 360-degree- view of the ocean, Macau and the mainland border city of Zhuhai. For those who are a little more adventurous, there are tours available that allow visitors to walk around the outer rim of the observation deck unimpeded by windows or even a rail. Harnesses with lines attached to a beam keep people from being blown off into oblivion.
If you prefer finding excitement with your feet firmly on the ground, then head to one of the many casinos or racetracks scattered though out Macau. Lisboa Hotel with its birdcage shaped building is the most famous casino in town and is conveniently located between Senado Square and Macau Sky Tower. Across from the Lisboa Hotel is the Cybernetic Fountain, which provides a mesmerizing show of lights and water at night.
Guia Lighthouse, northwest of Senado Square, occupies the highest natural point in Macau and was a sign of relief for far-eastern trade ships, signaling that their arduous voyage from Europe was finally over. Beside the lighthouse is a small chapel and Flora Garden sits at the base and offers gondola rides for those who would prefer not to walk.
North of Flora Park is Kun Lam Temple, one of the largest temples in Macau, where many important documents have been signed, including the treaty leasing Macau to Portugal. The A-Ma Temple is on the southwest corner of the peninsula and is another temple worth checking out and is located across from the Maritime Museum and Barra Fort. The fort was once a cannon battery, it has since been turned into a Portuguese inn with amazing character and charm.
Along with the main peninsula, home to the majority of the 460,000 Macanese, there are two islands, Taipa and Coloane. Taipa was home to many of the wealthy Macanese whose row of impressive mansions has been restored and turned into the Taipa House Museum. This museum gives viewers a taste of what life was like for 18th and 19th century traders. Taipa Village has become a familiar place with tourists and locals alike, known for having some of the best restaurants in Macau. Make your way up the small hill, located in the middle of the island, and you will find the Chapel of Our Lady Carmel, a quaint, quiet church built in 1885. Taipa Island is also home to the international airport, University of Macau, Jockey Club and Four Faces Buddha.
Coloane Island is the most remote part of Macau where it is still possible to get a glimpse of village life. Hac SA Beach with its black sand, gentle waves and barbeque pits is a favorite retreat for locals. Coloane Village is home to St. Francis Xavier Church and Tin Hau Temple. To the northeast is Coloane Arboretum and Seac Pai Park. Coloane also holds Macau’s only golf course located at the Macau Golf and Country Club.
High rollers, big and small, come to Macau for its many casinos. The largest is in the Lisboa Hotel, but there are many venues to choose from, and all of them offer a variety of ways for you to win or lose. The casinos here are world class and most are open 24 hours.
ZHUHAI BORDER JUMPING
Border Jumping is as easy as jumping rope, with three day to three month tourist visas easily obtained in a few minutes from the Chinese Customs office once you leave Macau. For three-day visas the cost is about HK $100 and three-month visas go for HK $180.
As soon as you exit the border and enter Zhuhai you will be at the steps of the Gongbei Underground Market, a place that draws thousands of Macanese across the border each day for shopping. Taxis are readily available, but to avoid being ripped off, always go by the meter.
With its wide roads and separate bicycle paths Zhuhai is the model for modern Chinese city planning. The majority of the population lies in the three main districts of Gongbei, Jida and Xianzhou. Zhuhai was nothing more than a fishing village 20 years ago, but after Deng Xiaoping designated it a SEZ (Special Economic Zone) in 1980, the village soon became a city. Compared to cities with richer histories, such as Macau and Guangzhou, Zhuhai has few historical attractions. Instead the city makes of for this deficit with by offering forms of recreation and entertainment that is difficult to find in more densely populated places.
In the northern section of Gongbei, next door to each other, are three venues that could keep you busy for days. New Yuan Ming Palace is a life size replica of the original in Beijing that was burnt down during the Opium wars. Most of the buildings show painstaking detail and the sheer size of the grounds makes it easy to get lost for hours among the ponds, gardens and architecture. There are many plays and musical performances put on through out the complex daily. For those who haven’t been to Beijing it is worth a visit despite a steep RMB 100 entrance fee. Those who prefer wetter forms of entertainment head next door to the Lost World Water Park. With its waterslides, tide-pools and play areas, there is something for all ages. Also on hand is a 27m high bungee jump dangling above some of the pools, offering a great view of New Yuan Ming Palace before you leap. Conveniently located next door to the water park is a spa containing numerous mineral water and tea baths, deep tissue massages, pressure puncture and other forms of traditional Chinese medicine. At some points it is so relaxing you will wonder how you ever lived without such pampering before. Price depends on what you want but averages RMB 150. Larger spas like Zhuhai Hot Springs and the Imperial Hot Springs offer more amenities but are each 30-minute taxi rides into the countryside.
Lover’s Road might not be as relaxing as a spa but with a cool sea breeze and a setting sun it can be a comfortable alternative. Running the length of Zhuhai’s coastline, stretching across all three major districts, the best views are along the Jida district section. Here you’ll find Hai Bing Park and the Fisher Girl Statue, the latter being the city symbol. Jiuzhou Port is 10 minutes by taxi from the Fisher Girl and offers cruises around Macau that is spectacular at night. If time permits other forms of recreation can be found in the northern part of Zhuhai. Lakewood Golf Course, Zhuhai F1 Race Track and Pearl Land are a little over 15 minutes by taxi from Lover’s Road.
Whatever it is that you find entertaining, Zhuhai most likely has it and a one or two day visit is a perfect compliment to your stay in Macau.