Your Guide to Tourism in Macau: Gambling, Culture, History
Macau is a separate administrative region of China, which used to be a colony of a completely different country, Portugal.
At the end of the 20th century, Macau was returned to China. It’s now playing the same role as Hong Kong.
Thus, today, Macau is a rather interesting phenomenon. It is a Chinese city that has retained some Portuguese features. It is situated on the coast of the South China Sea, in the Pearl River Delta. Numerous fortresses and temples may remind you of medieval Europe.
How Can You Get to Macau?
The easiest way to get to Macau is from Hong Kong. Water crossing-ships from Hong Kong leave for Macau several times per hour. You can get there very quickly – the whole trip will take you no more than an hour. In addition, a helicopter line has been launched for fans of exotic ways of transfer between Hong Kong and Macau. An airport is also available in the area. It mainly accepts flights from China. In general, the most convenient way to get to Macau is from Hong Kong.
What Is Macau Famous for?
Macau is a major economic center of Asia, famous primarily for its casinos and nightclubs. There are more than thirty casinos in the area, and the most famous of them are Grand Lisboa, Galaxy, and The Venetian. In the casino, you can look at the luxurious Chinese-style interiors in addition to trying your luck. The topic of Asian slots is also widely known among fans of gambling, which, of course, adds more interest to this destination among tourists. All this is quite curious.
Places of Sightseeing
The center of Macau is built up so that it reminds tourists of the era of Portuguese rule. Old houses and ensembles of squares seem so native to Europeans. In this city, you can also visit a number of churches and temples of various faiths. In Macau, they are tolerant of different religions. Tourists can attend Christian (mostly Catholic) churches, Buddhist temples, and much more.
You can also admire the remains of a fortress that was once built by the Jesuits and visit a number of museums. One of them is the Macau Museum, where you can learn the history of this city more closely, find out which ethnic groups lived here several centuries ago, see examples of arts created by various people, as well as trace the history of the city. Other places of interest include the Museum of Natural Sciences, the Maritime Museum, the Museum of Tea, and the Museum of Communications.
Last but not least are the famous casinos in the area. Below, you can find information on the top-visited gambling palaces, as well as some recommendations.
Wynn Macau
Wynn Macau (永利澳門渡假村) is a gambling and hotel complex located in Macau and owned by the American company Wynn Resorts. It is a five-star resort, according to Forbes Travel Guide.
Wynn consists of two parts. The 22-storey Wynn Macau Resort & Casino, 100 meters high, was built in 2006. It offers a casino, 600 hotel rooms, five restaurants, two bar areas, shops, a swimming pool, a spa, and a conference room.
Players from all over the world are still attracted by this establishment, both with a high level of service and high stakes, which are above average in Macau casinos. The owners expanded this casino by completing the tower in 2010. As a result, Casino Wynn Macau became the highest in Macau.
Wynn has found its “ace of spades.” The resort made all the rooms the same, with red carpets and gray curtains. There are almost 400 slot machines with different rates, from a few cents to ten US dollars.
Grand Lisboa
The Grand Lisboa casino belongs to the hotel chain. It has been in the hospitality market since 2008. You can notice this construction with a naked eye – it is currently the tallest one in Macau. With 650 rooms, the modern hotel has a height of 258 meters. Near the hotel, there is a 19-storey casino opened in 2007, where bars, restaurants, shops, and underground parking are also located.
Two distinguished Chinese architects contributed to the development of the original Grand Lisboa Casino Hotel project. Those are Dennis Lau and Ng Chun Meng from Hong Kong. At the time of the building construction, its architecture was based on a unique for those times idea, turning its surface into a reflective screen of complex design.
This famous construction is based on the yellow lotus flower, which is the symbol of the Macau Special Administrative Region of China. Grand Lisboa, with its 15 restaurants and 24-hour entertainment, has earned a reputation as one of Asia’s finest casino hotels.
Grand Lisboa Casino was the first in Macau to offer Texas Hold’em, the most popular poker variation.
Venetian Macao
Venetian Macao is the premier destination for business, leisure, shopping, and entertainment with luxury suites, over 325 shops, cuisines from around the world, and 24/7 entertainment.
Venetian Macao is home to the largest casino of the same name, covering over 50,000 square meters with nearly 3,500 slot machines and over 800 gaming tables. Some exclusive names that you cannot find anywhere else include Dragon Tiger Fortune Spin and Fast Action Baccarat.
The territory of the hotel is decorated with small copies of the famous sights of the Italian city, such as the Doge’s Palace, the Grand Canal, the Cathedral of St. Mark, etc. They all guarantee a special Italian romance. Tourists can also notice some examples of sophisticated architecture, as well as enjoy unforgettable gondola rides and the atmosphere of an endless carnival.
Venetian Macao is owned by Las Vegas Sands Corporation, founded in 1988. It also owns the famous Las Vegas hotel-casino, The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino.
The Venetian Macao sports arena hosted NBA matches, tennis tournaments, and world boxing champions. It hosts film award ceremonies, beauty contests, and great shows.
The casino is divided into four gaming zones based on the theme: Imperial House, Red Dragon, Goldfish, and Phoenix. There is also a private club called Paiza Club, which deals with VIP visitors.
Guests must be at least 21 years old to enter the casino and gamble. Guests enjoy the Sands Rewards program with a variety of promotions for club members.
Galaxy Macau
In the world-famous gambling center of Macau, there is a vast variety of gambling establishments and casinos. Among them, there are both small-sized gambling houses and quite large casinos.
The complex contains three hotels with more than 2,000 rooms, as well as the Galaxy Casino. It is worth noting that this gambling establishment is one of the largest casinos not only in Macau but throughout the Asian continent. The casino itself has more than 1500 slot machines and electronic games. In addition, it has more than 600 gaming tables.
You can play games such as poker, blackjack, baccarat, stud poker, and roulette at these tables. In addition to such typical Western games, Galaxy Macau Casino has tables for such exclusively Asian games as Sic Bo, Shrimp Crab Fish, etc. On the second floor, a number of VIP rooms have been created where games such as baccarat, poker, and other popular table games are played. At the same time, they are all played with higher stakes.
Galaxy Macau is the best casino, according to G2E Asia.
Parisian Macao
Founded on September 13, 2016, the Parisian Macao casino is owned by Sands China, a subsidiary of Las Vegas Sands. In Macau, this casino has become the fifth representation of Sands China. $2.7 billion was spent on its construction. The entrance to the gaming establishment is decorated with a copy of the Eiffel Tower.
The interior features a large fountain and an atrium, giving the feel of modern France. The hotel has allocated 150 gaming tables, and 100 of them were allocated at the launch.
Popular stores in the mall include Adidas, Calvin Klein, and Breitling. The Eiffel Tower, built in Macau, is expected to be the main attraction, as the goal of this construction is LEED silver certification.
How Can You Attend Casinos in Macau?
The rules in Macau casinos have been softened considerably with the arrival of the US casinos. Still, here is what you should keep in mind:
The legal gambling age is 18 for foreigners and 21 for Macau residents. Your passport or Hong Kong ID are the only forms of ID accepted by security.
The primary accepted currency is the Hong Kong dollar.
Take it easy on alcohol. If you look visibly drunk, security is likely to point you to the exit.
There may be non-smoking areas in most casinos, but guests sometimes ignore the signs. The staff doesn’t care enough to stop people lighting up.
Cameras, laptops, and luggage are not normally allowed in the casino and must be checked at the entrance.