- Where is the city of Macau
- Macau history
- How to get to Macau
- What to see in Macau
- Macau Casino
Tourists, hearing about this amazing place for the first time, cannot immediately determine where Macau is located, since the miniature city has been a colony of Portugal for a long period of time and is traditionally associated with this country. In fact, Macau has officially sided with China since the late 20th century. However, the city has preserved its authentic architectural appearance, which was significantly influenced by the European culture that dominated the city for many centuries.
Where is the city of Macau
On one of the shores of the South China Sea of Guangdong province, the luxurious Macau is located, which locals often call "Macau" in the Chinese manner. Today Macau is actively developing in the economic and commercial spheres, as its geographic location near the sea contributes to the growth of potential in these areas.
Macau is located at a distance of about 60-80 kilometers from such popular Chinese cities as Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. Separately, it is worth noting that the Coloan and Taipa Islands are officially part of Macau, as evidenced by the presence of the city's only international airport at one of them.
Currently, Macau is especially attractive to visitors due to its developed infrastructure, unusual architecture, rich cultural heritage, as well as the concentration of a huge number of the best casinos in Asia in this city. Despite the fact that the population of Macau is only 590 thousand people, more than 800 thousand tourists from different countries come here every year.
Macau history
The historical past of the city is distinguished by many contradictory events that require careful study. Macau was originally built in the 16th century as a Portuguese colony and one of the leading ports. For several decades, the city has become the main center of trade between Portugal, China, Japan and India.
The territory on which Macau was created belongs to the PRC to this day, therefore, all its time of existence in the city, along with European customs, eastern traditions and the Chinese language were preserved. Beginning in the 17th century, the fate of Macau changed dramatically due to the constant civil strife between Portugal and Spain, after which the city became a Spanish colony for some time, and after two years it returned to its former status.
In the 20th century, a political struggle between Portugal and China began for Macau, resulting in a revolution in 1974 that resulted in the recognition of the city as an economically independent unit. In 1999, Macau was officially recognized by the Chinese government as its territory, while maintaining a special administrative status, excluding the opportunity to take part in important state affairs related to the politics and defense of the PRC.
How to get to Macau
Knowing the information about where Macau is located, you can easily get to this interesting city. First of all, you need to purchase tickets to Hong Kong, since from there the journey to Macau will be the most affordable in terms of time and cost.
A common way among tourists is to take a ferry that departs from the Hong Kong marinas every 10-20 minutes, which is very convenient for a day trip to Macau. The largest marina is located near the Sheung Wan MRT station, the second is located directly on the Kowloon Peninsula, and the third can be found at the Hong Kong airport.
All ferries departing to Macau are modern and equipped with food corners as well as recreational areas. Choosing a ferry for your trip, you will arrive at your destination in 40-50 minutes.
You can go to the city by helicopter, but the cost of such a trip is much more expensive than by ferry and varies from 1,000 to 1,700 yuan per flight. Also, charter flights run between Macau and Hong Kong, but the effectiveness of this method to get to the city is questionable, since the travel time will be about 6 hours, taking into account transfers.
What to see in Macau
The former Portuguese colony attracts the attention of visitors primarily by the layering of architectural styles of different directions on traditional Chinese culture. Over the long years of its existence, Macau has been rebuilt several times, as a result of which it has become a place where absolutely opposite architectural trends are combined. Among the key attractions of Macau are the following:
- Camões Museum;
- Fortress;
- Church of St. Joseph;
- Theatre;
- Macau Tower;
- Holy House of Mercy;
- Ruins of St. Paul's Cathedral;
- Botanical Garden;
- Temple complex A-Ma.
Macau is also famous for its thematic museums, which display unique collections of exhibits found in the city or brought from other places in the Middle Kingdom. Most of the iconic places of Macau were built during the period from the 15th to the 17th centuries during the reign of Portugal, therefore, European influence can be observed in the architectural landscape of the city.
Macau Casino
Casinos located in Macau deserve special attention, as they represent a kind of separate culture with its own rules and laws. Every year, thousands of gambling enthusiasts gather in Macau to try their luck at the casino.
The most famous casino in the city - Sands Macao, owned by the company of the same name, is a huge complex that includes gaming areas, fashionable restaurants, a hotel and all kinds of other entertainment. The advantage of Sands Macao is that visitors can be here around the clock, taking breaks for sleep and food. If the game tires holidaymakers, then they can head to the spa or watch an exciting show with the best artists in the city.
The next most popular casino is Lisbon, built back in 1972, but managed not only to maintain its status, but also to enter the top of the best casinos in Asia. The Lisbon project was developed jointly by European and Chinese architects, so the interior of the building is fully consistent with feng shui traditions, and the external facade looks very modern.
The three leading entertainment establishments in Macau are closed by the Venice Casino, which is considered the largest in the world. On an area of about 950 square meters, you can see numerous shops, restaurants with local cuisine, game rooms and even your own square and bridge. The architecture of "Venice" is distinguished by unsurpassed Italian grace and color, which makes it the most beautiful casino among others.
All in all, a trip to Macau, where so many interesting places are located, will give you a real pleasure. Traveling to this city is an opportunity to combine educational, recreational and historical tourism in one area.
