The Ultimate Macau Vacation: 8D7N In The Las Vegas Of The East!
After checking out the hotel, I and my family decided to visit some of the nearby attractions. It was drizzling lightly, contradictory to the type of weather we expected. A hotel porter that we met in the lobby who also happened to be Filipino informed us that when it drizzles in Macau, it's probably raining hard somewhere in the north of the Philippines; similarly, while a day-long tropical storm is happening in the Philippines, Macau will experience the same phenomenon subsequently but only for an hour long or so.
Tip: Always bring an umbrella (a foldable one would be more convenient for traveling) just in case.
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Page 1: Fisherman's Wharf, Hotels and Casinos Tour, Senado Square, Ruins of St. Paul and more!Page 3: Shrekfast, Studio City's Golden Reel, Batman: The Dark Flight, and The Venetian!
GOLDEN LOTUS SQUARE
We entered an alley lined with Chinese restaurants to the right of the hotel doors; straight ahead was the Golden Lotus Square.
From what I researched in the internet, the Golden Lotus in full bloom symbolizes Macau's prosperity as a country. According to Wikipedia, "the sculpture was presented by the State Council of the People's Republic of China in 1999 to mark the Macau sovereignty transfer from Portugal."
After taking photographs, we crossed the street via an underpass to Sands Macau, the golden building opposite the square. There was a flower park with a circular fountain in its center. It was too beautiful to pass up so we sat on one of the stone benches while little princess and my dad went close to the fountain.
We all felt as if the spiritual powers of water gave us renewed energy. Water naturally does that. So after five minutes of taking in the gentle tinkling of the fountain we crossed the street to the Macau Fisherman's Wharf.
FISHERMAN'S WHARF
The Fisherman's Wharf is a harbour-side complex of entertainment structures, shopping establishments, restaurants, and hotels. Construction of the site was still ongoing by the time we visited, hence the cranes and netted areas captured in some of the pictures that I took. Most of the place was already open to the public, though.
Photobombing crane spotted.
A replica of the Roman amphitheater!
Shops and Convention Center.
Cute little shops!
Little baby stared at this display for five solid minutes muttering and babbling before we could drag her away.
This is actually a stuffed animal shop.
They had an ongoing exhibit of jade jewelry from Myanmar at the time of our visit.
Back outside, we saw this map and wondered how helpful it could prove to be since some areas were still closed to the public.
A cozy-looking beer garden.
The Babylon Casino.
Aww, that's just adorable!
THE RUBBER DUCK FESTIVAL
As we walked further into the wharf, we spotted a bunch of big yellow figures from a distance which seemed familiar if not for their size. Approaching with trepidation, the sight seemed so surreal and all too nostalgic, and an overwhelming amount of childhood bathtime memories hit me before I could even say "quack".
A bunch of giant rubber ducks. As it turned out, there was a Rubber Duck festival during our visit. There were rubber duck-related booths, cafes, games and merchandise! How lucky were we? I absolutely adore rubber ducks! They're so cute!
The Legend Marina, the wharf itself.
By the time we finished touring the whole Wharf, it started to rain down hard. Although I previously stated that water actually makes a weary traveler feel spiritually-charged, we were not prepared for this kind of downpour so we had no choice but to run back to our hotel. Had the weather been cooperative then, we would have gone to the Macao Science Center and the Giant Rubber Duck as both attractions were a mere five-minute walk away from the Wharf.
The Macau Science Center. When our bus passed it once, it was covered with green netting. Perhaps they were refurbishing it?
The giant rubber duck in Macau. We last saw it floating beside the Macau Science Center when our bus passed by it.
The Space Science Gallery on the first floor of the Macau Science Center. (Photo from the MSC website).
The Children Science Gallery on the first floor of the Macau Science Center. (Photo from the MSC website).
The Science Express Gallery on the first floor of the Macau Science Center. (Photo from the MSC website).
The Robotics Gallery on the second floor of the Macau Science Center. (Photo from the MSC website).
The DNA Gallery on the second floor of the Macau Science Center. (Photo from the MSC website).
The Food Science Gallery on the third floor of the Macau Science Center. (Photo from the MSC website).
The Macau Science Center also had a special exhibit called "Dinosaurs Live!" that featured animatronic dinosaurs, interactive virtual reality, and augmented reality games to teach the public about these fascinating creatures of the past. (Photo from the Macau Daily Times).
Photo from the Macau Daily Times.
Photo from the Macau Daily Times.
MACAU GRAND PRIX MUSEUM AND WINE MUSEUM
We spent two hours in our hotel room watching 90's-era Hollywood movies with Chinese subtitles before the downpour finally weakened to a fine drizzle again. I and my brother decided to pay a quick visit to the two museums housed inside the Centro de Actividades Turisticas which is right across Golden Lotus Square and Fisherman's Wharf.
The first of two museums is the Macau Grand Prix Museum. It exhibits memorabilia of notable Grand Prix victories in Macau's history.
A racing simulation game.
The second museum inside the building, just across the Grand Prix Museum, is the Wine Museum.
The multimedia center. Those barrel seats are cute!
A wine cellar replica with some items of note.
Wines in storage from as early as 1854!
This details the process of wine-making.
They've a wine-tasting booth-- MOP 10.00 for three shots.
There's also a wine shop for those who want their drink before dinner.
DAY 4
SENADO SQUARE
Our fourth day in Macau started out uneventful. In the morning, we walked to the Jai Alai bus station to board Bus #8 (Fare: MOP 3.20 each). Seven stops later, we alighted at Largo do Senado (Senado Square), one of Macau's iconic tourist attractions. Since Macau was formerly a colony of Portugal, evidence of Portuguese influence in the architecture within the square is obvious.
It was only when we stepped into the square that we noticed that something was very wrong with our timing. It's unnatural for the crowd to be dense at 8:00 AM. I checked the calendar on my phone and discovered that I have unknowingly committed two travel blunders-- first, it was May 1, a holiday; secondly, it was Sunday, a weekend.
Get your free maps, brochures, coupon books, and flyers here.
Saint Dominic's Church.
There are lots of shops on the way to the Ruins of St. Paul.
Pictured above is Tea Plus, a food stall in Senado Square where we stopped for some breakfast.
The Portuguese egg tart of infamy-- piping hot, crispy, cookie-like pastry base with a rich, not-too-sweet egg custard filling! Life is awesome! One tart costs MOP 20.00.
Pork chop bun (MOP 35.00 each)! I love how the savory pork chop is encased in a toasted, crispy, buttery bun!
Durian puree (MOP 35.00). It's plain puree with no added extras. It's sweet and odorful, too!
There is absolutely no room to drop a single pin here.
Shops leading to St. Paul's Ruins.
THE RUINS OF ST. PAUL
More people at the Ruins.
Climb the stairs as you avoid stepping on someone else's toes to reach the Ruins.
Ruins (rear view).
Beside the ruins were some food stalls. Imagine our surprise when, upon inquiry, we learned that there was a huge difference between the prices of the food here from Tea Plus where we purchased our breakfast. Here's a list of comparisons between the two:
- The egg tarts here beside the Ruins cost MOP 9.00 each while the ones from Tea Plus cost MOP 20.00 each!
- The pork chop buns beside the Ruins cost the same as the one from Tea Plus at MOP 35.00 each.
- The food stall beside the Ruins were not crowded while Tea Plus is.
- Tae Plus sells only milk tea as beverage, while there is definitely more variety in the food stall beside the Ruins.
Tip: Buy egg tarts from the food stalls beside the Ruins (they basically taste the same) if you want to save some money.
You could have your picture taken with Captain America for MOP 5.00. The gimmick was part of a promotion of the newly-opened wax museum near the Ruins.
FORTRESS ARMOURIAL GATE
Beside the Ruins of Saint Paul, there's a little garden that leads to the Macau Museum and the Fortress Armourial Gate. You could take either stairway, and it will lead you to the same place. The stairway to the right, pointing to the Fortress, is less steep, less crowded, and a whole lot wider than the stairs on the left.
Beside the Ruins of Saint Paul, there's a little garden that leads to the Macau Museum and the Fortress Armourial Gate. You could take either stairway, and it will lead you to the same place. The stairway to the right, pointing to the Fortress, is less steep, less crowded, and a whole lot wider than the stairs on the left.
Go further right to take the less crowded stairway.
Restroom and cafeteria here.
Macau Museum.
A view of Ponte 16.
EVENING TOUR OF MACAU PENINSULA'S HOTELS AND CASINOS
We decided to head out of our hotel after checking and making sure that there would be no chance of a sudden onset of rain. The sun had already set by then and we were in our hoodies as the night air was a bit chilly. Taking a taxi, we headed for our first stop in our night-time Macau peninsula tour.
AURORA AT THE MGM GRAND
It's common knowledge that the hotels in the Macau peninsula have different attractions inside them-- all unique, state-of-the-art, and designed to lure in the average tourist to their shopping establishments and casinos. The first hotel we visited was the MGM Grand Macau-- in its grand foyer was the lovely Aurora.
(Related: To read my Tripadvisor review on Aurora, click here.)
(Want the best, discounted rates for MGM Grand Macau? Book via Agoda!)
A panoramic view of the whole Aurora display.
This castle with a clock face could very well be where Cinderella hears the clock strike midnight and loses her shoe as she hurriedly runs to her coach.
Aurora is an enchanting display of whimsy and magic, with a giant cylindrical water tank filled with marine life and huge butterflies adorning the ceiling. Kids and adults alike ogled at the angelfish swimming daintily and the sea snakes coiled around a sprig of orange coral. Beautiful notes of piano serenaded not just the onlookers but also the diners nearby nibbling on macaroons and cake. Truly a fantastic experience! To get to the grand foyer without passing the casino, enter through the doors near the giant golden lion.
And now, the high-end shops and restaurants at the MGM Grand:
Mmmmmm, buffet!
MOON JELLY, DRAGON OF FORTUNE, TREE OF PROSPERITY, AND PERFORMANCE LAKE AT THE WYNN HOTEL
(Experience the four unique attractions of Wynn Macau! Book via Agoda!)
(Experience the four unique attractions of Wynn Macau! Book via Agoda!)
Just beside MGM Grand is Wynn Hotel.
Kids are not allowed through here!
The Ascott is right in front of Wynn and MGM Grand.
Passing through MGM Hotel's luxury shops and boutiques, we walked to Wynn Hotel. Through one of the side entrances was Encore lobby with its famed Moon Jelly Tank-- a light-up tank filled with transparent Moon jellyfish that are soothing and fun to look at.
In a separate entrance, located opposite Starworld Casino, is where the two famous Wynn Hotel shows are held: the Dragon of Fortune and the Tree of Prosperity. Although it says on the website that these two shows alternate their showtime every thirty minutes, we found out this was not the case. As of the time our visit, Dragon of Fortune was only shown in the afternoon and evening (12:00 NN- 12:00 PM) while Tree of Prosperity was only shown in the morning (9:00 AM- 11:30 AM). I'm not sure if this is a permanent schedule, though. It's best to send Wynn Hotel staff a mail before going.
Dragon of Fortune is a short (less than five minutes at most) show about a dragon born from fire in the heavens sent to Earth to bring about fortune and good luck. Some of the effects are fog and loud booming noises coupled with dark lighting, so it's easy for some small children to scream and get really scared (mine did). Nevertheless, it's still worth a visit if you're in the area.
(Related: Read my Tripadvisor review of Dragon of Fortune here.)
In contrast to the Dragon of Fortune, Tree of Prosperity is longer and uses soothing Chinese music instead of those loud special effects. At more or less than ten minutes, the Tree of Prosperity is about the elements of the earth and sky in harmony giving birth to a tree that brings about prosperity. Of the two shows, this one has the less tendency to make small children cry, but it probably won't impress bigger children and adults that much, too.
A large tree emerges from the opening in the ground.
People throw coins at the tree's base.
The entrance to the lobby where they do the Dragon of Fortune and the Tree of Prosperity show is opposite StarWorld Casino.
After the Dragon of Fortune, it was a short walk to the Wynn Performance Lake for a musical fountain show. For more or less than four minutes, we watched as colorful spouts of water shot up into the sky as they danced to the rhythm of a slow-beat Chinese song. It was very beautiful, but nothing makes it unique from other musical fountains I've already seen before.
THE GRAND LISBOA, WHERE EMPLOYEES DON'T SEEM TO KNOW WHERE TO DIRECT THEIR GUESTS
After the Wynn Performance Lake, we headed for a nearby underpass to cross to the Grand Lisboa Hotel and Casino to watch the Crazy Paris Performance. Again, language barrier had gotten in the way-- and in this instance, it has triumphed over our determination. After asking for directions to the show from the lobby, we were directed to the information counter and then to the casino where, obviously, we were not allowed in.
NEW YAOHAN DEPARTMENT STORE
We were frustrated and exhausted so we just decided to bail and get some dinner. The nearby New Yaohan department store with its food court on the 8th floor sounded promising so we headed there and found out how crazy their food court system is! Diners have to go around the food court and take note of the number of the dish they like and then pay for it in a communal counter-- basically, it's the whole food court versus four or five counters. At least their chow mein made up for my crankiness.
It was 9:00 PM, our stomachs were grumbling, and this is the only picture of New Yaohan I took-- need you ask why?
This is similar to what I had for dinner that night-- pork chop chow mein. I love Macanese pork chops! They're so tender and savory! (Image from B-Kyu Books.)
Next up: Shrekfast, Studio City's
Golden Reel and Batman: The Dark Flight
The Venetian and more!
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