So I visited macau as a part of very famous Hongkong-Macau package offered to many India families by tour agents.
When I started off this journey from India. I was more exicited for Hong-Kong in the itinerary. It was only latter on I realized How wrong I was! And eventually Macau became the main highlight of the trip.
Actually Macau and Hongkong are very nearby cities. As near as 65km. But what If I tell you, that 65 Km stretch is not by road but by ferry? Speeding through the ocean.
That beautiful 65 Km ferry ride was enough for me to get that hype all build for this beautiful city surrounded by sea and protected by mountain.
We had stayed 3 days in macau which is actually very less for exploring this rich city. ( like literally rich ) . So here are things , facts which I loved about macao and would also like everybody to experience.
1. LUXURY : So first I would like to talk about is it's luxury. There are many expensive places existing around the world. But it actually takes more than that to make you feel the place rich. That's what Macau have managed to achieve. Even roaming around in the streets will give you that vibe of luxury.
2. UNIQUE HERITAGE : Apart for this luxury side. Macau also have its unique Portuguese heritage which was left by 400years Portuguese rule over Macau. Actually , The southern Chinese city was a Portuguese outpost for more than 400 years. The territory was leased to Portugal in 1557 and was eventually handed back to China on December 20 1999. Those 400 years of Portuguese rule certainly left their mark; from architecture to food and even language, the unique assimilation of Chinese and Portuguese cultures in Macau has made it one of a kind.
3. WORLD'S HIGHEST JUMP : Macau Tower is home to the Guinness World Record holder for the highest commercial bungy jump in the world. Situated at the top of the striking Macau Tower, jumpers leap from a platform 233m (764 ft) above the ground and experience the ultimate free fall experience.
4. BEACH LIFE : The Hac Sa Beach is Macau’s largest beach and is located on the southeast region of Coloane Island. It is famous for its black sand, the color of which can be attributed to the minerals that are washed ashore.
5. GASTRONOMIC HEAVEN : Try the Portuguese fried rice, as well as the charcoal roasted seafood and African chicken. Do not forget the local specialty, the Macanese egg tart, which is quite different from other egg tarts because it has less sugar. Also, check the streets for your dim sum fix. No doubt it has been stated as a " UNESCO creative city or gastronomy "
6. URBAN PARKS AND GARDENS: Macau has many parks bcoz it's government belived in turning grey corners of city into green parks and make visitors feel that openess in environment instead of surrounding by big concrete buildings.
7. PHOTOGRAPHER PARADISE : Because I myself is a photographer so this is the number one reason & attraction for me during my visit to Macau . From the ruins, food, and even simple shots of streets and people, it is very easy for photographers to create a unique photo essay. Macau can serve as the perfect training base for travel photographers, or a playground for those who just love taking good pictures because there are so many things that can be captured here.when the sky turns dark and Macau lights up, the city is a beautiful symphony of lights perfect for a night photography tour.
8. ARCHITECTURE MARVEL : I was awestruck looking at marvelous creative building designs . One of them was Morpheus hotel . Morpheus hotel is an architectural masterpiece designed by the late Dame Zaha Hadid.The futuristic 40-storey building is no ordinary Macau hotel.The infrastructure is described as the first free-form exoskeleton-bound high-rise building in the world and is an impressive landmark in Macau.
9. WATER THEATER : One of the thing definitely not to miss in Macau is House of Dancing Water. The show is performed in a theatre that has a pool that can hold 3.7 million gallons (approximately 17 million litres of water) of water. That’s more than five Olympic-sized swimming pools!
10. LIFE EXPECTANCY: You will be actually very surprised to know that Macau has the second highest life expectancy in the world. This is in accordance with The World Factbook. Its average life expectancy is 84.51 years for both genders. The yummy food looks the secret to me.
11. ECONOMY : Macau economy is booming with a GDP real growth rate of 7%. Making it a 9th fastest economy in the world.
12. UNESCO heritage centre: Macau’s impressive UNESCO World Heritage Historical Centre has 22 landmarks, including colonial mansions, squares, churches and cathedrals.The beautifully preserved historical sites are a combination of Portuguese and Chinese architecture.
13. Over the top hotels and resorts : Macau has some of the most over the top, extravagant and incredible hotels, casino resorts and entertainment options you can imagine
14. Never hit boredom : From singing and dancing performance, to magic shows and opera, you could easily fill an entire day with the many different types of performances you can find around the city!
15. Roaming through Senado Square : Senado Square is perhaps Macau’s most recognisable public spaces/centres. It is filled with many shops, heritage sites, restaurants and various snack and souvenir vendors. The streets inside Senado Square are a little narrower than usual and the paths are more maze-like but still easily navigable. You can window shop, stop by and sample same good dried meat at various shops, linger at a café and soak up the atmosphere and so much more.
16. Ruins of St. Paul and Conquer Mount Fortress : Located within Senado Square is arguably the most famous historical structure of Macau: the Ruins of St. Paul. It is a world heritage site and it receives a large number of visitors daily!
17. Furry Fun @ Seac Pai Van Park : Many people know about the giant pandas in Hong Kong’s Ocean Park but few realise that Macau also houses a pair of those cuddly, but sadly endangered species. Seac Pai Van Park is an ecological park and apart from being a tourist attraction, plays an important part in educating visitors about nature conservation.
18. World’s first figure-8 Ferris wheel : Studio City’s Golden Reel is not only the world’s first figure-8 Ferris wheel, but it’s also Asia’s highest. The attraction is 130m above the ground.It’s a themed journey from an Industrial Revolution-themed loading platform that travels around a figure-8 track.
19. A-Ma Temple : A-Ma Temple dates back to 1488 and is devoted to the Chinese Goddess Matsu worshiped-by seafarers and fishermen). The ancient temple is one of the top tourist attractions in Macau. It is believed that Macaus name itself was inspired by this temple. The temple boasts of its marvelous architecture, d-cor, style and overall design – all of which combine to make it among the most important places to see in Macau.
20. Nam Van Lake : Nam Van Lake is the largest man-made fountain in Asia and is amongst the most stunning attractions of Macau. It has 86 spouts, shooting water from a height of 80 meters. Evenings are spellbinding here as the interesting laser show lures travelers from across the world to this destination.
