30 Secrets & Things to do in Macau
These are my carefully selected 30 secrets & best things to do in Macau - the casino of Asia including gems like Macau Bungee, Eduardo Marques Square, best Portuguese egg tarts, pork chop buns, historical villages of Taipa and Coloane, quality Portuguese cuisine at Dragon & Porto, Venetian Macau (World's biggest casino) and the fun Macau bars & nightclubs.
- Why: Gambling capital of Asia
- When: Spring & Fall
- Accommodation: Stay at the most afforable hotels in Macau
- Best Attraction: Macau Bungee ($360 USD, 100% worth it)
- Ferry to Macau: TurboJET from Hong Kong ($22 USD)
Macau is perhaps one of the most unique nations I've ever visited. Who would have thought that Portugal had an entire colony for almost 500 years in China. What makes Macau even more authentic is how well preserved the colonial buildings are, given you a real authentic experience of how life must have been like in the past centuries.
Places
1. Ruins of St. Pauls
Most popular tourist attraction in Macau visited by at least 30 million people each year. St. Paul burned down 3 times and only the front facade is still standing.
2. Monte Fort
Former Portuguese fortress complete with canons to protect Macau from invaders, especially the Dutch who tried to invade Macau 4x times. Entrance is FREE!
3. Macau Museum
Located within Monte Fort, massive history museum complete with Chinese and Portuguese cultural treasures and details on the Dutch invasions of Macau. Entrance is $15 MOP or $1.85 US dollars.
4. Pork Jerky (Bak Kwa)
Another local delicacy is pork jelly known as Bak Kwa. Salty-sweet dried pork meat with a jerky-like texture. Samples are FREE!
5. Tai Lei Loi Kei
Most famous and best Portuguese pork chop on a bun in Macau for over 50 years. Succulent, tender and juicy pork for $48 MOP or $6 US dollars.
6. Black Pepper Pork Bun
Famous pork buns made in a clay oven grilled to crispy perfection, just $2.25 US dollars per bun.
7. Macau Tower Bungy Jump
Highest urban bungee jump in the world at 233 meters or 764 feet but also offers a Sky Jump, Sky Walk and Tower Climb for any thrillseeker, roughly $400 US dollars.
8. Margarets Café e Nata
Most popular Macanese egg tarts or Pastel de Nata in Macau, it is the sister bakery of Lord Stow. 1x egg tart goes for $8 MOP or $1 US dollar.
9. Yee Shun Milk Company
Local authentic delicay is steamed milk pudding which sells for $32 MOP or $4 US dollars.
10. Senado Square
Historic center of Macau and a UNESCO world heritage site with gorgeous portuguese-style cobble stone roads, especially nice to stroll around at night.
11. St. Lawrence Church
One of the best churches in Macau for selfies and photography, visit on a sunny day. Entrance is FREE!
12. Grand Lisboa Casino
Best looking casino in Macau with the best view of the Grand Lisboa for selfies at be observed from the R. Nova a Guia street. A beer at the casino costs $50 MOP or $6 US dollars.
13. Wynn Macau Performance Lake
Most intense water show in China taking place ever 15 minutes at the Wynn Casino synchronized to James Bond: Diamonds are Forever. Viewing is FREE!
14. Fish Balls
This bowl of street snacks can easily go for dinner, a giant bowl of bite-size bits for roughly $8 US dollars but also offers pork, beef, tofu and lobster balls. Perfect for sharing!
15. Dragon Portuguese Restaurant
Best Portuguese restaurant in Macau with Macanese dishes like grilled pork chop for $85 MOP or $10 US dollars, giant fried rice for $75 MOP or $9 US dollars and Sagres Portuguese beers at $25 MOp or $3 US dollars.
16. Beer Temple
With a collection of 100 imported beers, indulge yourself into Macanese and Portuguese beers as well including delicious local dishes.
17. Coloane
Officially Freguesia de São Francisco Xavier, located at the most southern part and is the most traditional Portuguese village in Macau.
18. Lord Stows Bakery
The original bakery of the Macanese egg tart, Lord Stows egg tart taste more eggy than Margarets custardy version just $1 US dollar per egg tart.
19. Eduardo Marques Square
Perhaps the most hidden square in Macau, located in the heat of Coloane with great views of mainland China.
20. Tam Kung Temple
This temple is over 100 years old and is home to one of the few Chinese deities known only to Hong Kong, Tam Kung is also a patron of fishermen.
21. Taipa Houses–Museum
A set of four houses displaying various artifacts and exhibits on life during Macaus colonial era while another serves as an event venue. The houses were built in 1921.
22. Bird Nest Egg Tart
Most bizarre egg tart in Macau is the birdsnest tart at New Holly Coffee Cake Shop in the heart of Taipa village. $1 US dollar per tart.
23. Tuga and Lola Wine
Macau is home to many Portuguese wines, especially Porto. No trip to Macau is complete without visiting this adorable wine shop for wine tasting.
24. Porto
Personally, my favorite restaurant in Macau for its large portions, high-quality standard and afforable prices. Porto is true Macanese cuisine!
25. Gelatina Mok Yi Kei
Great ice cream shop for Durian Ice Cream and Mango Mochi, but be aware, durian is the most smelly fruit in the world.
26. The Venetian Macau
Largest casino in the world with over 10 million sqft of casinos, resorts, restaurants and shops, complete with gondola rides. This place will blow your mind.
27. The Parisian Macau
Located next to the Venetian, Parisian has a full replica of the Eiffel Tower and is a great place for selfies to trick your friends thinking you are in Europe.
28. SKY 21
Epic bar located on the rooftop of the AIA tower with an excellent lounge and breathtaking views of the Grand Lisboa and Macau Tower and is open until 4am every day.
29. Club Cubic
Most epic nightclub in Macau located at the City of Dreams casino, especially popular during Halloween for its outrageous party and DJs. Entrance is $200 MOP on average or $25 US dollars, with beers at $90 MOP or $11 US dollars.
30. TurboJET
I recommend visiting Macau by TurboJET from Hong Kong, a one way ticket is $171 HK dollars, around $22 US dollars but do remember to bring your passport. Click the link for a sweet discount!
The easiest way to reach Macau is by TurboJET ferry from Hong Kong for just $171 HK dollars or $22 US dollars for a one-way. Do bring your passport because you will have to go through immigration! Once in Macau jump into a taxi towards your hotel but keep in mind that most taxi's in Macau do not have seat-belts.
Macau is a great place for new and unique selfies, my favorite place being this incredible shot taken from R. Nova a Guia street. It took me almost an hour to find this secret site for that magical selfie. It is a perfect blend of new and old, like a giant spaceship just crash landed into a tiny Portoguese village.
Macau does offer an incredible fusion cuisine of Chinese and Portuguese called Macanese! With popular dishes like African chicken, Pork chop buns, Pork Jerky, Portuguese egg tarts (Pastel de Nata and plenty of desserts including durian ice cream and steam milk pudding from Yee Shun Milk.
The most popular tourist attractions in Macau include the Ruins of St. Paul's of which only the front facade is still standing after 3x major fires and Senado Square for its beautiful Portuguese-style cobble stone roads. Do not miss visiting other gems like Monte Fort, Museum of Macau and the villages of Taipa and Coloane for an authentic Portuguese colonial experience.
Dragon Portuguese is considered by many to be the best local restaurant in Macau for its grilled pork chop, Portuguese-style fried rice and Sagres beers but also consider eating an authentic pork chop bun from Tai Lei Loi Kei, the most famous pork chop chain in town for over 50 years.
Macau's nightlife may be small but does have a few fantastic places for a night out, I recommend to start off the night at SKY 21, a gorgeous rooftop lounge on top of the AIA tower overlooking the Grand Lisboa and Macau Tower, they often have a live DJ, ping-pong and shisha's for a fun evening and is open until 4am.
If you rather prefer a big party, checkout Club Cubic at The City of Dreams casino, world's second biggest casino especially fun during halloween for its outrageous performance and creepy costumes, average entrance price is $200 MOP or $25 US dollars.
There is NO drinking age in Macau, this is perhaps the most hilarious fact of Macau, also you do not tip in Macau and try to receive your change in Hong Kong dollars instead of Macanese Pataca, since the MOP currency is useless in Hong Kong.
The main casino district of Macau is called Cotai, a combo of the words "Coloane" and "Taipa" and generates 80% of Macau's total government revenue, 5x times the revenue of what Las Vegas generates making Macau one of the richest nations on earth with a GDP of $82,000 US dollars and zero public debt. What makes macau even more attractive to gamblers is that there is a0% tax rate on winnings compared to the 30% tax rate in Las Vegas.
My favorite experience in Macau was the Macau Bungee, World's highest urban bungee jump at 233 meters or 764 feet with a 6 or 7 second free-fall with a speed of 120km/h, click here for my full Macau Bungee experience. The bungee jump is pricey, roughly $360 US dollars, they also offer a Sky Jump, Sky Walk and Tower Climb for the true thrillseekers.
In conclusion, Macau truly surprised me, especially after staying here for 6 days. Most tourists make a day trip from Hong Kong but that is simply too short to do this nation justice. I recommend visiting Macau for 2 days and 2 nights to truly take in this unique former Portuguese colony and all its beauty.
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