Overview
Macao is a special administrative region (like Hong Kong) of China on the southern coast, bordering Guangdong province and comprises the Macau Peninsula and the islands of Taipa, Coloane, and Cotai. With a population of around 696,100, Macau is the most densely populated region in the world.
Formerly a Portuguese colony from the 16th to 20th centuries, Macao returned to China in 1999 and has a blend of Portuguese and Chinese culture, particularly in its cuisine.
As an SAR, Macao has its own legal system, currency (Macanese Pataca commonly referred to as MOP), customs policy, and immigration policy and autonomy upto 2049.
The economy is heavily dependent on gambling and tourism, with the gaming industry accounting for around 80% of government revenue.
Macau's culture is primarily based on traditional Chinese culture, particularly that of Guangdong province. However, the Portuguese have also left a significant influence, most notably in the cuisine.
Tourism
Macao is a popular tourist destination, known for mainly for its casinos and hotels and is home to a UNESCO World Heritage site and many historic buildings and sites. The Macau Grand Prix is most significant annual motorsport competition.
Overall, Macau is a unique and fascinating place, blending Chinese and Portuguese influences to create a distinct culture and identity. Since I first visited, Macao has gone through significant changes such as extensive reclaimation, the conversion of Cotai island into a gambling and big hotel concentration, yet there are corners that remain untouched and away from concrete eyesores.
Driving To Macao
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) enables HK drivers the opportunity to drive over to Macao rather than taking the ferry. Visitors can also go by bus.
If you want to drive your private car to Macao via the HZMB, you need a permit for the mega bridge with a booking made 24 hours in advance, HK car insurance and license, China car insurance and license (because the bridge is in China waters), HKID (and passport for any passenger not a PR), Macao temporary car insurance, and, potentially, reserve a space at the Macao East Car Park.
For a longer post about driving to Macao, please here.
One Day In Macao
Hotel
We drove over from Hong Kong on the Hong Kong Zhuhai Macao Bridge and arrived on a Saturday to spend 24 hours in Macao. You can also catch a ferry from Hong Kong to Macao.
If you are spending the night in Macao, we book on arrival through Booking.com or similar because the prices will be discounted. Note, you run the risk of not being able to stay at a chosen hotel if you follow this method.
We stayed at the Sheraton Grand Macao on the Cotai strip adjacent to The Londoner, and across the road from The Venetian and Parisian. All four hotels are connected with air conditioned walkways and there is so much to see even if your intention is not to shop.
The Parisian has an Eiffel Tower out front, The Ventian features an indoor canal system with gondoliers, and The Londoner has an abundance of shops and British flavour.
The Sheraton is the oldest of the four and there were renovations going on while we were there. Expect to pay US$200+ per night.
Getting Around
Hotels with casinos have free shuttle buses to and from the ferry piers, HZMB, and airport. There are public buses (pay on entry with coins), and taxis.
Dining
We went to two places for dinner and lunch respectively.
Dinner - D'Ouro
D'Ouro, 3/F, The Macau Roosevelt, Av. dos Jogos da Asia Oriental, Racecourse (馬場東亞運大馬路澳門羅斯福酒店3樓) Tel: +853 6328 8025, www.douromacau.com/
This is a sublime Portughese restaurant serving delicious authentic food together with superb wine. We ate seafood stew, the famous Portughese chicken, steak, clams, salad, and had white and red wine for seven people.
The bill was around US$650 in total. If there is a big group of you, there is also a private room which can be booked in advance.
Standout dishes: The minced crab was the best I've ever eaten.
Restaurante Fernando (法蘭度餐廳)
9 Hac Sa Beach Coloane, Praia de Hac Sá (黑沙海灘黑沙海灘9號)
Known universally as Fernando's, this is another solid authentic Portughese restaurant on the tip of Coloane next to the hotel formely named The Westin and a gold course. There is a beach here, a bus stop and a few touristy / drink shops. And that's it.
If you only have one day and want a true taste of Portughese food, come here. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Head here for something truly special.
This place is incredibly popular and does not take reservations. They open at midday.
When you enter, the main restaurant is at the back and decked out in colourful red and white tableclothes. The menu is simple with pictures. There's Boca Beer and sangria. Settle in, order, and feast on something truly special and excellent.
We had pork ribs (my friend said these are a 5/5), oxtail, roast suckling pig, clams, tomato salad, big bread rolls (free), chicken. Cost for 7 people came to about US$250. They do take cards and MOP/HK Dollars. There's also a little garden and an outdoor bar.
Stand out dishes: Tomato salad. How they can take ordinary ingredients and make this so special, I don't know. I've been going to Fernando's since the early 90's and the salad still sticks in my mind. All the food is wonderful.
Photo above shows the famous Fernando's and the red and white table cloths. The food here is simply marvellous.
The roast pork on a bed of chips, with crackling and tender meat.
Outside at Fernando's.
Note, we went on a day when the weather was 33 degrees C, there is very little shade, and we had to wait a while for a taxi to come along to take us back to the hotel. The taxi driver didn't know where Fernando's was so either ask the hotel to tell the driver, or have the address in English and Chinese.
Other
Old Protestant Cemetery
If you have time, St Paul's Facade is worth a look if you can fight your way though the narrow alleyways and hordes of tourists.
At the Old Protestant Cemetery (基督教墳場, 基督教坟场 or Cemitério Protestante) is a place where many prominant foreigners are buried including Captain Lord Henry John Spencer Churchill, a British naval officer and brother of the grandfather of Sir Winston Churchill. Churchill fell ill with dysentry and died in Macao on 3 June 1840.
Egg Tarts
A journey to Macao is not complete without tasting the famous Portughese egg tarts. If you are an egg tart afficiendo, the Hong Kong version is less sweet, doesn't have the caramilised centre, and are made from flaky pastry as opposed to puff pastry for the Macao version. Warning, you might buy one, eat it and then buy more straight away. They are that good.
Black Jack in Macao
If you like gambling and black jack is your game of choice, tables are thin on the ground in Macao. However, The Londoner casino has a black jack table tucked into a corner with the minimum bet being MOP1,000 (about US$128 - there are ATMs for local currency withdrawals and cashiers ready to take your money in exchange for chips).
Historical Sites
A recently published article in Time Out, has a proper list of historical sites and is well worth checking out. Link: '13 Incredible historical landmarks to see in Macao'.
Walking Around
In the summer, walking around is possible but it can get hot and unbearable. Take the usual precautions if you do go for a stroll. Duck into shops if you need to cool down rapidly courtesy of their air con.
--Allow me to indulge---
My Relationship With Macao
I first visited Macao in 1984 and spent a rather wonderful day walking around the city, discovering various historical features, including the famous St. Paul's facade. Getting there involved catching a catamaran ferry from the Macao ferry terminal in Central, and a (sometimes rough) sea crossing there and back.
Coincidentally, in my first job in Hong Kong, I did the public relations for the Pousada de Sao Tiago; a boutique hotel in a former fortress. Then, it was a stunning place to stay with thick stone walls, wooden staircases, and quiet, dreamy bedrooms with views of the (then) sleepy enclave.
This was before the city embarked on massive reclamation projects, before gambling deregulation, and before the airport was built. I've not been back to this hotel since circa 1993 and a return visit is overdue!
Another Macao client I had was a more modern hotel named The Pousada Ritz. I conceptualized and organised Macao's first ever coffee tasting press event to promote the Hotel's afternoon teas. This was prior internet, so I got books out of the library and learned all about how to taste coffee (similar to wine).
[I barely slept a wink that night due to coffee overload and remember wandering around the Lisboa Hotel Casino (the old one, where James Bond went the first time) and slot machines with a tub of HK$2 coins at 3am. Happy days!]
About Eight Insights
Eight Insights is a dedicated blog site and is owned by Eight Public Relations, a power PR agency in Hong Kong working with startups and multinationals. Being separate to the company blog page means we can write about areas of interest outside of public relations, enabling better curation and organisation.
About Ivan Theodoulou
Ivan Theodoulou is founder of Eight PR, a PR agency in Hong Kong that specializes in tech, law, and corporate PR. He first visited China in 1987 by train from Hong Kong to Guangzhou and has since traveled extensively on the mainland and in the Greater Bay Area (GBA). Ivan passed his China driving test in March 2024 and now drives regularly in the GBA.
Places visited in China (by car, plane, train, high speed train, ferry, coach, bus) include: Beijing, Beijou, Chengdu, Dali, Daya Bay, Dongguan, Foshan, Ganzhou, Gaoming, Guangzhou, Hainan, Hailing Island, Heishan, Huizhou, Junan, Kunming, Lijang, Longjiang, Nanhai, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Shilin Yi, Shunde, Wuzhou, Xiamen, Yingde, Yinghe, Zhuhai, Zhaoqing.
All information for general purposes only.