Features

What happens in Macau ...

30 Nov 2010

Anyone who may be revisiting Macau after having been away for a few years is bound to be astonished by the changes in the city. What was, until fairly recently, a quiet little old town has been catapulted into the role of one of Asia’s most dynamic tourist destinations.

Gaming, which has been the mainstay of the city’s economy for decades, was the impetus for the city’s rapid Las Vegas-ification, a phenomenon that pushed many seedier establishments out of business, clearing the way for glitzy and glamorous new casinos/hotels like The Grand Lisboa (www.grandlisboa.com), fancifully dubbed “The Faberge Turnip,” The Venetian Macao that recalls Medieval Venice, and the Hard Rock Hotel at City of Dreams (www.cityofdreams.com.mo), with its collection of rock music memorabilia on Macau’s own version of the Strip in Cotai.

Luckily, some of old Macau remains – at least for now – and it is still quite possible to wander into a neighbourhood in the city that looks like it hadn’t changed for decades or centuries. 

With the Historic Centre of Macau having been declared a Unesco World Heritage site, the government has also put in efforts to create a balance between development and heritage. 

Follow us for a guide to this famous heritage city in rapid transformation.

8 am Watch expert chefs prepare your noodles, dumplings and dim sum delights and the action on the casino floor at the same time at  The Grand Lisboa’s fabulous and reasonably priced Noodle and Congee Corner (+853 8803 7755)

9 am You may have been there many times before, but it’s always pleasant to go back to historic Senado Square.  A short walk from The Grand Lisboa, in the middle of Macau’s business district, it is also where you’ll find the neo-classical Leal Senado building, built in the 18th century, now home to government offices.  It’s still a fascinating place, with its lovely garden and an upstairs library that holds centuries-old books and documents, including one of the earliest Portuguese-English-Chinese dictionaries.

From here, a winding cobblestone street leads to the famous Ruins of St. Paul’s. Along the way, much remains the same as it has been for decades, with small shops selling curios and souvenirs, and some offering a few antiques and good-quality reproduction furniture, made on the Mainland and aimed at expat tastes. These can be good bargains, and most shops will offer packing and shipping to anywhere in the world, for a reasonable fee.

11 am A quick cab ride takes you to the Macau Tower (www.macautower.com.mo), which, 10 years on, still attracts many adventurous souls with its hair-raising SkyJump and SkyWalk, 233m above the ground.  Just visiting the observation deck or sitting down at the lounge for the breathtaking panorama of the city would make it worthwhile.

12 noon A short bus ride out of the city, past the massive new Cotai Strip resorts, lies the island of Coloane and soon-to-be home to one of Macau’s latest attractions: a pair of pandas, in their brand-new compound in Seac Pai Wan Park.

1 pm Coloane is a great place to sample the celebrated Macanese cuisine. At Café Nga Tim, a traditional restaurant serving Chinese, Portuguese, and Macanese cuisines, locals and visitors mix at tables set under ancient trees. Sitting outdoors at a little square bound on one end by the Chapel of St Francis Xavier, built in 1928, and a waterfront monument erected in commemoration of the villagers’ last victorious battle in 1910 with pirates on the other, customers enjoy authentic Macanese cuisine that is a fusion of Portuguese, Chinese, and other influences such as Malay, Indian and even spices from Africa.

Around the corner is Lord Stow’s Bakery (www.lordstow.com), famous for Portuguese-style egg tarts. While these confections can also be found in other places such as the patisseries at Grand Hyatt Macau (http://macau.grand.hyatt.com) and The Grand Lisboa, this shop was the first to popularise them in Macau and Asia. 

3 pm At the romantic Flora Gardens, the world’s shortest cable car whisks visitors to the peak of Guia Hill, with its historic lighthouse, chapel, and centuries-old fort.  The chapel is known for the interesting frescoes in a mixed East-West style that were discovered on its walls a few years ago during renovation work. The view from the top of the Hill is momentous.

5 pm Motor sports buffs can experience the thrill of Grand Prix driving in the racing car simulator at the Grand Prix Museum (+853 8798 4108), near the ferry terminal. They can also take in a tour of Macau Grand Prix memorabilia, including several historic cars that have raced here.

 

Macau after dark….

6pm As daylight begins to fade, the city lights up to become a glittering playground of a different sort, with a dizzying array of world-class nightspots to choose from. Watching the sunset with cocktails or a bottle of fine wine is a delightful way to start an evening,  especially at the open-air terrace of Aurora, at Hotel Altira (www.altiramacau.com) where a fantastic panoramic view of the sea and a stylish décor are on offer.

A more local atmosphere prevails at the Old Taipa Tavern (+853 2882 5221) on Rua de Negociantes, deep in the heart of the little Taipa Village. It is a haven for local expats with a comfortable, informal pub atmosphere where neighbourhood people come to share a beer with friends after work and on weekends.

While Aurora’s Michelin-starred Italian-style cuisine is more representative of the city’s modern, sophisticated international side, the unique flavour of the Old Macau can be found at the stately old Military Club (+853 2871 4000), on Avenida Praia Grande in the city centre, which dates back to 1870. 

8 pm At City of Dreams, the House of Dancing Water (http://thehouseofdancingwater.com) is making waves, literally, with an evening of delightful surprises. The spectacular water-based Franco Dragone production is a colourful and exciting show for young and old. Across the street at the Venetian Macao (www.venetianmacao.com), Cirque du Soleil’s production of Zaia (www.cirquedusoleil.com) takes audiences on a fantastic journey through space and time.

10 pm After dinner, the city’s nightclubs rev up; musicians mount the stages at late-night haunts as bartenders stir and shake. On the Cotai Strip, at City of Dreams, the City Bar in the lobby, the Flame Bar in the casino and the Wave Pool Bar and Grill at the Hard Rock Hotel are all good places to start a pub crawl, since they close a little earlier than their counterparts at The Venetian, where many watering holes stay open late to accommodate the post-concert crowds.

Restaurant Portofino’s cosy little downstairs bar, Spirito, specialises in fine wines; McSorley’s Ale House is a pub and part of an international chain, as is the Blue Frog Bar and Grill; Bar Florian and the Bellini Lounge allow views of the bustling gaming floor. 

 

… and into the wee hours

12 midnight Lights go down, disco balls turn, and dancers take to the floor at places like the Lion’s Bar in the MGM Grand (www.mgmmacau.com). For something a little more discreet, the ABA bar and hip and sophisticated Veuve Cliquot Bar are great places to take a break from the loud music, while the Sommelier’s Corner is ideal for wine fanciers.

2 am You’re now next to an area on Avenida Dr Sun Yat-sen that some expats in town call “The Docks” and the locals once referred to as “Macau’s Lan Kwai Fong”. Although this place has lost much of the lustre since its heyday a decade ago when it first started, the outdoor seating is still pleasant on a dry, cool night. Under the watchful eyes of the Kun Iam status (a Chinese mythical goddess), sit back for another drink before heading on to the next party.

3 am On the top floor of Sands Macao Hotel (www.sands.com.mo), Playboy Club has just opened to take the legendary nightlife concept from Las Vegas to its Asia’s counterpart. Influenced by the original Playboy Club but designed to reflect the latest Asian trends in high-end entertainment, the 1,115sqm venue offers stunning views of the city skyline. In the company of ambassadors in Play Bunny costumes modified by Hong Kong designer Pacino Wan, guests can enjoy high specification media rooms, live entertainment and private gaming. There are also karaoke facilities – a must in Asia.

4.30 am After all the reveling you may find yourself wanting something to eat, to soak up all the alcohol you have consumed during the night-out. Restaurant Kruatheque (+853 2833 0448) near Vasco da Gama Garden is one of the city’s most popular Thai restaurants and it opens daily from 7pm to 5am the following morning.

6 am Take a stroll along Praia Grande, home to the former Governor’s House (now the goverment headquarters) and atmospheric Pousada De São Tiago (www.saotiago.com.mo), originally a fortress built by the Portuguese in the early 17th, while watching the sunrise.

7.30 am Get a coffee or fresh juice and a muffin or egg tart at Margaret’s Café e Nata (+853 2871 0032) at Gum Loi Building on Rua Almirante Costa Cabral, tucked away on a back street of the commercial district with outdoor tables. Margaret was the wife of the late founder of Lord Stow’s and there is still a debate as to whose recipe was the most original.

10 am After all the action you may need to have a gentle massage. Nirvana Day Spa (www.nirvanaspamacau.com) is one of the city’s few stand-along spas, opened by a Portuguese-born certified therapist. The shop offers Ayurvedic, Thai, Stone, Deep Tissue, Aromatherapy massages and wellness packages starting from MOP$260 (US$33.5). n

 

Getting in

By sea

Most people visit Macau via Hong Kong, by round-the-clock ferry services. Tickets can be obtained at the ferry terminal but on weekends, it’s safer to purchase a return ticket in advance. It is possible to board onto an earlier ferry than the time you have reserved if seats are available. The journey is about one hour. Operators include:

Turbo Jet (from Hong Kong’s Central District or airport to Macau’s city centre)

www.turbojet.com.hk

CotaiJet (from Hong Kong’s city centre directly to the Cotai Strip)

www.cotaijet.com.mo

 

By air

Macau International Airport in Taipa offers flights from and to different ports in Asia, Europe or America. For detailed information on flight schedules, call +853 2886 1111 or visit www.macau-airport.com

From Hong Kong, you may also take a helicopter by Sky Shuttle. Each flight takes only about 16 minutes. The service operates from 9.30am to 10.59pm.

www.skyshuttlehk.com

 

Coming up

A pair of giant pandas, Shu Xiang and Qi Miao, from Chengdu Resarch Base of Panda Breeding, will make their new home in Seac Pai Van Country Park on Coloane Island, where an 80 million pataca (US$10 million) 3,000sqm panda pavilion is expected to be completed and opened to the public by the end of 2010 or beginning of 2011.  The bears are a gift to the Macau SAR from the Central Government of China.

A new Cotai mega-resort, Galaxy Macau (http://galaxymacau.com) is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2011.  The 550,000sqm property will offer around 2,200 five-star hotel rooms, suites and villas from the 1,500-room Galaxy Hotel, 410-room Hotel Okura, and Banyan Tree, with 238 luxurious suites and 16 floating villas. In addition to shops and more than 50 food and beverage outlets, the property will have a 52,000-sqm “oasis” with gardens, man-made waterfalls and six swimming pools, one of them the world’s largest sky wave pool and an artificial sand beach.

Yet more hotels are planned for the Cotai Strip, including Traders and Shangri-La scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2011. There will also be a twin-tower Sheraton with thousands of rooms, retail shops, restaurants, two casinos totalling 25,215sqm. It is to become the largest hotel on Cotai Strip and in Starwood’s global portfolio. A St Regis will follow.

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