Review: Macau

      My trip to Macau, a special administrative zone of China, was not planned but spontaneous. I was there only a day, but it I believe that is really enough, especially if you are there not to gamble!

Ferry terminal @ Sheung Wan

        Macau was a Portuguese colony before it gained its independence in 1999, and is one of the two special administrative zones of China, the other being Hong Kong. It takes an hour to get to Macau by ferry from the terminal at Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. There is a MTR (Mass Transit Railway) station, Sheung Wan, nearby so it is easily accessible. It cost me $370 (£30) for a return to Macau, which is a little expensive I thought.

Macau

        The main attraction of Macau is the gambling. Once you arrive to Macau, you can see how the buildings are designed to appeal to tourists, so they come to their city. The city is the equivalent of Las Vegas for sure. Looking out into the skyline, you can see it is dominated by casinos.

Skyline dominated by casinos

         However, underneath this gambling image, Macau does have some sites that are worth seeing. One of the most famous are the ruins of St Paul's, which is a World Heritage Site. This cathedral was burnt down in the 19th century, but a facade still remains as a prominent symbol. There are steps leading up this, and you can also go inside the ruins to look around.

Ruins of St Paul's Cathedral

        Near the ruins, there is also Mount Fortess, which needs some climbing up!  Once there, you can see a spectacular view of the city. It also features some old cannons, as it was once a military centre for the Portuguese. Walking around the city, you will also notice European-style architecture, which gives it more vibrance. Another historical site, the Guia Fortress, is the oldest European-style lightouse in China, although I did not visit it. There is also the Macau Grand Prix, but it only occurs one weekend per year.

Famous egg tarts (pastel de nata)

         The city has also some unique food to taste, such as the famous Portuguese egg tarts (pastel de nata), which are delicious. We went to the famous cafe Nata, which apparently serves the best egg tarts in the city. I did not record the price, but it was not too expensive. We also tried some cookies in a bakery, which were very tasty. The people of Macau obviously know how to bake!

Portugese architecture

         To summarise, Macau is an interesting city to visit because of how East meets West;  it has the imposing casinos in contrast to the traditional European architecture, the ruins of St. Paul along with Buddhist temples, the Portuguese and Chinese road signs, and the contrast in foods like the egg tarts and noodles. This makes Macau really unique, but I think only a day's visit is needed.