Day 5.  A Day in Macau

On By Little Miss TravellerIn Asia, Hong Kong, Hong Kong & Taiwan March 2017, Hong Kong 2017, Macau

It was drizzling slightly as we caught a rush hour MTR train from North Point station to Sheung Wan for the ferry to Macau.  On arrival in the ferry terminal we discovered ferries were subject to delays due to dense fog in Macau and we were unable to depart until 10.30 am so we found a coffee shop to pass an hour before getting underway.  Turbojet ferries run regular services from both Hong Kong and Kowloon to Macau.  There isn’t any advantage in purchasing return tickets and as passengers need to select a particular sailing we find it easier to just buy single tickets at each port.  If you are planning on making the trip please remember to take passports as these are needed for the journey.

Senado Square, Macau
Senado Square, Macau

Turbojet provides reserved, comfortable seats and we soon found ourselves dozing during the one hour crossing.  Fog had lifted by the time we arrived in Macau but unfortunately it was raining heavily.  Across the road from the ferry terminal there is a bus station with free shuttle bus services to all the casinos.  As we wished to start the day in the historical part of the city we boarded the Grand Lisboa shuttle bus which is located fairly near to Senado Square.  Passing through the casino we glanced at the gaming tables and slot machines which were already in demand and it wasn’t even lunch time.

Ruins of St. Paul, Macau
Ruins of St. Paul, Macau

With our hoods up to protect us from the warm rain we explored the old town with its Portuguese influenced architecture and pavements.  Senado Square is particularly beautiful with its candy coloured buildings and ‘wavy’ pavements.   Despite the rain, the narrow streets leading to the Ruins of St. Paul were crowded with tourists sporting umbrellas in every colour imaginable.

Pastéis de Nata, Macau
Pastéis de Nata, Macau

A necessity when visiting Macau is to sample the local Portuguese egg custard tarts, Pastéis de Nata which are served warm and have a thin crispy pastry case.  These are sold on nearly every street corner and most people return for additional ones, as we were tempted to.

The Parisian, Macau
The Parisian, Macau

Our original plan had been to take a bus to Coloane Village in the south of the island to have lunch in Lord Stow’s cafe but as the heavy rain persisted we decided to head straight to the Cotai Strip where we would be able to take shelter in the huge themed casinos.

Eiffel Tower, The Parisian, Macau
Eiffel Tower, The Parisian, Macau

Our first stop was to the Parisian which has only been open for five months and comes complete with a half size model of the Eiffel Tower.  The interior is opulent and French themed boulevards are lined with designer shops but we were surprised to find very few visitors to this multi million pound themed village.

Champs de Mars, The Parisian, Macau
Champs de Mars, The Parisian, Macau

We explored the base of the Eiffel Tower which overlooks a replica of the Champs de Mar gardens but we didn’t feel the need to take the lift to the top as we’ve experienced the real thing in Paris but it perhaps appeals to visitors who may not have an opportunity to visit Europe.

The Venetian, Macau
The Venetian, Macau

An indoor walkway links through to the Venetian, now nine years old but still immensely popular compared to its new neighbour.  Whilst the Parisian offers opulent shopping avenues, it’s malls lack the appeal of a canal winding its way through a replica Venetian street scene and St. Mark’s Square.  After cool drinks in one of the many cafes we were ready to continue on to Cotai Central which lacks the glitz of Venetian but again is a complete self contained ‘village’ with gambling halls on the lower floors.

Having no wish to gamble, we returned to the ferry terminal on one of the complimentary coaches which run at 15 minute intervals and from there we booked seats on the next Turbojet ferry to Kowloon as it was departing earlier than the Hong Kong one.  Again, we had no difficulty in booking single tickets and boarding the next available ferry.  After a full day’s sightseeing we were ready to sit back and relax in the comfortable seats and before we knew it, were back in Kowloon.

Temple Street Night Market
Temple Street Night Market

This ferry terminal is located near Mong Kok so we made our way to this most densely crowded of districts.  Dazzling neon lights aplenty and an illuminated archway lead through to the touristy Temple Street Night Market where one can buy fake designer goods, clothes, trinkets and electronic gadgets.  It’s interesting to stroll around but we didn’t want to buy anything and instead returned to North Point by MTR where I feasted on sizzling steak with leeks and root ginger in a restaurant on the Kings Road.  Then, finally after a long day we returned to our hotel room for a cup of tea and a good night’s rest.

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86 thoughts on “Day 5.  A Day in Macau”

  1. I think the fog delays on morning ferries to Macau must be common. We had the same issue in 1982. In 1982, I think there was really only one casino in Macau in the Hotel Lisboa. Amazing to see Vegas Asia. Allan

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  2. Pingback: Day 14.  Visiting Pingxi and Shifen from Taipei – Love Travelling Blog

  3. Pingback: Day 1.  A week in the Algarve – Love Travelling Blog

  5. The Venetian, Macau, looks like Villagio shopping centre, Doha, Qatar, where I lived for some time. It’s venetian theme lacked a little of the quality of it’s Las Vegas counterpart (hotel and casino), which I expect The Venetian might lack too, but it kept shoppers very happy and was very popular.

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  6. Justine

    I had no idea that Macau had an Eiffel Tower replica. I thought after seeing the picture of The Venetian that you were in Las Vegas. Crazy! Anyways, happy travels!

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  8. I was going to say some of the casinos in Macau remind me of the casinos in Vegas but that’s natural , some of them are owned by the same people who are from Las Vegas . Love the post. Want to visit Macau .

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    1. Macau is a very interesting place to visit but for us one day is enough. The themed casinos are fun to explore and you can easily watch gambling, just stand behind the tables. Nobody seems to bother to dress up to go in the casinos, I think yo can just wear anything. Photo taking is forbidden though in all the gambling areas but elsewhere is fine. Do remember that anyone can catch the casino shuttle buses and no one asks if you are staying there, etc. so it’s a convenient and free way to move around!! Thanks for taking such an interest in this post!

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  20. Always a Foreigner

    We were given tarts while we were in China that someone had brought back with them while traveling. They were so tasty! Not quite what I was expecting them to taste like, but I ended up loving them…and even going back for seconds.

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    1. Macau is a fun day out from Hong Kong but I do think one day is sufficient to look around as Hong Kong itself has so much to offer. I think Macau’s Cotai Strip thinks of itself as a second Las Vegas as many of the themed casinos are also there. As for the custard tarts, they are absolutely irresistible and taste much better than the ones we get in Waitrose and Sainsbury’s.

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  25. Thanks for sharing your lovely photographs and your trip. Those Pastéis de Nata brought back memories of my trip to Lisbon. It was the first time I tasted them. They were so delicious I even bought a box of them at the airport on the way home but they weren’t as tasty as the freshly made pastries.

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  27. So lovely to see some old memories and see how much Macau has changed in the last 20 years. I used to regularly visit when I was living in China (back then it was a great source of bread and food from home).

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  28. Another busy day Marion. You certainly are making the most of your visit which is great and seeing so much. It was raining also when I visited Macau but it still didn’t stop me seeing all the sights. I find the custard tarts cannot be replicated anywhere else. Delicious.

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    1. It’s lovely to hear that reading my blog posts makes you happy! Macau is a strange but interesting place, good for a day trip from Hong Kong but I wouldn’t wish to stay longer. The casinos being themed seem to cater for both tourists and gamblers, it’s a sort of mini Las Vegas!

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  39. Interesting to see what The Parisian looks like – it was in the final stages of construction when I visited Macau, so I didn’t have the opportunity to check it out. It’s funny to think that these places are tourist attractions for some of us and gambling dens for others!

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