From Wikitravel

Macau (also spelt: Macao) (澳門, Ou3mun5 in Cantonese, Àomén in Mandarin; [1]) is a territory located in southeast China, and was until 1999 administered by Portugal as an overseas province. Like its formerly British neighbour Hong Kong, Macau is a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. It has the highest population density among all the countries/ regions in the world.

[edit] Districts

Macau was geographically divided into three main regions: a peninsula and two islands. However, reclaimation of the area between Taipa and Coloane has created a fourth region of Cotai and resulting in one bigger island with the peninsula.

• The Macau Peninsula is the northernmost region, connecting to the Chinese mainland. It is the center of most tourist activity and is densely crowded.
• Taipa (氹仔 - Tam Chai in Cantonese) was an island to the south of the peninsula, accessible via three bridges. It is a major residential center and is the location of Macau's International Airport.
• Coloane (路環 - Louwan in Cantonese) was an island further to the south. It is considerably less developed than the other regions due to its mountainous terrian, has two beaches, several hiking trails and a resort. It is also the location of Macau's first golf course, a second one is located on the Cotai landfill.
• Cotai (路氹 - Loutam in Cantonese, the name being a somewhat unimaginative contraction of Coloane and Taipa) can be considered as the fourth region. It is an area of reclaimed land joining Taipa and Coloane, making them essentially into a single island.

[edit] Understand

As the first and last European colony in China, Macau has more visible colonial history than Hong Kong. Walking through the old city you could convince yourself you were in Europe - if the streets were devoid of people, that is. The Portuguese population continues to maintain a small presence, but most of the population is native Chinese.

[edit] Geography

Besides the city itself, Macau includes the island with Taipa and Coloane, which are connected by bridges and a causeway. The mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai borders Macau to the North, and the border crossing carries heavy two-way vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The Zhuhai Special Economic Zone extends south to the island of Hengqin, an area west of Taipa, Cotai and Coloane; the Lotus Bridge from Cotai connects to that area. There is significant movement by the local population of both Zhuhai and Macau across the border, making the two feel like twin cities.

[edit] History

In the 16th Century China gave Portugal the right to establish a colony on Macau in exchange for clearing the area of pirates. Macau was the first European settlement in the Far East. It was also the last, when pursuant to an agreement signed by China and Portugal in 1987, Macau became the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December 1999, ending over 400 years of Portuguese administration.

China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in Macau for at least fifty years after the transfer of sovereignty and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs.

Like the Hong Kong SAR, Macau has its own government, passports, visas, postal system and currency.

[edit] Read

A Macao Narrative [2] by Austin Coates. Great introduction to Macau's colourful history. You can buy this book at the museum in the Fortaleza do Monte which overlooks the Ruins of St. Paul.

[edit] Get in

For many years, the usual way to get to Macau was to fly into Hong Kong and take the ferry across to Macau. Today, Macau is becoming a low-cost airline hub, so one might fly to Macau to reach Hong Kong.

[edit] Visa

For many passports including those of most Western countries, a Macau visa in advance is not needed. Depending on your nationality, a 30 or 90 day entry permit is usually issued for free on entry. See the Macau Tourism Office [3] web-site for the details. For those requiring a visa, they have to be obtained from a Chinese embassy or consulate, and applied for separately from the mainland Chinese one.

Please note that Macau has a separate immigration regime from mainland China and anyone going to Macau from the mainland would be deemed as leaving China. If you want to re-enter China from Macau, you'll have to apply for another Chinese visa unless your earlier one is a multiple entry visa.

[edit] By boat

This is still the main way in which most visitors get to Macau. The main ferry terminal in Macau is the Macau Ferry Terminal (Terminal Maritimo) at the Outer Harbour (Porto Exterior). This is a busy terminal handling most of the sea traffic between Macau and Hong Kong as well as the Chinese ports of Shekou and Shenzhen International Airport. Getting there/away: Buses 1A, 3, 3A, 10, 10A, 10B, 12, 28A, 28B, 28BX, 32 and AP1 run from the ferry terminal. The bus stop is on the main road to the right as you walk out of the building. Pick up a free bus schedule in the tourist information centre in the building. If you are heading straight to a casino or hotel, most of these establishments provide free shuttle buses. They gather to the left of the terminal building; step out of the arrival-level of the building and turn left.

There is a lesser known ferry terminal in Macau, located at Pier No. 14 at the Inner Harbour just south of where Av Almeida Ribeiro intersects with Rua das Lorchas. It is very near to Macau city centre and can be easily walked. This terminal mostly services boats to Shenzhen and Wanzai across the Inner Harbour in Zhuhai, China.

[edit] From Hong Kong

Ferries to Macau operate from several points in Hong Kong, including the Hong Kong International Airport where you can bypass Hong Kong Immigration and transfer directly into a ferry to Macau.

• Macau-Hong Kong Island: Ferries from Hong Kong's Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan on Hong Kong Island operate 24 hours a day at frequencies of every 15-30 minutes by day and every hour at night. In Macau, they dock at the Macau Maritime Ferry Terminal. The cheapest one-way ticket from Hong Kong is HK$134 and the trip takes one hour. Weekend fares are more expensive. Ferries are operated by TurboJet [4] (Tel: +853-7907039 in Macau, +852-28593333 in Hong Kong). Another ferry service is run by Cotai Jet [www.cotaijet.com.mo], directly to Taipa from Hong Kong, and there are free shuttle buses to The Venetian from the Ferry Terminal, for quick and easy access to Taipa & Coloane.

• Macau-Kowloon: You can also get ferries from the China (HK) Ferry Terminal on Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Ferries are less frequent compared with from Hong Kong Island. Fares start at HK$133 and the trip takes about 90 minutes. The ferry operator is New World First Ferries [5] (Tel: +852-21318181).

• Macau-Hong Kong International Airport: There are also ferries from Hong Kong International Airport to Macau. These are less frequent but they allow you to bypass Hong Kong immigration and customs by transferring directly to the ferry in the airport's transfers hall. If purchasing a ticket online in advance, your airline may be able to check your luggage all the way to Macau for you. You board the ferry at the airport SkyPier. Fares start at HK$180 and services are operated by TurboJet Sea Express [6].

The price of the ferry tickets differ based on the time and day of the week of the ride. Ferry departures after 6pm and before 6am and on weekends are more expensive.

[edit] From mainland China

Several ferry companies run to Macau from Chinese mainland ports including, Shekou (in Shenzhen) and Fu Yong Ferry Terminal (next to Shenzhen Airport).

• Macau-Fu Yong (Shenzhen Airport): TurboJet [7] (Tel: +853-7907039 in Macau, +86-755-27776818 in Shenzhen) runs several ferries daily between the Macau Ferry Terminal (Outer Harbour) and the Fu Yong Ferry Terminal. Journey time about one hour. Fares start at MOP$171. There are shuttle buses connecting the Fu Yong Ferry Terminal with Shenzhen Airport.

• Macau-Shekou (Shenzhen): Yuet Tung Shipping Co (Tel: +853-28574478) runs a ferry service departing from the Macau Inner Harbour Terminal at Pier 14 on Rua das Lorchas (near intersection with Av Almeida Ribeiro) at 10:00, 14:00, 17:30 and 20:15. Tickets cost MOP$129 for adults and MOP$78 for children. From Shekou, boats leave at 08:15, 11:45, 15:45 and 18:30. Journey takes about one hour and twenty minutes.

• Macau-Wanzai (Zhuhai): Yuet Tung Shipping Co runs boats between the Macau Inner Harbour Terminal at Pier 14 on Rua das Lorchas, and the Wanzai Customs Port in Wanzai, Zhuhai. Journey time is about 30 minutes and the fare is MOP$12.50. Boats start a 08:00 and end at about 16:00. You can catch connecting buses to Gongbei and other places in Zhuhai from Wanzai.

A more frequent and cheaper option is to catch a ferry to/from Zhuhai's Jiuzhou Port, which is only a few kilometers from the Macau-Zhuhai border. Take a short taxi ride (10 RMB) or a No. 4 bus from the border crossing to the ferry terminal. The bus ride should be included in your ferry ticket. Ferries from Shenzhen Shekou port to Zhuhai run every 30 minutes and cost 80 RMB.

[edit] By air

[edit] By plane

Macau International Airport [8] (MFM) is off the shore of Taipa Island. Because of its low fees, it has been able to attract several low-cost airlines to serve Macau. Currently available are:

• AirAsia [9]: has multiple flights daily from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and Kota Kinabalu, as well as three weekly flights from Kuching.
• Bangkok Airways [10]: has flights from Bangkok.
• Cebu Pacific Air [11] and Philippine Airlines: have daily flights from Manila.
• Tiger Airways [12]: has daily flights from Singapore and Manila (Clark).
• Jetstar Asia [13]: has daily flights from Singapore.
• Viva Macau [14]: has flights from Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City, Tokyo, Busan and Sydney

Other airlines such as Air Macau and Shanghai Air also have flights to Macau.

To reach Taiwan from mainland China, it is usual to fly via either Macau or Hong Kong, since the only direct flights only take place during weekends.

To and from the airport: Bus AP1 plies a route between the airport and the Barrier Gate. Its route passes through several points on Taipa Island, then passes Macau Tower, Hotel Lisboa, the Macau Art Museum, the Sands and the Ferry Terminal on the way. It costs MOP3.30.

If you are bound for Zhuhai, there is a special bus you can take from Macau airport direct to the border, without going through Macau Customs or Immigration. See the Zhuhai article for details.

For flights from mainland China, it is usually cheaper to fly to Zhuhai and cross the border by land as flights between Macau and the mainland are considered to be international flights.

See also Discount airlines in Asia.

[edit] By helicopter

A helicopter service is available from the Terminal Maritimo to the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Pier in Hong Kong as well as Shenzhen airport [15]. It is a lot faster than the ferry but it also costs a lot more.

[edit] By car

There are two vehicular entry points into Macau from China. They are the Portas do Cerco (關閘 Guan Chap in Cantonese, Guanzha in Mandarin) at the extreme north of Macau Peninsula which connects you to Gongbei in Zhuhai, and the Lotus Bridge (officially the Cotai Frontier Checkpoint) which links the Cotai Strip with the Wanzai district of Zhuhai.

You can only enter if your vehicle (cars only, no motorcycles) has both Macau and mainland China number plates and the driver carries both Macau and China driver's licenses. Note that you have to switch sides of the road; mainland China drives on the right, Macau on the left.

• Portas do Cerco: This is the usual entry point into Macau from Zhuhai and is very busy. It is open from 07:00 to 24:00. The crossing will bring you directly into Gongbei in Zhuhai. Getting there/away: The best way to approach the crossing from anywhere in Macau is to use Avenida Norte de Hipodromo which continues as Avenida da Ponte da Amizade, or Avenida Comendador Ho Yin from the western part of the peninsula. Please see Zhuhai section on details to get to the Chinese side of the border.

• Lotus Bridge: Much quieter than the Portas do Cerco, this crossing involves you driving over the Lotus Bridge over the narrow channel between Cotai and Hengqin Island in China. The crossing is open from 09:00 to 20:00. Getting there/away: The Cotai frontier checkpoint can be accessed via the Taipa-Coloane Istmus Road (still known as the Taipa-Coloane Causeway) and turn off at the Flor de Lotus roundabout about halfway between Taipa and Coloane.

[edit] By bus

You can take the coach from Guangzhou. The trip takes you about 2 hours and costs around RMB70.

There is a direct coach from Shenzhen airport and also Shenzhen long distance bus station. The journey time form Shenzhen is about 3 hours.

There is also a direct coach from DongGuan city (in GuangDong province) to Macau Airport. The trip is around RMB100 and 3 hours.

You can also get a bus from either place to Gongbei bus station in Zhuhai. That puts you right across the street from the border facilities so you can walk to Macau (see next section). This can save you a bit of money; the bus is about the same price either way, but food and hotels are cheaper in Zhuhai.

[edit] On foot

You can cross from mainland China to Macau on foot at the Portas do Cerco (Barrier Gate) crossings at the extreme north of Macau Peninsula. In fact, thousands of Macau and Chinese citizens do it daily, making it an horrendously busy crossing. Depending on the time and day of the week, expect long waits to get processed. The crossing on the Chinese side is called Gongbei in Zhuhai. Getting there/away: The massive underground Portas do Cerco bus terminal is beneath the pretty garden in front of the border checkpoint plaza. You'll be able to find buses to most parts of Macau, including Taipa, Coloane and the Cotai Strip from here. From downtown Macau by taxi, the border is about 10 minutes and MOP$30. See Zhuhai page for details to get to Gongbei crossing.

As most people crossing the Barrier Gate are China or Macau residents, you may get a short queue at the China customs if you hold passport of another country as there are separate custom counters for non-China and Macau residents. However, the Macau customs only divide their custom counters into Macau residents and all vistors, thus the queue is usually alot longer for passport holders of other countries as they will be queuing with large numbers of China residents.

There are money changers at the Barrier Gate that give very good rates so you can change your money into RMB before crossing the customs.

You are not allowed to walk on the Lotus Bridge between Wanzai in Zhuhai and Cotai. However, there are buses which shuttle between the two checkpoints.

[edit] Get around

[edit] On foot

This is arguably the best way to get around Macau Peninsular, which is small, compact and full of things to discover. Many roads are also one way so there is quite chance that it won't be slower than to take road transport which make need to make a long loop to reach the destination. Most streets have a pedestrian sidewalk making walking easy, although you will have to fight the crowds going in all directions. Macau is also hilly; be prepared to struggle up and down steep lanes and steps.

The city streets do not seem to run in any particular pattern and you'll most likely get lost at some stage, which is part of the fun of exploring Macau. The street signage is often poor if not lacking altogether (the azulejos-tile street signs are pretty but not very obvious and clear) so you may find yourself walking a few extra blocks in order to figure out the street you're on.

[edit] By bus

Macau and its districts are served by two bus companies - Transportes Urbanos Macau (Transmac) and Sociedade de Transportes Colectivos de Macau (TCM). Thankfully, their route numbers do not overlap and with a bit of figuring out which direction they are heading, they can be quite easy to use. Bus drivers usually only speak Cantonese, very little English or Mandarin and certainly no Portuguese at all.

All rides cost MOP$2.50 within Macau Peninsular, MOP$3.30 between the Peninsular and Taipa, MOP$4 between the Peninsular and Coloane village; and MOP$5 between the Peninsular and Hac Sa on Coloane. But like the buses in Hong Kong, your fare goes according to the bus stop you board the bus and not determined by the length of the journey. Fare are displayed next to the fare box, so get your destinations written in Chinese if you need to tell them where you're going.

Please see the Macau Peninsula page for bus routes which serve the district, and the Taipa, Coloane and Cotai pages for routes connecting these districts with the Peninsula.

Many casinos offer frequent and free shuttle buses to/from the airport, ferry terminals, border gate and other frequent destinations. Look for signs or ask around.

[edit] By taxi

There are of course taxis as well which is affordable. Starting from September 2008, taxi fares start at MOP$13. Largo do Senado to the border is about MOP$40. The longest possible taxi ride (from the Border Post at the extreme north of Macau to Coloane in the south) would be well under MOP$200.

It is a good idea to have your destination written in Chinese as most taxi drivers do not speak anything but Cantonese. Some of them may speak a little Mandarin or English, though it is not wise to count on your luck, and almost none speak Portuguese.

Like in Hong Kong, every bag placed in the boot of the taxi will have an additonal surcharge.

Many taxi drivers are off duty at sundays and use their cars privat. Those taxis have a red sign in the front window. Expect some waiting for a free taxi at sundays.

[edit] By car

Car rental is not a popular option in Macau given the territory's small size. Avis [16] provides car rental services in Macau and you have the option of renting the car with or without a driver. Roads are generally well maintained and directional signs are in both Chinese and Portuguese. Unlike in mainland China, international driving permits (IDP's) are accepted in Macau, and traffic moves on the left side of the road with most cars being right-hand drive (largely due to influences from neighbouring Hong Kong).

If you wish to drive a mainland China, your vehicle must have a second set of number plates issued by the Guangdong authorities, and you would need to carry an additional Chinese license. You would also need to change sides of the road at the border.

[edit] Talk

Vong or Wong? One of the oddities of Macau is that some Cantonese names and words that are pronounced with what in English is a "W" sound, and that in Hong Kong are transliterated with a "W", are transliterated with a "V" instead, such as in Cheoc Van (which in Hong Kong would be Cheok Wan). This can also be seen in the surname Vong (in Hong Kong Wong). No doubt Portuguese pronunciation has had an influence on this choice of transliteration. To complicate things further, this has not been done consistently so there are both Vongs and Wongs in Macau - both written with the same Chinese character.

Cantonese is the most commonly spoken language of Macau (88%, 2001 census). Mandarin is also spoken by a significant number, especially by the educated and those working in the tourism industry. While most locals can comprehend Mandarin to a certain degree, many are not fluent in it and do not feel comfortable speaking it.

English is spoken, especially by people in the tourism business. Nearly all museums and casinos have some staff with excellent English. So do many hotels, shops and restaurants, especially the up-market ones. However, English is not as widespread as in Hong Kong, and you will encounter plenty of people with little or no English (in fact, according to the 2001 census about half the population don't speak anything but Cantonese). This includes many taxi drivers, so be sure to have your hotel name in Chinese with you if you travel on your own.

Speakers of Portuguese won't find it very useful when talking to local residents (in the 2001 census, less than 1% of the population indicated it as their "usual language"), but it helps a lot in understanding place names and signs. Knowing any Romance language (French, Spanish or Italian) helps some.

All official signs in Macau are in both traditional Chinese and Portuguese. Note that under the "one country two systems" policy, like Hong Kong, Macau continues to use traditional Chinese characters and not the simplified Chinese characters used in mainland China.

[edit][add listing] See

Although known for gambling, Macau is extremely rich in attractions and oozing with atmosphere, thanks to hundreds of years of fusion between European and Chinese cultures.

Macau is a fascinating place to just walk around as the place is packed with churches, temples, fortresses and other old buildings bearing an interesting mix of Portuguese and Chinese characteristics. Besides buildings, there are also hundreds of narrow alleyways forming a maze in the old part of Macau where the people of Macau carry out businesses and work. If the sheer density of humans get to you, take a break and enjoy several pretty gardens or head to the island.

One of the interesting things to see in Macau is a statue of the Bodhisatta Avalokitesvara (known as 觀音 kwoon yam in Cantonese) located next to the sea near the Sands Casino and MGM Grand. Despite being a Chinese deity, the statue is distinctly European in design and resembles the statues of the Virgin Mary you can find in Europe.

And if history is not your thing, there is the Macau Tower of awesome views and adventure sports, or Fisherman's Wharf to enjoy some theme-park activities and shopping.

You'll find most of the attractions in Macau Peninsula, but Taipa and Coloane, each with a pretty village, also draw hordes of visitors. Visit the Cotai reclaimed land area to see its transformation into the "Las Vegas Strip of the East". The Venetian is the most famous with its Venice-styled shopping mall with rivers running through, and is also currently the largest casino in the world.

[edit] Heritage

A large section of Macau Peninsula has been designated a Unesco World Heritage site and 25 buildings and sites within the area have been deemed to have cultural and historic significance. The sites are listed in the Macau Peninsula page. One of the best ways to cover the sights is to do the Macau Heritage Walk circuit.

Taipa Village and Coloane Village, previously inhabited by fishermen, are also interesting with their colonial-era shops and houses along narrow lanes.

[edit] Museums

Macau has several museums. You can buy a pass that gets you into all Macau museums, cheaper than the addition of individual admission fees if you want to see several. The main museums, such as the Macau Museum, are in Macau Peninsula although there are two museums on Taipa - the Museum of Taipa and Coloane History and Taipa Houses Museum.

[edit][add listing] Do

[edit] Gambling

[edit] Casinos

Gambling is Macau's biggest industry and busloads arrive daily from mainland China to try their luck. In addition, many Hong Kongers arrive on weekends with the same aim. For many years, the Casino Lisboa was the most famous and a landmark well known to people outside Macau, but it is being eclipsed by Sands Casino which opened in 2004.

Most casinos are located along the waterfront on the southern side of Macau Peninsula. North of the Lisboa is a strip with many smaller casinos, a number of hotels and bars, and quite a few restaurants. This can be one of the more interesting areas of Macau; among other things it has quite a good Indian restaurant and several Portuguese ones. However, parts of it are also fairly sleazy, with lots of hookers and touts, so some caution is in order. New casinos have also opened in the area called NAPE south of Avenida de Amizade, including Wynn Macau and Sands Macau.

All this is going to be overtaken by the new development on the Cotai Strip, which is being made into "The Las Vegas Strip of the East". The biggest casino in the world, Venetian Macao has started operations here in August 2007 and many others will follow. There are also several casinos on Taipa, including the Crown Macau.

There are ATMs available at either casino as well as forex facilities to change your money. Gamblers are required to be at least 18 years of age to be allowed to play. Interestingly, local civil servants are not allowed to enter the casinos with the exception of the first three days of the Chinese new year.

For the full listing of casinos, see the respective district pages.

[edit] Greyhound Racing

Another popular form of gambling in Macau is greyhound racing, where people bet on dogs in the same way that many people in other countries bet on horses. The minimum bet is 10 patacas and payouts can be made in both Macanese Patacas and Hong Kong Dollars.

[edit] Go Karting

There is a go-kart track on the southern end of Cotai.

[edit] Adventure Activities

The Macau Tower is the place to head to for those who want to indulge in heart-stopping activities. On offer are bungee jumping , a walk around the rim, and bouldering and sport climbing at the tower's base. See the Macau Peninsula page for details.

[edit] Swimming

Macau's two beaches - Hac Sa (黑沙 - black sand) and Cheoc Van (竹灣 - bamboo bay) - are located on the southern side of Coloane island. They are very popular and are frequented by locals and visitors, especially at the weekend.

Besides beaches, there are several public swimming pools all over Macau. All high-end hotels also have swimming pools.

[edit] Hiking/Cycling

There are opportunities for hiking and cycling on the relatively rural islands of Taipa and Coloane.

[edit] Bowling

There is a bowling centre of international standard which was constructed in 2005 for the East Asian Games at the Macau Dome (澳門蛋) in Cotai area.

[edit][add listing] Buy

The currency of Macau is the pataca (MOP), which is divided into 100 avos. There are about 8 patacas to the US dollar.

The pataca is pegged to the Hong Kong dollar (HKD) at a 3% lower rate, while Hong Kong dollars are accepted by most businesses on a 1:1 basis. Hence the peg is set, in effect, to lure extra money from the plentiful tourists arriving from Hong Kong. The HK$10 coin may not be accepted because of numerous recent forgeries. Chinese Yuan (RMB/CNY) are also frequently accepted and can easily be changed for either Hong Kong dollars or patacas.

Getting money is quite easy as there are banks and ATMs on nearly every street. Holders of a debit card on the international networks will have no issues withdrawing money. Holders of Chinese Union Pay cards will not have trouble either withdrawing local currency from their RMB denominated accounts. ATMs usually dispense in MOP (100 and 500 bills) and HKD (100 and 500 as well) and some will also dispense in CNY.

It is usually impossible to change your currency into Patacas outside of Macau. Therefore, you are recommended to change part of your intended expenditure into Hong Kong dollar first and then change the rest into Patacas after arriving. The money changers at the Barrier Gate provides good exchange rate, and you can also change the Hong Kong dollars you are holding into Patacas so as not to lose out in the 3% lower rate.

On the other hand, try not to leave Macau with a lot of Patacas. Unlike the Hong Kong dollar, they are quite hard to exchange in most countries. Even if you try to exchange them in Hong Kong, money changers may charge high commission thus giving you fewer HKDs than for what the MOP is worth.

VISA and MasterCard credit cards are widely accepted in major restaurants, stores and the ferry terminal but some merchants may require a minimum purchase amount, usually MOP 100.

Tipping is generally not practised in Macau, though bellhops may expect about 10 patacas or so for carrying your bags. In full service restaurants, a service charge is usually imposed and that is taken to be the tip. However, you should know that the 10% service charge does not go to the actual people who served you, rather it is used by the owners to pay the salaries of said employees. If you wish to give a tip, you should give it in cash directly to the person you wish to reward for their good service. Taxi drivers also do not expect tips, and would return exact change, or round it in your favour if they can't be bothered to dig for change.

[edit][add listing] Eat

Macau is famous for excellent restaurants, unique cuisine and mellow bars. It is a premier dining and drinking destination in Asia. The Portuguese brought not only European cuisine, but also influences from their other colonies (Brazil, Goa and Angola) to Macau. As a result the city now offers one of the world's most intriguing gastronomic adventures. Look for local specialties such as bacalhau (salted cod) and African chicken.

There are a few interesting departures from standard Cantonese fare that you can try in Macau. Portuguese cuisine is available at a number of restaurants, and for a snack, try the milk pudding at the cafes in Largo do Senado. Street stalls sell tasty strips of barbecued pork as well, and Macau is also famous for their pork cutlet burger. For the budget-minded, wander the back alleys and you'll come across plenty of mom-and-pop Chinese eateries. Note that most of these places have menus on the walls that are hand-written in Chinese only.

The greatest concentration of restaurants in Macau is in the Peninsula, where they are scattered throughout the district. Taipa is now a major destination for those going for Portuguese and Macanese food and there are many famous restaurants on the island. There are several restaurants in Coloane, which is also home to the famous Lord Stow's Bakery.

Lord Stow's Bakery is a creator of eggtart, a Portueguese cookies made of flour, egg, margarine, and milk, better to be eaten when it is still hot. Nowadays, eggtart becomes a popular snack in Macau, sold almost everywhere in the city, especially in Largo de Senado. In around the Ruins of St. Paul, you can find many local bakery selling eggtart, but the original one is claimed to be made in Lord Stew's Bakery.

[edit][add listing] Drink

According to Macau's special style, various types of drinks have become popular. Macau residents enjoy having beer as entertainment after work. Therefore, clubs and bars are open more frequently. To best fit the Macau-savvy image, coffee should be the first drink to mention since Macau has a strong multicultural sense. Drinks to be enjoyed include vinho verde, a Portuguese white wine that complements salty Macanese food, and caipirinha, a delicious Brazilian cocktail.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

The bulk of Macau's hotels are on the Peninsula although are also many options, including high-end ones, on Taipa and increasingly, the Cotai area as it becomes Macau's premier casino area. Coloane, which offers fewer and much quieter options, has accommodation ranging from the famous Pousada de Coloane to Macau's two beach-side youth hostels.

Hotel rates are most expensive on Friday and Saturday nights, because demand are higher with many Hong Kong residents coming to Macau to gamble over the weekend. Try to make a booking through a travel agent, even if for the same day, as the rates can be substantially lower than walk-in rates. If you are coming from Hong Kong, book through an agent at the Shun Tak ferry pier for the best deals. Getting a package deal including return ferry tickets gives you the best price.

The budget tourist should be aware that in the Inner Harbour area many of the pensions and two star hotels are also the place of business for many of the mainland PRC prostitutes that work in Macau. For example, entry into the London Hotel in the evening will be an eye opening experience for the unsuspecting tourist. Visitors should also be aware that many of the "higher class" hotels also allow - even encourage - prostitution to take place on their premises, claiming that it is part of 'Macau culture'. Watch out for hotels with spas that are for "men only" - the 4-star Hotel Rio is one example.

Hotel listings are in the individual district pages. Budget accommodation is one that carries a 2-star rating or below, a mid-range place has a 3-star rating, and a splurge place has a 4-star rating or above. For budget accommodation search at google for "hostel Macau".

[edit] Learn

Macau has 12 tertiary education institutions. Besides some smaller and more specialized schools (Security Forces School, Tourism School, European Studies Institute, etc), the ones of importance are:

• University of Macau [17]. The oldest and most popular university, established in 1981 (then under the name University of East Asia). Offers degree programmes in a wide variety of fields at all levels, including pre-university courses, bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees. The majority of degrees are taught in English, except education and law which are taught in a choice of either Chinese (Cantonese) or Portuguese.

• Macau University of Science and Technology [18]. Established after the 1999 handover of Macau to China, courses are mainly taught in Chinese (Mandarin) by professors from the mainland, and a significant portion of its student population draws from the mainland too.

• Macau Polytechnic Institute [19]. A spin-off of the former University of East Asia, it was established in 1991 to provide practice-oriented education and training mainly to the local population.

• Macau Inter-University Institute [20]. Established in 1996, it originally only offered postgraduate education, but since 2005 also offers undergraduate degree courses, and since 2006 pre-university courses, mainly in the humanities.

[edit] Work

Non-residents who wish to take up employment in Macau need to obtain a valid work permit and are then issued the so-called Blue Card (officially called Non-Resident Worker's Permit). The process takes approximately a month to receive a work permit, at which time employment may begin, and another 1-2 months to receive the Blue Card.

As illegal employment has over the past decades been a problem plagueing Macau, the authorities do crack down severely on any offenders (both worker and employer) caught. Visitors are therefore advised not to engage in illegal employment.

[edit] Stay safe

[edit] Severe weather

There is a risk of typhoons, mainly between July and September. A system of typhoon warnings is in place that are issued by the Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau [21] and are broadcast widely on television and radio:

The typhoon warning system is basically a copy of the system used in Hong Kong.

• Number 1: tropical cyclone is within 800 km of Macau
• Number 3: tropical cyclone is likely to bring winds of 41-62 km/h to Macau, with gusts of 110 km/h (usually issued when the typhoon is within 300 km of Macau)
• Number 8: tropical cyclone is nearing Macau, bringing with it winds of 63-117 km/h, and gusts of up to 180 km/h
• Number 9: the centre of the tropical cyclone is approaching Macau and it is expected that Macau will be severely affected
• Number 10: the centre of the tropical cyclone will hit Macau directly, with mean wind speed over 118 km/h and intense gusts

During a number 8, 9 or 10 typhoon everything in Macau shuts down (all schools, all government departments, and the large majority of work places and shops). People stay home and it is not advisable to venture outside as there is the risk of injury or worse from flying debris.

[edit] Crime

• You should beware of pickpockets, especially in crowded areas like tourist attraction, steets and also immigration border station (Macau/Zu-Hai or GuBei). Do kept your valuables someway safer. Pickpockets usually come in group and cover with surrounding distraction. Avoid carrying to much bags or caring on somebody else to kept you fully alert. Filing of Police report will take longer time if your not in a hurried. Also beware of harassment by street prostitution and handling of leaflet.

• Recently a scam involving mainland Chinese visitors asking for money has become widespread, mainly in downtown Macau. These people, who are usually properly dressed, claim to have lost their wallet and not to have eaten the whole day, asking for MOP20-30 to buy some food. The police have issued warnings in the local media not to give money to these people.

• In the mid-90s, Macau had some vicious gang wars among the Chinese triads, with mobsters with automatic weapons fighting each other and some high-ranking police who got in their way. However, first the Macau police cracked down and then the Chinese took over which is believed to have scared the triads into more low-profile activity. There has been no sign of open mob conflict since the 1999 handover. The triads usually don't bother ordinary people, so the advice is not to mess with them (such as by borrowing money from loan sharks and then failing to repay it), and they won't mess with you!

[edit] Stay healthy

One unexpected cause of sickness in Macau is the extreme temperature change between 35°C (95°F) humid summer weather outdoors and 18°C (65°F) air-conditioned buildings. Some people experience cold symptoms after moving between the two extremes often; it is not unusual to wear a sweater or covering to stay warm indoors, and it is therefore usually good advice to carry a long-sleeve item of clothing when expecting to visit air-conditioned places for extended periods of time.

Whilst tap water is technically safe to drink (taste aside), most locals boil or filter their water or buy inexpensive bottled water which you are also recommended to do so.

Because of recent concerns about SARS and the threat of Avian Flu, good personal hygiene is strongly advisable. Wash hands before eating and after returning from public areas to your place of accommodation.

There have been some cases of Dengue fever in recent years. The government has pro-actively sprayed insecticide in areas where there is the potential of mosquito breeding, so this risk is largely contained. However it is best to avoid being bitten by using mosquito repellent and/or wearing long clothing, especially at dusk.

When eating sea-food make sure the food is properly cooked as you may otherwise end up with an upset stomach or worse.

[edit] Respect

Most Macau people are quite friendly but may be shy when approached by foreigners as only a small minority of locals speak English well enough to communicate.

When visiting Chinese temples basic respect should be shown, but taking photos is usually allowed and you don't need to ask for permission as long as there isn't a no-photography sign posted.

[edit] Contact

The tourist information offices on Largo do Senado and at the jetfoil terminal have maps, information on museums and events, helpful English-speaking staff, and at the Largo do Senado office free Internet access. You may have to queue for the Internet, since there are only a few machines.

Chinoy Express, Rua De Mercadores. A cheap and fast internet cafe (5MOP/hr) right near Rua De Felicidade. Serves cheap snacks and right across the road is a Filipino Bakery with cheap and tasty breads and very cheap large bottles of San Miguel (6MOP)

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