Joanna James
Macau is located just 62km away from the lively metropolis of Hong Kong and another bustling resort city administered by China. Known for its casinos and luxury hotels, Macau brings in the largest gaming revenues in the world making it one the wealthiest regions in the world. Apart from the plush gambling and shopping, Macau has more to offer. Here are 10 places to visit for a complete Macau experience.
The centre of all attractions and a landmark that cannot be missed is the 338m Macau tower which comes in with a complete inbuilt entertainment, dining and exhibition facilities along with a unique architecture that allows daring attempts at sky walking, bungy jumping, sky jumping and tower climbing. The observation lounges let you take a stunning 360 view of the city below.
Acclaimed as the 'Vatican of the Far East', the St. Paul's church was made out of wood and was burnt down due to a typhoon that resulted in a fire. The remnants of the church, a spectacular granite façade, and a 68 stone stairway are one of the most visited monuments in Macau.
Taipa is an old-fashioned, historic village where you'd get to see the Taipa house museum, a few fascinating colonial churches, and Chinese temples. The village is an ideal hang-out place to step back and enjoy some quiet strolls along alleys and lanes are made for pedestrians. The area has little shops and local bakeries with Macanese goodies that get your taste buds wanting more.
The Senado Square is nothing, but a painting come into real life with pastel coloured neoclassical buildings and Portuguese mosaic tiled floors. The best times to visit the square is during daytime where you can take a good look at the place and appreciate its beauty. This is one example of Macau's Eastern and Western heritages looks perfect in harmony.
Almost every luxury Macau hotel is part of a resort style establishment with all luxury facilities on the premises. Sometimes the necessity to get out of the resort for relaxation and leisure is hardly needed as they're packed in with exotic spas, casinos, shopping malls, restaurants, lounges, bars, business centres, swimming pools and cinemas. Some of the luxuries to indulge in would be the Venetian shopping experience and the Grand Resort Deck where the world's largest Skytop Aquatic Adventure River Ride and the world's largest Skytop Wave Pool would give you an enthralling experience. Guests at Hotel Okura Macau get free entrance to the Deck.
Macau is packed in with churches and temples with different religious influences. One of the most famous is the A-Ma temple dedicated to Goddess Mazu and the oldest temple consisting of pavilions dedicated to different deities, a memorial arch and prayer halls representing the Chinese culture that was inspired by Confucianism.
Macau's various religious and cultural influences are highly visible through its numerous museums and memorials around the city. They're based on Macau's history, art, and religious influences. Some of the old houses such as the Mandarin House and colonial houses in Taipa have been converted into museums. The thematic museums of Macau include the Maritime Museum, the Grand Pix, the wine museum to name a few and worth a visit.
The city is filled with active urban parks. 'Seac Pai Van' park, 'Sun Yat-Sen' Park and the Camoes Garden are a few to name. Parks are a great place to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Parks house historical figures, monuments and sometimes a mini zoo in them.
The Vegas of Asia will not live up to its name without casinos around. And your Macau trip is an incomplete one without visiting at least one of them. The casinos are not only for gambling but filled with entertainment and they look great. From the spectacular light show at the Galaxy to the world's largest water show by the house of dancing water, the city is packed in with magic shows, operas, song and dance shows throughout the day. You can even take your camera and walk around the city to get a glimpse of the nightlife and exquisite views of the brightly lit city.
The Wharf is a thematic park dedicated to nightlife and dining. But is operational during the day and houses a collection of high-end shops, thematic restaurants, bars and a few play areas for kids. A wide variety of international cuisines can be found here, and most restaurants come with a view of the sea. The wharf is not as buzzing as the city and is an ideal place for some downtime and selfie shots.
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