After visiting Happy Valley and getting caught up in the enthusiasm and excitement, you want to explore further afield. The gambling and tourism mecca of Macau will surely beckons you.
Just 60 km from Hong Kong, ferries operate around the clock shuttling people between the two cities. The Portuguese turned Macau over to the Chinese government in 1999 and part of the agreement was that, for fifty years after the transfer, Macau must be able to operate with a high degree of independence. The Chinese government is responsible for foreign affairs and defense while Macau is responsible for almost everything else.
Unlike many governments around the world, Macau operates with very solid fiscal responsibility. Budgets are formed with expenses falling within the range of revenue. So solid are their finances, Moody’s Investors Service upgraded them to A1 in 2007. Decisions made are soundly based on their fiscal principles.
This bustling city is the world’s most densely populated area with some 18,500 people per square kilometer. Aside from the Las Vegas style casinos, there is a lot to see and do in Macau. Much of the architecture reflects the Portuguese influence on the city in its quaint cobblestone streets, Art Deco buildings, stone fortresses, and baroque churches. In 2005, Unesco designated the Historic Centre of Macau World Heritage Site as a collective group of 30 buildings and squares.
The entry of the world’s largest casino based on gaming tables, Sands Macau, in 2004 brought the gambling in Macau to a new level. Although the hotel no longer can lay claim to that title, it is still an impressive place to see. This also marked the first Las Vegas operated hotel and casino. The mega-casino was upon them and with that type of casino; the visitor level went up dramatically. Wynn Macau followed in 2006 and a landmark was set. Macau’s gambling revenue exceeded that of the Las Vegas Strip for the first time and making it the world’s highest volume gaming center. Other Las Vegas casinos have since opened.
The casino to visit in Macau is the Venetian Macau Resort Hotel located in Taipa. There is a convenient shuttle between the Sands and the Venetian casinos every 15 minutes so getting there is easy since the Sands is a short 15-minute walk from the ferry. A larger and more opulent version of its Las Vegas sister hotel, the Venetian Macau features incredibly detailed replicas of some of Venice’s most notable landmarks. This hotel resort has the distinction of being Asia’s largest building.
This amazing complex has some 20 restaurants, 3000 suites of 750 square feet or more, 3 floors designed to house some 350 shops, several bars, an arena that seats 15,000, a theatre, and the magnificent casino. Laying claim to the title of the world’s largest casino with its 600,000 square feet of gaming area, the casino will leave you awestruck. If you are used to the Las Vegas casinos, the Venetian Macau is about five times as large and much busier.
Plan on staying in Macau for a few days in order to be able to explore the casinos. Longer stays will be needed if you intend to roam the city taking in the sights.
