Macau
From ChinaTravelGuide
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[edit] Overview
Macau (澳門) is located on the western side of the Pearl River Delta, bordering Guangdong province in the north and embracing the South China Sea in the east and south, and is about 70 kilometers (43 miles) southwest of Hong Kong. From 1887 to 1999 Macau was administered by Portugal as an overseas province. Today Macau is a SAR (Special Administrative Region) of China. Macau is known for its gaming and racing industries. It has a population of 436,800 and covers 25.8 sq km.
Macau is a world-renowned entertainment and leisure holiday destination, and has surpassed Las Vegas to become the world's largest gambling venue in terms of gaming revenue. Every year, more than 20 million people visit Macau, largely drawn by international casinos, like Grand Lisboa, Wynn Macau, Venetian Macao, Sands Macao.
Of course, little Macau is more than casinos. You can walk the cobbled stones, shop in fashionable malls, and worship in 400 year old Mediterranean churches, contemplate in ancient temples, discover luxury hotels and resorts, enjoy world-famous music and theater performances, eat exotic Chinese food or indulge yourself in the Vegas style buffet. Go and explore this lovely city with the 400 years of Portuguese influence and 3,000 years of Chinese history.
[edit] History
Macau was part of the Guangdong province from the Qin empire (221-206 BC) to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1643), but was not a major settlement until the Portuguese arrived in the 16th century, when Macau became the first European settlement in the Far East.
On December 20, 1999, Portugal handed over Macau to China, and Macau became the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China, ending over 400 years of Portuguese administration.
Today Macau enjoys a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs under the "one country, two systems" formula.
[edit] Weather
| Weather averages for Macau | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Avg high °C (°F) | 18 (64) | 18 (64) | 21 (70) | 25 (77) | 28 (82) | 30 (86) | 32 (90) | 31 (88) | 30 (86) | 28 (82) | 24 (75) | 20 (68) | |
| Avg low °C (°F) | 13 (55) | 14 (57) | 17 (63) | 21 (70) | 24 (75) | 26 (79) | 26 (79) | 26 (79) | 25 (77) | 23 (73) | 18 (64) | 14 (57) | |
| Rain mm (inches) | 22 (0.9) | 38 (1.5) | 63 (2.5) | 119 (4.7) | 181 (7.1) | 245 (9.6) | 223 (8.8) | 249 (9.8) | 154 (6.1) | 45 (1.8) | 22 (0.9) | 28 (1.1) | |
| Source: per MSN 2008 | |||||||||||||
Current Conditions (2010-08-01 12:00:00, local time)
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Macau |
Temp: 88°F (31°C) |
Macau Weather Forecast
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[edit] Map
[edit] Getting in & Getting out
[edit] By Air
Macau International Airport (MFM) (澳门国际机场) is located on the east side of the outlying island of Taipa. It was opened to the public in November, 1995. The airport's runway was built on a strip of reclaimed land in the sea, off the Taipa Island, which hosts the main terminal and air traffic control facilities. The runway is connected to the apron by two causeways.
Under the "One country, two systems" policy, Macau (same as Hong Kong) has its own immigration policies and customs. Visitors entering the mainland of China will have to go through immigration and customs checks. Flights between Macau and mainland China are treated as international flights.
Macau airport (as well as Hong Kong airport) is often used as a common transition place for people traveling between mainland and Taiwan, because there are no direct flights (except for some charters at Chinese holidays). However, there are talks going on to open the direct flights between mainland China and Taiwan.
Macau has numerous flights to cities in Southern China, such as Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, and other major cities in China. It also provides many international flights to countries on the Pacific Rim.
Please refer to Macau International Airport page for more details such as airport transport, contact info, airport tax, etc.
[edit] By Bus
You can take the coach from Guangzhou. The trip takes about 2 hours and cost around RMB70.
There is also a direct coach from Shenzhen airport and also Shenzhen long distance bus station. The trip form Shenzhen is about 3 hours.
There is also a direct coach from Dongguan city (in Guangdong province) to Macau Airport. The trip takes about 3 hours and cost around RMB100.
You can also get a bus from either place to Gongbei bus station in Zhuhai. That puts you right across the street from the border facilities so you can walk to Macau (see next section). This can save you a bit of money; the bus is about the same price either way, but food and hotels are cheaper in Zhuhai.
--from wikitravel.org
[edit] By Ferry
This is still the main way in which most visitors get to Macau. The main ferry terminal in Macau is the Macau Ferry Terminal (Terminal Maritimo) at the Outer Harbour (Porto Exterior). This is a busy terminal handling most of the sea traffic between Macau and Hong Kong as well as the Chinese ports of Shekou and Shenzhen International Airport. Getting there/away: Buses 1A, 3, 3A, 10, 10A, 10B, 12, 28A, 28B, 28BX, 32 and AP1 run from the ferry terminal. The bus stop is on the main road to the right as you walk out of the building. Pick up a free bus schedule in the tourist information centre in the building. If you are heading straight to a casino or hotel, most of these establishments provide free shuttle buses. They gather to the left of the terminal building; step out of the arrival-level of the building and turn left.
There is a lesser known ferry terminal in Macau, located at Pier No. 11 at the Inner Harbour. This is a new ferry terminal building after it's former Pier 14 site are given to developers by the Macau Government. It is very near to Macau city centre and can be easily walked. This terminal mostly services boats to Shenzhen, Jiangmen and Wanzai across the Inner Harbour in Zhuhai, China.
A third temporary ferry service serves Taipa, Cotai and Coloane connecting to Hong Kong. The Taipa Temporary Ferry Terminal is adjacent the Ponte da Amizade Friendship Bridge on Estrada de Pac On. A larger permanent ferry terminal is being constructed between the temporary terminal and the Macau International Airport, scheduled for completion in 2010.
[edit] From Hong Kong
Ferries to Macau operate from several points in Hong Kong, including the Hong Kong International Airport where you can bypass Hong Kong Immigration and transfer directly into a ferry to Macau.
- Macau-Hong Kong Island: Ferries from Hong Kong's Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan on Hong Kong Island operate 24 hours a day at frequencies of every 15-30 minutes by day and every hour at night. In Macau, they dock at the Macau Maritime Ferry Terminal. The cheapest one-way ticket from Hong Kong is HK$142 (HK$20 extra per bag for luggage) and the trip takes one hour. You can buy tickets online in advance to ensure you secure the sailing you want at busy times. Weekend fares are more expensive. Ferries are operated by TurboJet [1] (Tel: +853-7907039 in Macau, +852-28593333 in Hong Kong). Another ferry service is operated by Cotai Jet [2], directly to Taipa from Hong Kong, and there are free shuttle buses to The Venetian from the Ferry Terminal, for quick and easy access to Taipa & Coloane.
- Macau-Kowloon: You can also get ferries from the China (HK) Ferry Terminal on Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Ferries are less frequent compared with services from Hong Kong Island. Fares start at HK$133 and the trip takes about 90 minutes. The ferry operator is New World First Ferries [3] (Tel: +852-21318181).
- Macau-Hong Kong International Airport: There are also ferries from Hong Kong International Airport to Macau. These are less frequent but they allow you to bypass Hong Kong immigration and customs by transferring directly to the ferry in the airport's transfers hall. If purchasing a ticket online in advance, your airline may be able to check your luggage all the way to Macau for you. You board the ferry at the airport SkyPier. Fares start at HK$180 and services are operated by TurboJet Sea Express [4].
The price of ferry tickets differ based on the time and day of the week of the ride. Ferry departures after 6PM and before 6AM and on weekends are more expensive.
[edit] From mainland China
Several ferry companies run to Macau from Chinese mainland ports including, Shekou (in Shenzhen) and Fu Yong Ferry Terminal (next to Shenzhen Airport).
- Macau-Fu Yong (Shenzhen Airport): TurboJet [5] (Tel: +853-7907039 in Macau, +86-755-27776818 in Shenzhen) runs several ferries daily between the Macau Ferry Terminal (Outer Harbour) and the Fu Yong Ferry Terminal. Journey time about one hour. Fares start at MOP$171. There are shuttle buses connecting the Fu Yong Ferry Terminal with Shenzhen Airport.
- Macau-Shekou (Shenzhen): Yuet Tung Shipping Co (Tel: +853-28574478) runs a ferry service departing from the Macau Inner Harbour Terminal at Pier 14 on Rua das Lorchas (near intersection with Av Almeida Ribeiro) at 10:00, 14:00, 17:30 and 20:15. Tickets cost MOP$129 for adults and MOP$78 for children. From Shekou, boats leave at 08:15, 11:45, 15:45 and 18:30. Journey takes about one hour and twenty minutes.
- Macau-Jiangmen: CKS [6] has a daily connection with Jiangmen from the Macau Inner Harbour Terminal at Pier 14 on Rua das Lorchas.
- Macau-Wanzai (Zhuhai): Yuet Tung Shipping Co runs boats between the Macau Inner Harbour Terminal at Pier 14 on Rua das Lorchas, and the Wanzai Customs Port in Wanzai, Zhuhai. Journey time is about 30 minutes and the fare is MOP$12.50. Boats start a 08:00 and end at about 16:00. You can catch connecting buses to Gongbei and other places in Zhuhai from Wanzai.
A more frequent and cheaper option is to catch a ferry to/from Zhuhai's Jiuzhou Port, which is only a few kilometers from the Macau-Zhuhai border. Take a short taxi ride (10 RMB) or a No. 4 bus from the border crossing to the ferry terminal. The bus ride should be included in your ferry ticket. Ferries from Shenzhen Shekou port to Zhuhai run every 30 minutes and cost 80 RMB.
--from wikitravel.org
[edit] Getting Around
[edit] By Public Bus
Macau and its districts are served by two bus companies - Transportes Urbanos Macau (Transmac) [7] and Sociedade de Transportes Colectivos de Macau (TCM) [8]. Both bus systems can be difficult to use. It is often difficult to gauge which direction the bus is heading and the routes through the city center are very curvy, making a long ride out of a short distance. Bus drivers usually only speak Cantonese, very little English or Mandarin and certainly no Portuguese at all. Most bus stops contain no English, although you can sometimes figure out the destination from Portuguese words.
There is a flat fare of MOP$3.20 for rides within the Macau Peninsula, MOP$4.20 between the Peninsular and Taipa, MOP$5.00 between the Peninsula and Coloane village; and MOP$6.40 between the Peninsula and Hác Sá (Coloane). But like the buses in Hong Kong, your fare goes according to the bus stop you board, not by the length of the journey. Fare are displayed next to the fare box, so get your destinations written in Chinese if you need to tell them where you're going. You need the exact fare as drivers do not give change and there is no debit card system used extensively in Hong Kong. Buses accept Hong Kong coins except the $10 Hong Kong coin.
Please see the Macau Peninsula page for bus routes which serve the district, and the Taipa, Coloane and Cotai pages for routes connecting these districts with the Peninsula.
Many casinos and hotels offer frequent and free shuttle buses to and from the Macau ferry terminal, the Taipa ferry terminal, the airport, the border gate with Zhuhai and other destinations. As such, it is possible to use these buses to go to other destinations. Look for signs or ask around.
[edit] By Tour Bus
[edit] By Metro
[edit] By Taxi & Rental Car
Taxis are affordable. Starting from September 2008, taxi fares start at MOP$13. Largo do Senado to the border is about MOP$40. The longest possible taxi ride (from the Border Post at the extreme north of Macau to Coloane in the south) would be well under MOP$200.
It is a good idea to have your destination written in Chinese as most taxi drivers do not speak anything but Cantonese. Some of them may speak a little Mandarin or English, though it is not wise to count on your luck, and almost none speak Portuguese. Most taxi drivers carry with them a list of casinos and other important places, so in case there's a communication gap, just look for it on the sunguard of the front passenger seat.
Like in Hong Kong, every bag placed in the boot of the taxi will have an additional surcharge.
Many taxi drivers are off duty at Sundays and use their cars privately. Those taxis have a red sign in the front window. Expect some waiting for a free taxi on Sundays.
--from wikitravel.org
[edit] Video
| Macau |
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| Macau lies on the western side of the Pearl River Delta, bordering Guangdong province in the north and facing the South China Sea in the east and south. |
[edit] Attractions
- Ruins of St Paul College (大三巴牌坊)： St Paul College Cathedral was a 16th-century cathedral in Macau. It was built from 1582 to 1602 by the Jesuit Order, and was the largest Christian church in Asia at the time. It was destroyed by a fire in 1835. Today, with 66 stone steps leading to the facade, the ruins of the church are Macau's most famous tourist site.
- A-Ma Temple (妈阁庙): This Chinese temple 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), each forming a small part of the well-ordered complex which sits in perfect harmony with the natural environment.
- Tam Kung Temple (谭公庙)：Built in the first year of the Tongzhi Reign of the late Qing Dynasty (in 1862), it is one of the comparatively large temple of Coloane. It is written in the couplet on the door of the temple of Tam Kung: "The stone jiao and the spirit of bell correspond to Billing, and returning waves and beautiful island are similar to Penglai."
- St. Lawrence Church (圣老楞佐堂): One of the more beautiful churches of Macau, St. Lawrence Church was originally built of wood in the 1560, and was rebuilt several times.
- Kun Iam Temple (普济禅院)：Kun Iam Temple is one of the three most famous temples of Macau. Kun Iam Temple was previously constructed to the south of Mong Ha Mountain, later was reconstructed in the sixth year of Tongzhi Reign (1867) to enlarge its construction scale to the now look.
- Lotus Temple (莲峰庙): Also called Lin Fung Temple. Integrating the artistic and historical values into the same body, Lotus Temple is the grandest and the most beautiful temple.
- Pou Tai Un Temple (菩提园)：Located on the island of Taipa, Pou Tai Un Temple is a grand attraction for tourists. Started by the Buddhist monks in the beginning of 1800s, the facilities at the Pou Tai Un Temple in Macau mirror the affluence of the temple. The prayer hall inside the Pou Tai Un Temple in Macau is home to three images of the Precious Buddha.
[edit] Hotels
The bulk of Macau's hotels are on the Peninsula although are also many options, including high-end ones, on Taipa and increasingly, the Cotai Strip as that area challenges to become Macau's premier casino area. Coloane, which offers fewer and much quieter options, has accommodation ranging from the famous Pousada de Coloane to Macau's two beach-side youth hostels.
Hotel rates are most expensive on Friday and Saturday nights, because demand are higher with many Hong Kong residents coming to Macau to gamble over the weekend. Try to make a booking through a travel agent, even if for the same day, as the rates can be substantially lower than walk-in rates. If you are coming from Hong Kong, book through an agent at the Shun Tak ferry pier for the best deals. Getting a package deal including return ferry tickets gives you the best price.
The budget tourist should be aware that in the Inner Harbour area many of the pensions and two star hotels are also the place of business for many of the mainland PRC prostitutes that work in Macau. For example, entry into the London Hotel in the evening will be an eye opening experience for the unsuspecting tourist. Visitors should also be aware that many of the "higher class" hotels also allow - even encourage - prostitution to take place on their premises, claiming that it is part of 'Macau culture'. Watch out for hotels with spas that are for "men only" - the 4-star Hotel Rio is one example.
Hotel listings are in the individual district pages. Budget accommodation is one that carries a 2-star rating or below, a mid-range place has a 3-star rating, and a splurge place has a 4-star rating or above. For budget accommodation search at google for "hostel Macau".
--from wikitravel.org
[edit] Restaurants
Macau is famous for excellent restaurants, unique cuisine and mellow bars. It is a premier dining and drinking destination in Asia. The Portuguese brought not only European cuisine, but also influences from their other colonies (Brazil, Goa and Angola) to Macau. As a result the city now offers one of the world's most intriguing gastronomic adventures. Look for local specialties such as bacalhau (salted cod) and African chicken.
There are a few interesting departures from standard Cantonese fare that you can try in Macau. Portuguese cuisine is available at a number of restaurants, and for a snack, try the milk pudding at the cafes in Largo do Senado. Street stalls sell tasty strips of barbecued pork as well, and Macau is also famous for their pork cutlet burger. For the budget-minded, wander the back alleys and you'll come across plenty of mom-and-pop Chinese eateries. Note that most of these places have menus on the walls that are hand-written in Chinese only.
The greatest concentration of restaurants in Macau is in the Peninsula, where they are scattered throughout the district. Taipa is now a major destination for those going for Portuguese and Macanese food and there are many famous restaurants on the island. There are several restaurants in Coloane, which is also home to the famous Lord Stow's Bakery.
Lord Stow's Bakery is a creator of eggtart, a Portueguese cookies made of flour, egg, margarine, and milk, better to be eaten when it is still hot. Nowadays, eggtart becomes a popular snack in Macau, sold almost everywhere in the city, especially in Largo de Senado. In around the Ruins of St. Paul, you can find many local bakery selling eggtart, but the original one is claimed to be made in Lord Stew's Bakery.
--from wikitravel.org
[edit] Shopping
The currency of Macau is the pataca (MOP), which is divided into 100 avos. There are about 8 patacas to the US dollar.
The pataca is pegged to the Hong Kong dollar (HKD) at a 3% lower rate. Hong Kong dollars are accepted by most businesses on a 1:1 basis, but most businesses will endeavour to give you change in HKD if you pay in HKD, if they have them. The peg, in effect, lures extra money from the plentiful tourists arriving from Hong Kong. The HK$10 coin may not be accepted because of numerous recent forgeries. Chinese Yuan (RMB/CNY) are also frequently accepted and can easily be changed for either Hong Kong dollars or patacas.
Getting money is quite easy as there are banks and ATMs on nearly every street. Holders of a debit card on the international networks will have no issues withdrawing money. Holders of Chinese Union Pay cards will not have trouble either withdrawing local currency from their RMB denominated accounts. ATMs usually dispense in MOP (100 and 500 bills) and HKD (100 and 500 as well) and some will also dispense in CNY.
It is usually impossible to change your currency into Patacas outside of Macau. Therefore, you are recommended to change part of your intended expenditure into Hong Kong dollar first and then change the rest into Patacas after arriving. The money changers at the Barrier Gate provide good exchange rates, and you can also change the Hong Kong dollars you are holding into Patacas so as not to lose out in the 3% lower rate.
On the other hand, try not to leave Macau with a lot of Patacas. Unlike the Hong Kong dollar, they are quite hard to exchange in most countries. Even if you try to exchange them in Hong Kong, money changers may charge high commission thus giving you fewer HKDs than for what the MOP is worth.
VISA and MasterCard credit cards are widely accepted in major restaurants, stores and the ferry terminal but some merchants may require a minimum purchase amount, usually MOP 100.
Tipping is generally not practised in Macau, though bellhops may expect about 10 patacas or so for carrying your bags. In full service restaurants, a service charge is usually imposed and that is taken to be the tip. However, you should know that the 10% service charge does not go to the actual people who served you, rather it is used by the owners to pay the salaries of said employees. If you wish to give a tip, you should give it in cash directly to the person you wish to reward for their good service. Taxi drivers also do not expect tips, and would return exact change, or round it in your favour if they can't be bothered to dig for change. --from wikitravel.org
[edit] Night Life & Entertainment
[edit] Sports & Recreation
[edit] Gambling
[edit] Casinos
Gambling is Macau's biggest industry and busloads arrive daily from mainland China to try their luck. In addition, many Hong Kongers arrive on weekends with the same aim. For many years, the Casino Lisboa was the most famous and a landmark well known to people outside Macau, but it is being eclipsed by Sands Casino which opened in 2004.
Most casinos are located along the waterfront on the southern side of Macau Peninsula. North of the Lisboa is a strip with many smaller casinos, a number of hotels and bars, and quite a few restaurants. This can be one of the more interesting areas of Macau; among other things it has quite a good Indian restaurant and several Portuguese ones. However, parts of it are also fairly sleazy, with lots of hookers and touts, so some caution is in order. New casinos have also opened in the area called NAPE south of Avenida de Amizade, including Wynn Macau and Sands Macau.
All this is going to be overtaken by the new development on the Cotai Strip, which is being made into "The Las Vegas Strip of the East". The biggest casino in the world, Venetian Macao has started operations here in August 2007 and many others will follow. There are also several casinos on Taipa, including the Crown Macau.
There are ATMs available at either casino as well as forex facilities to change your money. Gamblers are required to be at least 18 years of age to be allowed to play. Interestingly, local civil servants are not allowed to enter the casinos with the exception of the first three days of the Chinese new year.
For the full listing of casinos, see the respective district pages.
[edit] Greyhound Racing
Another popular form of gambling in Macau is greyhound racing, where people bet on dogs in the same way that many people in other countries bet on horses. The minimum bet is 10 patacas and payouts can be made in both Macanese Patacas and Hong Kong Dollars.
[edit] Go Karting
There is a go-kart track on the southern end of Cotai.
[edit] Adventure Activities
At a height of 233m, the bungy jump from Macau tower, maintained and operated by A. J. Hackett is the highest in the world. Along with the bungy, one can also try the Sky jump, that is somewhat like a jump but is more protected and doesn't involve a free fall, and a sky walk, that is a protected on a platform running around the circumference of the floor. Bouldering and sport climbing activities are also conducted at the tower's base. See the Macau Peninsula page for details.
[edit] Swimming
Macau's two beaches - Hac Sa (黑沙 - black sand) and Cheoc Van (竹灣 - bamboo bay) - are located on the southern side of Coloane island. They are very popular and are frequented by locals and visitors, especially at the weekend.
Besides beaches, there are several public swimming pools all over Macau. All high-end hotels also have swimming pools.
[edit] Hiking/Cycling
There are opportunities for hiking and cycling on the relatively rural islands of Taipa and Coloane.
[edit] Bowling
There is a bowling centre of international standard which was constructed in 2005 for the East Asian Games at the Macau Dome (澳門蛋) in Cotai area.
[edit] Excursions & Day Trips
[edit] Area and Postal Codes
| City | Area Code | City | Area Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macau (澳门) | 853 |
[edit] Tips & Practical Info
The best time to visit Macau is the fall (October to December), which is of mild weather with low humidity. Winter (from January to March ) is a bit cold, but still full of sunshine. Once in April, it gets warmer and is full of spring blossoms. Summer (from May to September) is always hot with occasional typhoon, but good time to swim and water skying.
