Macau – “Oriental Vegas”

Macau is a good example of cultural integration, but not the type of intensely hectic globalised mix you tend to see in modern cities these days. Macau is the product of a respectable homogenized blend between Portugal and China - and casino developers. Macau is a perfect example of a colony that has managed to preserve the more important elements of its heritage, whilst also concurrently successfully developing and bringing in overseas investors at the same time. Sure, Macau does have numerous architectural legacies and the relaxed Mediterranean-like streets and cafes do have a sleepy charm, but this is just one part of Macau. Since the handover back to China in 1999 and the termination of the gambling monopoly in 2002, Macau has been developing at a monumental speed. The growing infrastructure of casinos, hotels, resorts, and other such developments are all brining a new affluence to Macau and in 2006 Macau overcame Las Vegas and officially became highest-volume gambling centre in the world. This is mainly because Macau is the only place where casinos are legal in China. With numerous other casinos and hotels still to come (Four Seasons, MGM, Grand Hyatt, City of Dreams, and Mandarin Oriental, to name but a few) Macau is only just beginning and the best is yet to come.

Tourist Attractions

- Ruins of St. Paul's: All that remains of the greatest of Macau's churches is its magnificent stone facade and grand staircase. The church was built in 1602 adjoining the Jesuit College of St. Paul's, the first Western college in the Far East where missionaries such as Matteo Ricci and Adam Schall studied Chinese before serving at the Ming Court in Beijing as astronomers and mathematicians. The church, made of taipa and wood, was brilliantly decorated and furnished, according to early travelers.
     After the expulsion of the Jesuits, the college was used as an army barracks and in 1835 a fire started in the kitchens and destroyed the college and the body of the church. The surviving facade rose in 4 colonnaded tiers, and is covered with carvings and statues which eloquently illustrate the early days of the Church in Asia. There are statues of the Virgin and saints, symbols of the Garden of Eden and the Crucifixion, angels and the devil, a Chinese dragon and Japanese chrysanthemum, a Portuguese sailing ship and pious warnings inscribed in Chinese.
     After restoration work, lasting from 1990 to 1995, the back side of the Ruins of St. Paul's was turned into a museum. The ruins are regarded as the symbol of Macau and now offer visitors a new site where they can view the remains of the former Church of the Mother of God, visit a Crypt where the relics of the Martyrs of Japan and Vietnam rest, and a museum of Sacred Art where there are exhibits of paintings, sculptures and liturgical objects from churches and monasteries in the City.
- Monte Fort: Monte Fort, known as St. Paul Monte Fortress, Central Monte Fortress, or Great Sanba Monte Fortress, was constructed from 1617 to 1626. It was completed during the ruling years of Emperor Xizong in the Ming Dynasty. Monte Fortress played a very important role in defending Macao against the invasion of Holland. Monte Fort is square shaped. Each side is about 100 meters long. The gate of the Monte Fortress faces southeast. The four corners of the fortress project out as bastions; its outside wall was built with rammed earth and thus very stable. The walls had many cutouts which served as supports for the 32 cannons used to defend against foreign attacks. Monte Fortress was a defense center in Macao at that time. Monte Fort was the residence of the Chief of Staff on City Defense and Superintendent of Macao before 1740. Later it became a forbidden military zone. It was not until 1965 that barracks on Monte Fortress were replaced by a weather station. It was opened to the public the following year. The weather station building was removed by the then Macao Government between 1996 and 1998 and replaced with today's Macao Museum.
- A-Ma Temple: Macau's name is derived from A-Ma-Gau or Place of A-Ma and this temple dedicated to the seafarers' goddess dates from the early 16th century. According to legend, A-Ma, a poor girl looking for passage to Canton, was refused by the wealthy junk owners but a lowly fisherman took her on board. A storm blew up and wrecked all but the boat carrying the girl. On arrival in Macau she vanished, to reappear as a goddess, on the spot where the fishermen built her temple. Three of the four pavilions are dedicated to A-Ma and contain some fine statues of the goddess together with a model of a junk with cannons, brass vessels and chapels to Buddhist and Taoist gods. The top shrine honours Kun Iam. This temple is distinguished by beautiful tiled roofs and spectacular views from the upper gardens. The festival of A-Ma takes place on the 23rd day of the 3rd moon (April or May).

Local Cultrue and Art

The mixing of the Chinese and Portuguese cultures and religious traditions for more than four centuries has left Macau with an inimitable collection of holidays, festivals and events. The biggest event of the year is the Macau Grand Prix in November, when the main streets in Macau Peninsula are converted to a racetrack bearing similarities with the Monaco Grand Prix. Other annual events include Macau Arts festival in March, the International Fireworks Display Contest in September, the International Music festival in October and/or November, and the Macau International Marathon in December.

Food

Dining in Macau is constantly evolving, with new restaurants opening almost every month. The dining guide provides reviews of the best Macau restaurants, plus information on price, ambience and location to make it easier for diners to have a satisfying dining experience. In Macau, there is dining round every corner, with choices that cater to every whim and fancy, budget and requirement. From noodle shops and beachside restaurants and family-run Macanese eateries to Michelin 3 star restaurant Robuchon A Galera, you’ll never be short of dining diversity in Macau. While there is cuisine from almost every part of the world available, every visitor should experience the distinctive taste of Macau at least once. Macanese cuisine is unique fusion of flavors, which is a hybrid of Portuguese and Chinese dishes. The reason why the cuisine is bursting with flavor is due to the fact it contains healthy dose of exotic spices originally collected by Portuguese traders during long sea voyages along the coasts of Africa, India and Southeast Asia. Classic Macanese must-tries include African chicken, curry crab, and clams with black beans and chili which have satisfied both visitors and locals for centuries.

In Macau traffic moves on the left. Macau has a well-established public transport network connecting the Macau Peninsula, Cotai, Taipa Island and Coloane Island. Buses and taxis are the major modes of public transport in Macau. Currently two companies, namely Transmac and Transportas Companhia de Macau, operate franchised public bus services in Macau. The trishaw, a hybrid of the tricycle and the rickshaw, is also available, though it is mainly for sightseeing purposes. The Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal provides cross-border transportation services for passengers travelling between Macau and Hong Kong, while the Yuet Tung Terminal in the Inner Harbour serves those travelling between Macau and cities in mainland China, including Shekou and Shenzhen. Macau has one active international airport, known as Macau International Airport located at the eastern end of Taipa and neighbouring waters. Since currently there are no regular direct passenger-flights between mainland China and Taiwan, the airport serves as a transient avenue for the passengers travelling between the two regions. It is the primary hub for Viva Macau and Air Macau. In 2006, the airport handled about 5 million passengers