{"id":24528,"date":"2018-10-04T07:35:17","date_gmt":"2018-10-03T21:35:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/slingadventures.com\/?p=24528"},"modified":"2018-10-04T07:39:30","modified_gmt":"2018-10-03T21:39:30","slug":"visiting-macau-as-a-non-gambler","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/slingadventures.com\/destinations\/china\/visiting-macau-as-a-non-gambler","title":{"rendered":"Visiting Macau as a Non-Gambler"},"content":{"rendered":"Macau is a fusion of Chinese and Portuguese culture, cuisine and architecture. Portuguese held the land for 400 years and transformed a fishing village into a major colonial outpost. The recent casino boom of the past 20 years has again transformed the city into the undisputed gambling capital of the world, 4 times larger than that of Las Vegas. Amongst the glitz, glamour and gambling there are still some reasons to visit Macau away from the black jack and roulette tables.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nMacau is though a city still in transformation. With Portugal handing back the keys in 1999 all visitors, including Chinese, still need to pass through immigration to visit. Macau still retains its own currency (but widely accepts Hong Kong Dollars). And, until the new Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau\u00a0bridge and tunnel system is fully operational, you can really only access Macau from Hong Kong via one of two ferries. A visit to Macau may have you scratching or even shaking your head but it will be anything short of dull!\r\n

Accommodation deals<\/h2>\r\n
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It's worth shopping around for hotel deals in Macau. Cheap rooms can become available in places like the Wynn Hotel.<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\nBeing a city flooded with casino's, rooms are plentiful and you can often grab a great deal at a swish hotel if you pick the right time. The Wynn hotel is one such location which is close to the walkable historical centre of Macau. The Wynn Hotel is known mostly for its two side-by-side locations in Las Vegas. The Wynn Hotel also looks towards one of the most gaudy structures you are likely to see. The Grand Lisboa Hotel's gold coloured glass facade defies gravity as it sprouts some 260 metres from it's domed base.\r\n

<\/h2>\r\n
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The Grand Lisboa Hotel is seen from virtually everywhere in Macau. Like it or not, it's certainly unique!<\/p><\/div>\r\n

Walking Historical Downtown<\/h2>\r\nOutside of the endless casino's the old city centre is a walkable region where you can get a feel for the city at the time the Portuguese were in residence.\r\n

Senado Square<\/h3>\r\nThe best place to start your walk through the historical centre is Senado Square. Following the zebra print walkway you have endless choices of food, craft markets and high-end (and low-end) fashion. A popular destination for tourists and locals alike.\r\n\r\n
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Senado Square, the best place to begin your walking tour of the historical centre of Macau.<\/p><\/div>\r\n

Ruins of St Paul's<\/h3>\r\nA UNESCO World Heritage listed site, the Ruins of St Paul's is one of the most important historical landmarks in Macau. The remaining facade stands propped up from behind like a movie set. The imposing structure was once a college and church built in 1640 and later all but destroyed by a typhoon in 1835.\r\n\r\n
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The towering facade of the Ruins of St Paul's in Macau.<\/p><\/div>\r\n

Monte do Forte<\/h3>\r\nFor a great view of the city, continue up from the ruins of St Paul's to Monte do Forte a fortification built in 1626 by the Portuguese Jesuits to protect them primarily from pirates. The gardens at the top are lovely and you can get a good perspective of the layout of the city.\r\n\r\nA statue of Jesuit priest Matteo Ricci is a key landmark of the fort and was a key figure in developing greater understanding between Chinese and Western cultures during his time in Macau and the first European allowed to visit Beijing.\r\n\r\n
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Jesuit Priest Matteo Ricci did a lot to build relationships between the Chinese and Portuguese.<\/p><\/div>\r\n

Portuguese Egg Tarts<\/h2>\r\nThe most iconic food to eat in Macau is the Portuguese Egg Tart. One of the best places to sample this local delicacy is Margaret's<\/a> located only a few blocks from the Wynn hotel.\r\n\r\n
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Be sure not to miss the Portuguese Egg Tart whilst in Macau.<\/p><\/div>\r\n

Getting to Macau from Hong Kong<\/h2>\r\nMost travellers enter Macau from nearby Hong Kong and frequent ferry services run from both the International airport and from downtown (MRT Central).\r\n

Ferry<\/h3>\r\nTwo ferries operate between Hong Kong and Macau. TurboJet and Cotai Water Jet. Each is very similar in terms of time and cost similar also. It just may depend on where you are departing Hong Kong from and where you wish to arrive in Macau.\r\n