Macau travel pictures

Home‎ > ‎China‎ > ‎

Things to see in Macau

Macau is a former Portuguese colony and is one of the two special administrative regions in China. It can be reached easily from Hong Kong by ferry as a day trip. The tourist attractions in this city are a mixture of gambling for which massive casino's have been built and its historical sights in the city center.

When it comes to gambling Macao probably rivals with Las Vegas with casinos that go by familiar names such as the Venetian and the Grand Lisboa. The one difference is that Macao is almost purely focused on gambling whereas Las Vegas offers more alternative forms of entertainment such as live performances. Although it does has an interesting old town center which makes up for it. When you arrive in Macau by Ferry from Hong Kong you will arrive close to the Fisherman’s wharf which is a miniature version of the world. Many famous buildings from Italy, the Netherlands and Germany have been reproduced here, although some of them look slightly tacky. It is a nice area to go for a short walk and it is worth popping into some of the casino's here to get a first taste. Some of the other more modern Casino’s include the MGM grand casino, the new Lisboa and the New World casino. These are located more closely to the city center and are just massive. The Lisboa is one of the older ones and some of its old features have been retained. Other casino's are very modern and even if you are not into gambling it is worth having a quick look to see what they are like. One of the must-do's here is to walk around the casino area during darkness. The neon (and led)-lights brighten up the night here.

The Portuguese influence can still be seen in many places and especially when walking around the city center which has a remarkable historical feel to it you get to see Portuguese style churches and other facades everywhere. The best example of this is the Largo do Senado square which looks like it is taken straight from Portugal and placed in China. Its bright color turns the square into a lively environment. Another sight to visit is the ruin of St. Paul. Only the front facade is left standing, but there are some attractive gardens in front of it. This is where the classical tourist picture of Macau is taken. If you are interested in traditional Chinese culture visit Rua de Felicidade which consists of white houses that have been decorated with red colors. It has a special feel to it and gives the impression of what former times must have looked like. Walking around town is a must and have a look into the shops as many of these still sell the same traditional goods and foods that they have been doing for ages. Especially the meat here is famous and advertised in many places. For the more adventurous (and brave) person, it is possible to do the most extreme bungee jump in the world from Macao tower.

Macau is connected to the rest of the world by either bus, ferry or plane. The airport will be the most common entry for people who travel long distance and makes the easiest way of getting here. A convenient option is the ferry that goes to Hong Kong. These cities are located only one hour apart making it a good opportunity to see both without extensive traveling. These can even be visited on a day trip. During typhoon season it is recommendable to check the weather forecast as you might get stuck in one place. Macau is a relatively compact city and as such easy to get around. From the ferry there are shuttle buses provided by the casino's, but walking to the center doesn't take too long either. Because of its relatively small size there is little need for public transportation, but buses are available. October to December is considered the best time to visit as temperatures are comfortable. Least recommended is from May up to September as this is when it gets hotter, rains a lot more and is also the time of typhoon season. However, it does all depend on what you want to do. If you are into gambling and shopping, anytime of the year is good.

Macau travel photo gallery

Casino build in Tang dynasty style.	Volcania casino on Fisherman's wharf.	Fisherman's wharf.	The China photo galleries that are available: Beijing, Great Wall, Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, Suzhou and Yangshuo.
Fisherman's wharf.	Casino's built using architecture from all over the world.	Wooden beam architecture in Fisherman's wharf.
Little Amsterdam.	Newly built history.	Amsterdam in Fisherman's wharf.
Colosseum.	Fisherman's wharf theme park.	Back of the MGM grand casino.
The modern MGM grand casino.	Chandelier inside the casino Lisboa.	The old Casino Lisboa.
Largo do Senado.	St. Dominic's Church.	Chinese meat market.
Ruins of St. Paul.	Rua de Felicidade.	Chinese shop signs.
Red doors of rua de Felicidade.	Old postal building on Senado square.	Chinese sign on a street.
Senado square decorated with bright colors.	Cathedral.	Traditional shopping street.
Ruins of St. Paul.	View over Macau from the ruins.	Classic view of the ruins of St. Paul.
The old town.	Santa casa da Misericordia church.	Casino Lisboa.
The old and new Lisboa casino.	The landmark casino Lisboa.	Starworld MGM grand casino.
L'arc new world casino.	Modern office buildings.	Starworld casino.
One of the many modern casino's.	Replica's in Fisherman's wharf.	Little Italy on Fisherman's wharf.
Italian casino in the water.	View to Fisherman's wharf.	Italian pillar and a replica of the Colosseum.
Fisherman's wharf.	Grand Lisboa casino by night.	Lisboa casino.
The neon lights of the casino's.	Casino's by night.