Macao Travel Guide (Accommodation, Attractions, Dining, Shopping)

In fact, Macao is quite small, comprising the Macao Peninsula, Taipa Island, and Coloane Island. 

Let's start with  Accommodation

Macao is abundant in upscale hotels. As long as your budget allows, feel free to explore your favorite hotel brands. On the Macao Peninsula, you'll find renowned hotels like the Grand Lisboa, Wynn, and MGM Grand. Meanwhile, Taipa and Coloane offer even more choices, with international five-star hotels such as The Venetian and Galaxy Macau.

The Venetian Resort Hotel stands out for its unique concept, integrating a hotel, casino, shopping, and entertainment into one themed attraction. It's a destination that attracts tourists eagerly and is worth revisiting time and time again.

The Belle Suite boasts a spacious 70-square-meter room, featuring a stylish sunken living room that adds a unique flair. The integrated makeup area and bathroom are particularly delightful for female guests, with the beauty of the vanity adding to the surprise factor!

The Parisian Macao Hotel

While the space of the Deluxe King Room may not be as expansive as the suites at The Venetian, it makes up for it with its modern freshness! If The Venetian's interior boasts an extravagant and elaborate Italian style, then The Parisian's interior embodies a sleek and modern French aesthetic. The ambiance and cleanliness are satisfactory in all aspects, but my favorite part has to be the view from the window ledge.

The hotel's fifth floor provides direct access to the Eiffel Tower replica, where you can ascend and enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding area.

Additionally, The Parisian Macao Hotel is very family-friendly, making it perfect for bringing along children!

The outdoor pool complex, known as "Aqua World," features a variety of exciting water attractions, including a wave pool, the Jules Verne spaceship, the Mary Antoinette Tower, and a range of children's water slides ranging from 1 meter to 12 meters in height. It offers a diverse range of water-based entertainment for guests of all ages.

Sheraton

The Sands Cotai Central complex features four hotels: Conrad, Holiday Inn, Sheraton, and The St. Regis. This Sheraton property boasts 4,000 guest rooms, making it the largest in the Marriott International portfolio worldwide (and also in Macao). However, during my solo stay, the hotel's size didn't matter much. The room décor resembles that of The Parisian, and I even caught a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower view.

The Galaxy Macau complex houses several hotels: Banyan Tree, The Ritz-Carlton, Okura, JW Marriott, Galaxy, and Broadway. These hotels are interconnected via the Galaxy Macau casino and shopping mall, Galaxy Macau's Fashion Walk, making it extremely convenient for guests.

The Okura Hotel

As part of Japan's largest international five-star hotel chain, the Okura Hotel offers rooms that may not be large but are meticulously serviced with Japanese hospitality. Guests can easily transition from the hotel lobby into the Galaxy Macau complex, immersing themselves in dining, shopping, and entertainment options, including gaming. Additionally, they can stroll over to the neighboring Banyan Tree for a spa session, where the soothing aromas help release stress.

In addition, staying at any of the hotels within Galaxy Macau, don't miss out on visiting "Skytop Aquatic Adventure" — it features the world's largest skytop surfing pool, the world's longest 575-meter skytop rapids, and Macao's largest children's water play area (which easily outshines The Parisian, haha)! Even if you don't get into the water, taking a stroll through the sky garden is a wonderful experience.

Attractions

Ruins of St. Paul's

The Ruins of St. Paul's is undeniably one of Macao's iconic landmarks. Originally, it wasn't an "archway" but rather the façade of the St. Paul's Church ("San Ba" in Cantonese, translating to "St. Paul"). This church endured three major fires, with the last one leaving only the front wall standing — hence its current archway-like appearance.

After taking tourist photos at the front, visitors can also walk around to the back and climb up the ruins or venture inside to visit the Museum of Sacred Art and Crypt.

Senate Square and the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau Building

Senado Square is a plaza located in the historic city center of Macao, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It derives its name from its location opposite the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau Building.

The entire square is paved with cobblestones in a wave pattern, with a fountain standing in the center. Many public events are often held here, creating a vibrant atmosphere. The surrounding buildings each have their own unique characteristics, adding to the charm of the area. The only downside is the large number of tourists, resulting in crowds.

The Church of Our Lady of Rosa

Also known as the Chapel of St. Francis Xavier, the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes was originally built in 1587, with its current appearance reflecting renovations in 1828. Its distinctive yellow and green exterior stands out, complemented by its location near the bustling New Road not far from the Ruins of St. Paul's, attracting a steady stream of tourists. The interior of the church is also stunning, and it's recommended to visit while being mindful not to disrupt any ongoing Mass services.

The Taipa Houses-Museum

I've only admired its exterior as I passed by, but the façade is indeed stunning with its Tiffany blue color, attracting many tourists for photos. Its predecessor was the Taipa Municipal Council Building, erected in 1920, making it a century-old architectural gem.

Opening Hours: 10:00 to 18:00 (Closed on Mondays, Free admission on Tuesdays)

P.S.: Another architectural gem with a Tiffany blue exterior, and perhaps even more beautiful, is the Mandarin's House, located along the waterfront in Taipa. It's a popular spot for wedding photoshoots.

Black Sand Beach

"Black Sand Strolling" is one of Macao's eight scenic spots. Situated on the eastern side of Coloane Island in Macao, it boasts a natural beach stretching approximately 1 kilometer. Named for its black-colored sand, it's also the largest natural beach in the Macao area. Having grown up by the sea, I don't have a strong urge to visit beaches, but for those who rarely see the sea, it's worth a visit to experience this unique shoreline.

The Macau Tower

The Macau Tower Bungee Jumping! The "Skyjump" activity holds the Guinness World Record for the "Highest Commercial Decelerator Descent," making it a must-try for adrenaline seekers. It has been featured in various television shows, including the episode of "Supermodel Me" with guest appearance by Nicholas Tse, as well as other domestic and international programs.

Shopping

The Macao Peninsula

Senado Square and the New Road Area

Before or after snapping a photo at the Ruins of St. Paul's, don't worry about the crowds and take a stroll along the New Road. Here, you can admire the unique streetscape left over from the colonial era — European-style buildings paired with patterned cobblestone streets, instantly transporting you to Europe. Along the walking route from New Road to the Ruins of St. Paul's, you'll find must-visit stores for mainland Chinese tourists like Watsons and Sasa, as well as numerous skincare specialty shops, Marathon sports stores (I love browsing for shoes there), and mainstream brands like Bauhaus and bossini.

New Yaohan

Not far from New Road, within walking distance, is New Yaohan. Previously owned by the Japanese Yaohan Group, it still maintains a Japanese-style department store shopping environment and service (similar to Takashimaya in Shanghai). The mall spans multiple floors, covering essentially everything needed by people of all ages, especially featuring a wide range of Japanese brands.

Cotai

The shopping options here, both in terms of ambiance and variety, are truly remarkable! Why? Because just within the Sands Macau shopping complex, you'll find The Shoppes at Four Seasons, The Venetian Macao Shopping Center, and The Parisian Macao Shopping Center, seamlessly interconnected to create a vast shopping paradise. Plus, there's an indoor skybridge leading to Sands Cotai Central across the road, making the shopping experience even more convenient. Essentially, after a full day of exploring these four shopping centers, you'll easily surpass 20,000 steps. And let's not forget about the nearby Galaxy Macau Fashion Walk and City of Dreams...

The Shoppes at Four Seasons

With a name like that, you can tell it's a hub for luxury brands. The spacious layout and lower foot traffic make it an ideal shopping destination. Here, you'll find T Galleria (T Square), the duty-free shop under DFS, featuring a wide array of skincare and makeup counters. It's truly a paradise for luxury shoppers — as long as your wallet can handle it, shopping here is an incredibly satisfying experience!

The Venetian Macao Shopping Center

The Venetian Macao Shopping Center boasts a wide variety of brands, primarily focusing on mid-range options. Some stores I'd check out include those under the i.t umbrella, such as b+ab, Chocoolate, and Izzue, as well as the French shoe store Maud Frison.

It's definitely a mood booster to come across gondoliers serenading passengers while gliding along the Grand Canal as you shop.

The Parisian Macao Shopping Center

Whether indoors or outdoors, just like The Venetian replicates the water city of Venice, The Parisian is equally thoughtful. Within the shopping center, areas are named after renowned landmarks of Paris, such as Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Vivienne Gallery, and Montaigne Avenue. Though the number of stores is only half that of The Venetian, you shouldn't miss out on the high-end fashion boutique Antonia. Its first store was opened in Brera, Milan, a hub for fashion enthusiasts in Italy, making this the second store globally.

Sands Cotai Central Plaza

To be honest, my sole purpose for visiting Sands Cotai Central Plaza is Kid’s Cavern. Even though it's for selecting gifts for children, it's also an endless delight for adults, instantly transporting me back to childhood. (Though, let's face it, our childhoods were never this filled with such a rich array of things...) Here, you'll find toys from various brands suitable for children of different ages, several renowned children's clothing stores, a comprehensive range of baby and toddler products, as well as a dazzling array of stationery and office supplies (as a stationery enthusiast, I get lost in there and can't move). Plus, they even sell Herschel backpacks, which I adore. But if you're considering taking kids along, think twice...

Galaxy Macau Fashion Walk

If you're staying at Galaxy Macau, exploring the Galaxy Macau Fashion Walk is incredibly convenient. With its circular structure spanning two levels, the mall hosts a wide range of luxury brands as well as lighter luxury brands like Tory Burch and Kate Spade. Plus, there's even an Aesop boutique! Of course, the mall also offers a variety of dining options, including Deer Garden, Tsui Wah Restaurant, and a food court.

Cuisine

Macau boasts numerous Michelin-starred restaurants. For instance, there's the Michelin three-starred French restaurant Robuchon Au Dome at the Grand Lisboa Hotel.

Also located in the Grand Lisboa Hotel is Macau's only Michelin three-starred Chinese restaurant, The Eight, and the Michelin one-starred steakhouse, The Kitchen.

Apart from the starred restaurants, there are also numerous street-side specialty snacks waiting to be discovered.