"Macau S.A.R." Macao by Rodan44

Macao Travel Guide: 2,176 reviews and 4,981 photos

Us in front of St. Paul's, Macau - Macao

My wife and I were spending a weekend in Hong Kong visiting friends, and we decided to make a day trip to Macau. We arrived via the high speed ferry, which took only 45 minutes. But despite their close proximity, Hong Kong and Macau couldn't be more different.

Largo do Senado Square, Macau

Tiny Macau was held as a Portuguese colony from the 16th century until being returned to China in 1999. This extended colonization left an unmistakeable Portuguese feel to Macau, in everything from architecture to religion to language to cuisine. At times when we were wandering through the streets of the old city, it was easy to mistake that we were in Europe rather than east Asia. There are few high rise buildings in Macau, so much of the old colonial architecture remains. All signs are in Chinese and Portuguese, and some of the residents still speak Portuguese. Macau is also deservedly famous for its cuisine, a mix of Portuguese and Cantonese, and we had some wonderful local dishes during our short visit.

Sands Casino, Macau

It would appear though that the future of Macau lies in gambling. While several small casinos have existed in Macau for a while, now the doors have been opened for the big vegas-style casinos to move in, with a new mega Sands casino just opening and several even bigger ones currently underway. My only hope is that despite all this development Macau can still maintain its old customs and charm.

Please visit the Macau page on my personal website to see many more high quality photos from this destination.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Wonderfully preserved old world charm
Cons:Big casinos moving in will lead to flood of gamblers
In a nutshell:Unique blend of Chinese and Portuguese cultures

Last visit to Macao: Jan 2005
Intro Updated Feb 20, 2005
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Reviews (6)

Ferry from Hong Kong Transportation (1)

We were able to do a daytrip to Macau from Hong Kong by taking a high-speed ferry. Ferries depart from either the Hong... more travel advice

A-Ma Temple Things to Do (4)

Macau's name is derived from A-Ma-Gau, meaning "place of A-Ma", and this 16th century temple is dedicated to this... more travel advice

St. Francis Xavier Chapel, Coloane Village - Macao

Coloane Island Off The Beaten Path (1)

Macau's southern most island of Coloane remains mostly undeveloped. Here you will find rugged forested hills, tranquil... more travel advice

Macau Tower and bridge to Taipa island - Macao

Macau Tower Things to Do (4)

The most visible landmark in all of Macau is undoubtedly the 338 meter tall Macau Tower. It is the 10th highest... more travel advice

Comments (2)

trisanna Aug 4, 2005 at 5:51 PM Report Abuse

I really had a great time in Macao. Gotta love the Portuguese food they have on the islands.
peerapa Apr 21, 2005 at 1:32 AM Report Abuse

Sawasdee ka ...How're you & Trisanna? I'm just back from visit your site and I've plan to go to Macau next month...and your Macau album's one of my inspirations which I choose to go to Macau :)