Where to Stay

The emergence of Macau as a gambling mecca has translated into more hotels of less character. The dreamy Westin Resort (1918 Estrada de Hác Sá, Colôane) remains an exception, but it may be too far out of town for most visitors. If 17th-century fortresses are more your taste, try the Pousada de São Tiago (Avenida da Republica, 853-378-111, www.saotiago.com.mo), which was built to defend the channel between the western mouth of the Pearl River and Macau harbour. In one of the city’s oldest neighbourhoods, it now operates as an inn.  

Where to Eat

Macanese food is influenced by Indian, Malay and Chinese cuisine, along with that of Portugal and Brazil. Feijoada migrated to Asia via Europe and is now on menus at most traditional restaurants in Macau. Fine dining establishments, featuring dignified waiters and linen tablecloths, include A Bica (223-225 Av. do Dr. Rodrigo Rodrigues) and Dom Afonso III (11A Rua Central). And don’t leave without trying Macau’s staple of great soups and Portuguese-style breads. For those who like slow food – meaning slow to get to – take a drive to Fernando’s Restaurant (Praia de Hác Sá No. 9, Colôane). Intrepid visitors must depart the mainland by bridge and cross busy Taipa, then continue over the causeway and through Colôane village, following a winding road down around the southern tip of the island. Only then will lonely Hác Sá (Black Sand) beach reveal itself, along with the vine-covered, dog-friendly shack that is Fernando’s.

What to Do

The Qing Dynasty-style A-Ma Cultural Village honours the goddess A-Ma, deity of seafarers (for whom Macau was named). The attraction includes Tian Hou Palace, along with access to a hiking trail. If the Las Vegas-of-Asia glam and glitter don’t appeal to you, take in the region’s green spaces, including Lou Lim Ieoc Garden (Estrada de Adolfo Loureiro, 853-337-676) and the less formal Garden of the Arts (Av. de Amizade) that winds through the downtown area. For golf courses and beaches, you could head to the two tiny islands of Colôane and Taipa, which are literally a hop away. (Plans to link the islands with the Taipa-Colôane Land Reclamation project will surely lead to more tourist traffic.)

Resources

Veteran British journalist Annabel Jackson is arguably the best Macau food writer. She has published Hong Kong, Macau, and the Muddy Pearl, a quirky, food-fuelled travelogue of the Pearl River Delta, and the Macanese cookbook Taste of Macau: Portuguese Cuisine on the China Coast. Those who want to put the region’s history into perspective might read Austin Coates’ A Macao Narrative, which explores Macau’s Portuguese heritage.  

Getting There

Air Canada offers daily non-stop service to Hong Kong from Vancouver and Toronto. Ferries offer service to Macau from Hong Kong.

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