The Eiffel Tower, Big Ben and Venice’s Rialto Bridge are no more than a 10-minute walk away. Casinos are lined up next to casinos. Macau (Macao) is the only city in China where gambling is permitted. The former Portuguese colony has been a Special Administrative Region of China since 1999. The influence of Portuguese culture can still be felt today. Many of the signs are in Chinese, Portuguese and English. In contrast to Las Vegas, gambling is very serious here and alcohol is rarely consumed in the casinos, but rather tea, coffee or milkshakes.
Macau is divided into a northern and a southern peninsula, which are connected by large bridges. Left-hand traffic prevails in Macau. There are hotels and casinos on both sides. In the north, the Grand Lisboa, Sands and Fishermans Wharf with the Colosseum are the best known. In the south there are more attractions, for example the three Europeans (Venetian, Londoner, Parisian), Wynn, MGM or Galaxy. Some hotels are located on both peninsulas.
Entry and visa for Macau
If you arrive by train from mainland China, travel to Zhuhai railroad station (Exit A) and then follow the signs to the “Gongbei Port” border. Without a Chinese passport, you have to queue in the “manual lane” and wait up to an hour. Please note: anyone visiting Macau is officially leaving China. As we were traveling on to Hong Kong after Macau and then home from there, the visa for China with “single entry” was sufficient for us. But if you want to return to China after Macau, you need a China visa with two or more entries! Some foreigners do not need a visa for Macau if they stay there for less than 90 days.
From A to B by shuttle bus
The casinos’ free shuttle buses take tourists from various locations directly to the casino. The stops and times can be found on the casinos’ homepages. For example, the bus to “The Londoner” also stops at the Venetian, Parisian, Sands, airport and ferry terminal. We recommend that you check the departure times, as many buses only run until 8 or 9 P.M. After that you can get back to the hotel by taxi or public bus. The 6 MOP per bus ride can either be paid in cash to the bus driver (no change!) or you can buy a Macau Pass for 100 MOP (including 30 MOP card fee) and pay only 3 MOP per ride.
Anyone who has ever been to Las Vegas will recognize this picture. Macau is worth a visit for its glamorous casinos alone! At the “Parisian” you can enjoy a croissant on the Champs-Élysées, at the “Venetian” you can be steered through the canals on a boat (gondola) and in front of the Wynn Palace there is a superlative water and light show in the evening. The buildings inside are designed with great attention to detail, the many stores and restaurants are a great place to linger and the casinos entice visitors with big winnings (and losses). Money and glamor are everywhere here. You feel like you’re in another world!
Eat and drink for free
The casinos are worth a visit! Not only because of the elaborate decorations, but also because of the food and drinks. There is free tea, coffee, freshly squeezed fruit juices and aperitif pastries. Everything your heart desires! Every casino has its specialties. For example, the London has the best fruit juices and the MGM has the most popular milk drinks with caramel and bubbles. Alcohol is very rare, for example in the City of Dreams (COD).
If you want to try your luck at the gaming table or the slot machines, you should take the opportunity. Unfortunately, we didn’t find any machines that accepted our MOP (Macau currency). If you go to the casino, be sure to take Hong Kong dollars (HKD) with you! It is also possible to exchange cash in the casino, but only from a certain minimum amount. With enough money, your visit to the casino will hopefully be a success!