Macao
Macao, known as the “Las Vegas” in Asia, is located in the Pearl River Delta on the southeastern coast of China, adjacent to Guangdong Province, 60 kilometers from Hong Kong and 145 kilometers from Guangzhou. Although small, with an area of 32.9 square kilometers, Macao is steeped in history and has its irreplaceable urban charm.
Macao consists of the Macao Peninsula and the two islands of Taipa and Coloane, with a total population of 683,200, making it one of the regions with the highest population density in the world.
A former Portuguese colony for over 400 years, Macao has been a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China and an international free port since 20, December 1999. For hundreds of years, Eastern and Western cultures have collided and blended here, making Macao a unique city with a wealth of historical and cultural relics. On July 15, 2005, the Historic Centre of Macao officially became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
On the Macao peninsula, the cultural attractions such as the Ruins of St. Paul’s, the Fortress, the St. Dominic’s Church, etc., tell the beauty of past Macao; The Narrow gravel roads, intertwined banyan trees, mottled walls within reach, Baroque carved decorations, and so on, all to hide the old stories of Macao.
There are luxury hotels on Taipa Island, and the famous Venetian Macao Hotel is also here. The brightly lit casino and the splendid shopping malls are all explaining another modern Macao to tourists.
Useful Information
Area: 32.9 km²
Average annual temperature: 22.3°C
Geography: West Bank of Pearl River Estuary, opposite Hong Kong
Population: 683, 200 inhabitants. (2020)
Economy: Export processing industry, tourism and gaming, construction and real estate, and financial insurance industry.
When to Visit Macao?
Macao, like Hong Kong, has a subtropical monsoon climate. The best time to visit Macao is from October to February of the following year for enough sunshine and less humidity. The month from May to September is hot, rainy, and sometimes has typhoons.
How to Get to Macao?
Macao has a strategic location and can be easily reached by land, sea, and air. Traveling to Macau from various places can take the plane and land directly at Macau International Airport; from Hong Kong, the ferry is the most convenient and time-saving way; from the mainland, Zhuhai Hengqin Port is the nearest choice.
The richness and diversity of Macao’s cuisine are far beyond the imagination of most tourists.
Macau was once a Portuguese colony and during the 400 years of colonial rule, Cantonese food and Portuguese food experienced an unprecedented collision and mutual absorption, resulting in the unique Macanese cuisine. For example, Goa chicken, Portuguese chicken, braised oxtail, Portuguese sausage, etc., are famous Macanese dishes worth trying.
Besides the main meal, Macao’s snacks are also a mouth-watering experience. The soft and sweet egg tarts, the popular Chinese burger – pork chop bun, the smooth and creamy pudding, and the crunchy and delicious Almond cookies are all must-try dishes in Macao.
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