Situated on the south coast of China, Macau is an incredible mix of culture, heritage, and world-class entertainment. It is not unusual to hear Cantonese spoken in the streets that have Portuguese names, encounter Chinese as well as Portuguese food to satiate your hunger, and visit Chinese temples built on beautiful Portuguese tiles. Its unique beauty is owed to its history of being a Portuguese colony before becoming a part of China once again. Macau is a hotspot of glitzy entertainment as well as a relaxing paradise with laidback villages, shipyards and beaches attracting millions of tourists each year.
Top 6 First Time Visitors Must Do in Macau
So if you’re planning to travel to Macau, here are the six things every first-time visitor should do:
Shop in the Venetian
The Venetian Hotel and Casino is named after the city of Venice itself. After all, you can literally ride gondolas with a crooning boatman inside the vast shopping paradise filled with a variety of specialty shops and restaurants. Modeled after the city of Venice, the streets are made of smooth cobblestones and even the ceiling is painted to look like afternoon sky. It is quite literally a city inside a city, so do take a look at the guide maps to avoid getting lost. No Macau trip is complete without a trip to the Venetian.
Casino Hopping
Macau has become the undisputed gaming capital of the World after eclipsing Sin City, Las Vegas. Believe it or not, but the casinos are more glamourous than those of Las Vegas, and there is much more to win. The casinos are worth visiting even if you’re not into gaming. The iconic structure and beauty of the casinos make them a must-visit when in Macau. With so many casinos around, you can try your luck at a different one every hour. The free shuttle services ensure that you visit the most famous and glamorous of the establishments on offer.
Try the Highest Bungee Jump (or Not)
The 338m Macau Tower is famous worldwide for having the highest bungee jump, but that is not all that you can do here. The highest floors of the tower provide a stunning view of the city; however, the platform you have to walk on to enjoy the height is narrow and held up with only suspension ropes. So don’t just take pictures of the dizzyingly tall tower from the street but pay a visit to get your adrenaline running.
Take a Beach Day
Take a break from the city’s glamour and beauty by spending time on the famous Hac Sa Beach. The beach is named after its natural black sand. It’s the perfect place for whatever you’re in the mood for, especially for escaping the hustle and bustle of the city. You can go for a swim or, better yet, take a stroll to enjoy some fresh air; or even just laze around the beach to catch the breathtaking sunset.
Indulge in Macanese Food
It is an understatement to say that Macanese food is excellent. The East meets West culture is perfectly reflected in the mouthwatering food of Macau. Don’t limit yourself to restaurants but do try the street food where you will find all the local favorites. In the streets of Taipa Village, you are most likely to experience and find the best Macanese food from the most delicious almond cookies to creamy Macanese-style tarts. Believe it when I say that Macanese food might become one of the top reasons for your recurring visits to Macau.
Explore the Not-so-Forgotten Ruins and Fortresses
With such a rich history, Macau is an interesting place to explore for people who are not even history buffs. The Ruins of St. Paul is a tourist favorite for all the right reasons. The ruins only comprise of a front façade and the grand stone stairs but make a magnificent monument. Just close by the ruins, you can embark on more adventure by climbing to the top of the Monte Forte. It is the best-preserved European construction of its age in East Asia, full of crucial artifacts including canons from the 1600s.
Macau has a lot more to often than the things mentioned above, but as a first-time visitor, these places represent Macau’s best culture and heritage. So don’t forget to take this list along with your necessities when you travel to Macau.