Macau is a small territory of just over 30 square kilometres, and China’s Special Administrative Region. Despite the city’s notably small size, it has long won the title of one of Asia’s main entertainment centres, especially when it comes to nightlife and, of course, gambling. With that said, the Macau's leisure options are varied, and you can find plenty of things to do whether you like arts, music, shopping and dining out, outdoor activities and more.
Nightlife in Macau
Nightlife is what Macau is known for. With 38 casinos (2016), an abundance of luxury resorts, bars and clubs, the city excels in night-time entertainment. One of Macau's main attractions is, of course, the Cotai Strip ' a brightly-lit street of resorts and casinos beckoning with the promise of a great night out. The city's biggest and most popular resort and casino is The Venetian Macao ' a luxury 39-story casino hotel famous for its luxurious living quarters, the Venetian Macao San Luca Canal, large casino space and Cotai Arena ' a popular venue for the city's premier sports events.
Events in Macau
Due to its well-developed tourism sector, Macau often welcomes world-famous performers and hosts a variety of events. The Venetian Macao itself is home to a number of regular best-selling shows and performances like Thriller Live. Cotai Arena is the city's main venue for concerts and sporting events and has hosted a large number of premier events including UFC Fight Night Bisping vs. Le (2014), The Prismatic World Tour by Katy Perry (2015), MADE 2015 World Tour by BIGBANG (2015), various MMA championships and more.
Shopping and dining out
Macau has everything you might ever need for a relaxing day of shopping and dining out. The city is a true Mecca for shopaholics, and you can find almost anything here from locally made trinkets to famous international brands and exquisite boutique shops. A lot of shoppers travel to Macau during sales season to hunt for great deals on designer clothing. Rua S Domingo is an avenue lined with apparel and cosmetics shops; Senado Square is home to a number of brand clothing stores and plenty of local food stalls while Rua da Palha offers a great selection of artwork.
You will never go hungry in the city as well. From expensive casinos and resort restaurants to cheap and delicious street food offerings, the city's cuisine is varied and international. Here, you can find Chinese eateries, European bakeries, Portuguese restaurants, and more. Some of the must-try dishes include Macau's signature egg tarts, almond cookies, steamed milk pudding and Caldo Verde.
Sports and recreation
If you prefer to spend your leisure time enjoying the outdoors, you won't be strapped for choice in Macau. The region has some really beautiful nature spots and you can catch sweeping views of the region on any of the city's popular hiking trails: Taipa Grande Trail (4km, about 90 minutes), Taipa Pequena Trail (2.3km, about 40 minutes) and Hác Sá Long Chao Kok Family Trail (2.15km, about 30 minutes).
In Macau, you can also spend some nice relaxing time by the sea, there are two main beaches in the region: Cheoc Van Beach and Hác-Sá Beach. You can also enjoy cycling ' bike rental is available near Pak Tai Temple in Taipa. Golfing is also popular in the region. The Macau Golf & Country Club in Coloane Island is one of the most beautiful golf courses in the Asia. You can also find facilities for bowling, ice skating, horse riding, karting and more.
Useful links:
Macau SARG Travel
The Venetian Macau
WhatsOn Macau
Macau Government Tourism Office
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