Despite its tiny size, Macau draws
thousands of visitors everyday, many of whom come just for the
entertainment. This is a city that never sleeps, with an abundance
of bars, restaurants and of course, casinos open all night. However
if it's cool clubs and trendy bars you are after, you'd be better
off making the trip back to Hong Kong. But, if you are here for the
gambling, be it horseracing, dog racing or the casinos, Macau may
seem like paradise.
There are now nineteen major casinos in
Macau, all of which are open twenty four hours around the clock. The
casino in The Hotel Lisboa is one of the most famous and arguably,
the most fun. Most of the major hotels have casinos, including The
Mandarin Oriental and there is also a Floating Casino anchored off
the west of Macau. The atmosphere here is very professional and it
can get very crowded. See a list of some of the more popular casinos
here. Most of the casinos also have dancing shows and their own in
house nightclubs. One of the most popular forms of gambling in Macau
is Mahjong- a game not played at all in casinos but in houses,
parks, and streets by local residents. It can be a lot of fun to
watch local residents battle it out over the Mahjong pieces.
The Macau Grand Prix takes place the
third week in November when budding Michael Schumacher's and Nigel
Mansell's come to race, watch and get in on the action. Horse racing
at the Macau Jockey club and greyhound racing are also popular here.
There is however, an up coming new area
in town. The streets around the Alameda Doctor Carlos D'Assumpcao in
the south east of the peninsula, are slowly catching up with some of
Hong Kong's more cosmopolitan areas. A little place right on the
waterfront, Opiumarium play great music, have very sophisticated
decor and serve good drinks. Another growing area is along Avenida
Sun Yat Sen close to the Kum Iam Statue and the Cultural Centre. A
picturesque location gives a very relaxing atmosphere for you to sit
back and enjoy a glass of wine. If you are looking for a popular
trendy disco head for NAPE and Avenida do Infante D. Henrique, where
international pop songs are sung in the local Asian languages. There
are a few good bars in the city center. The Jazz Club on Rua da
Alabaradas is a fun place. They don't guarantee live music every
night but even the recorded selection is pretty impressive. Finally,
on Estrada Ferreira de Amaral there is a nice bar/restaurant which
is popular with locals, the Bar da Montanha Russa.
Lastly, a new attraction in Macau is
the Macau Tower, which stands at 233m high, and offers incredible
views over the region as well as several challenging adventures for
those people seeking a thrill. The SkyJump allows you to jump from
the tower, and fly through the air, then making a comfortable
landing on the ground below. If you don't fancy taking the plunge,
but still like the buzz of standing on top of this huge tower, you
can experience Skywalk X – where you can take a stroll around the
outer rim that encircles the top of the tower. This walkway is just
1.8 meters wide and there is no handrail- not for the faint hearted!
The Mast Climb, Ironwalk, Long Flying
Fox and other attractions also challenge adults and kids to their
outmost. Kids of all ages can also join the Caravel replica,
Carousel and Bungy Trampoline. If you would just like to enjoy the
view from the safety of inside the tower, you can visit the
Observation Deck on the 58th floor, or you can enjoy delicacies from
Sichuan, Portuguese and Cantonese dishes as well as a buffet meal at
the 360º Café on the 60th floor. The tower can be found at Largo da
Torre de Macau, or you can call (853) 933339 for enquiries. Opening
hours are 10am - 9pm (weekdays), 9am - 9pm (weekends and public
holidays). The Observation Lounge & outdoor deck will cost you
MOP$70 per person.
