Located very close to Hong Kong, only 62 kilometres away, or one hour by ferry, Macau which is also known as the Vegas of the East. Here are some of the top things to do in Macau for tourists.
Try your luck at the Casinos: Earning it its rightful title as the Vegas of the East, Macau can boast of a number of casinos. These casinos are beautifully built and when they are lit up at night, they make a sight to behold. Most of the casinos are located within hotels. When visiting the casinos, one can enjoy the hotels and their restaurants as well. The Grand Lisboa, Galaxy and The Venetian Casino are amongst the most famous. The casinos are such a highlight that most hotels provide transport services to transport tourists from Macau Maritime Terminal and Taipa Temporary Ferry Terminal and Macau International Airport to these hotels. If you visit Macau, trying your luck in these casinos is an absolute must do.
Visit the Senado Square: Senado Square is a town square of Macau, which sports a Portuguese character from the days that it was a Portuguese colony. It used to be an important civil and political area, however, now it is a tourist attraction. In fact, UNESCO now lists it as a UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Historic Centre of Macau'. This town square is a bustling place with shops, restaurants, cafes and throngs of tourists. It is the most perfect place in all of Macau to relax shop, stroll, click photographs and simply take in Macau in all its erstwhile Portuguese glory. The architecture is quintessentially Portuguese and there are several iconic buildings around Senado Square like the St. Dominic's Church that make for great tourist attractions as well.
Stroll through Taipa Village: Very close but contrary to the Casino hubs of Macau called 'The Cotai Strip', is Taipa village. Sporting a stark contrast from the fast paced modern day life of the rest of the city; Taipa village is a quaint, culturally rich, ancient village. Here one can find a joyous amalgamation of churches, museums and Chinese temples, beautifully weaving the Chinese and Portuguese cultures. The cobbled streets and narrow alleys are dotted with small Chinese shops, cafes, temples, Portuguese style buildings and bakeries where one can relax, window shop, walk around the streets and experience Macau in its serene and resplendent avatar.
One of the major highlights is the 'The Venetian Macau', which is a replica of canals, quaint bridges and gondola rides, modelled much like the city of Venice. Macau has so much to offer that it will not be fair to call it only a casino city. It is a happy blend of Chinese and Portuguese cultures, modern and traditional life and natural and manmade beauties and is a gorgeous place to plan your next holiday to!