Macau: More than just an Asian Vegas

I visited Macau recently and found it extremely interesting. I didn't really know much about Macau before I came to Hong Kong. I certainly didn't know it was only 11 square miles but has a population of 575,000 making it the most dense country in the world. I had heard that it was the 'Las Vegas of Asia' and that there was nothing really there except casinos. This is a misconception and Macau has much more to offer than gambling. Despite its size it is rich in culture and history, there are plenty of historical sites to visit and I didn't feel a day was long enough to explore the whole place.

This is an example of a steet sign in Macau,

despite the cantonese symbols it still looks very

portugese.

Macau was part of the Portuguese 'empire' for over 100 years and has inherited a strong Portuguese culture and feel from this period. At times as I was walking around the city it felt as though I was in Europe. The best way to get a feel for the city is to get one of the free buses from the ferry terminal to the casino district and then walk into the 'historic centre' of Macau. It's quite amazing because it feels as though you are walking through 3 different countries starting off in USA with the casinos before moving into China with tall apartment blocks and dim-sum restaurants below, and finally walking into Portugal with beautiful colourful houses and churches. 

This is the view from Fortaleza do Monte, with the Grand Lisboa casino in the distance. The fort was built in the 1600's by the Jesuits. It was used by the Portuguese to defend  Macau from a Dutch invasion.

This is the ruins of St Pauls Cathedral and probably Macau's most popular tourist hotspot. It was burnt down in a fire in 1835 and only this section remains, a poignant reminder of Portuguese rule.

The photo above is of the tiny Na Tcha temple and I think the story of this temple shows how two completely different cultures can work together to mutual benefit. In the 19th century a deadly disease had plagued the Portuguese and Chinese communities, everything they tried failed. Then one night the Chinese deity of Na Tcha appeared to a Portuguese man in his sleep and told him to build a temple and worship Na Tcha. News spread of this and the Chinese and Portuguese people worked together to build this temple, a few weeks later the plague disappeared.

Macau had so many beautiful tranquil parks, some with a very european feel and others with a distinct Asian feel. This was one of the best things about Macau for me and something that I feel Hong Kong is missing, that you can escape the hustle and bustle of the city so easily by just stepping into one of the many parks.

There is no fancy metro network in
Macau, just buses and these trishaws

And of course a trip to Macau would not be complete without visiting some of the incredible hotels and casinos that have made Macau the gambling capital of the East. I visited the MGM and the Wynn, both were full of designer shops and were aesthetically beautiful buildings. 

The dancing fountain show at the Wynn, I wonder where they got this idea from?

The dancing fountain show at the Wynn,
I wonder where they got this idea from?

The infamous bronze lion of the MGM Grand

I would say that a day trip to Macau is an absolute must for anyone visiting Hong Kong for more than a few days. To really experience Macau it is worth exploring the hidden gardens and temples on foot, it makes it more rewarding when you just stumble across a beautiful tranquil garden. Macau is definitely worth visiting, not for the casinos and the hotels, because Vegas does that much better than Macau, but for the history and the stories that are unfairly overshadowed by Macau's obsession with opulence and gambling.