Macau

A whirlwind day trip to Macau from Hong Kong turned into one of the most action-packed adventures of our trip. After a quick ferry ride, we jumped on the free casino shuttle to the iconic Grand Lisboa, then set off on foot toward Senado Square, where Macau’s Portuguese heritage is on full display, from the wavy “calçada portuguesa” mosaic streets to the colorful azulejo tiles lining buildings and restaurants. Of course, we couldn’t resist sampling the city’s famous egg tarts along the way. From there, we explored the Ruins of St. Paul’s and dove into the excellent Macao Museum before heading up to Guia Fortress and its lighthouse for sweeping views. A stop at the serene A-Ma Temple offered a quieter moment before we hopped on the LRT to the Cotai Strip, where Macau shifts into full Vegas mode. After wandering through a few over the top casinos, we caught the spectacular House of Dancing Water – a mesmerizing blend of Cirque du Soleil style acrobatics and high energy aquatic performance, packed with nonstop action, daring stunts, and stunning visuals. We ended the night bouncing between the Venetian, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and Studio City before racing back on the LRT and making the last ferry to Hong Kong with just minutes to spare. Exhausting, exhilarating, and unforgettable, Macau left us wanting to come back and explore it all again, this time at a slower pace.

The Grand Lisboa (left) and the original Hotel Lisboa (right) located on the Macau Peninsula

Becky beside a bicycle rickshaw in Macau

The iconic Casino Lisboa, a landmark gambling venue that has been in operation for decades

Interior lobby of the Grand Lisboa Hotel and Casino in Macau

A mammoth ivory carving of the Great Wall of China displayed in the lobby of the Grand Lisboa Hotel

Grand crystal chandelier located in the lobby of the Grand Lisboa Hotel

Artistic lamp located in the opulent lobby area of the Grand Lisboa Palace

Detailed ivory carving of monkeys in the lobby of the Grand Lisboa Hotel

An example of "Calçada Portuguesa" (traditional Portuguese mosaic designs) outside the Macau Portuguese School which features "azulejos" (ceramic tiles) on its exterior

Lukfook Jewellery store with "sun and wave" Portuguese pavement patterns on the sidewalk outside

Distinctive Portuguese style mosaic sidewalk in the historic center of Macau

A building with traditional Portuguese style azulejos ceramic tilework in the historic center of Macau

Cathedral Square; Macau

A corner panel of Azulejos (traditional Portuguese ceramic tiles) depicting a historical shipbuilding scene

Bishop's House (Paco Episcopal) in Cathedral Square (Largo da Sé)

Azulejo ceramic tile designed by artist Raquel Lou that illustrates the cultural friendship between Portugal and China (traditional Chinese lion dance alongside Portuguese folk dancing)

St. Dominic's Church (recognized as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Historic Center of Macao)

Leal Senado courtyard with traditional azulejo tiles. Built in 1784, this was the seat of government during the Portuguese administration

Santa Casa da Misericórdia (Holy House of Mercy) in Senado (Senate) Square. Founded in 1569, this served as a medical clinic, orphanage, and refuge for widows of sailors

Facade of a historic yellow building featuring a mix of Portuguese colonial and Chinese architectural influences in Senado Square

Saint Dominic's Church was built in 1587. It is one of 29 sites forming the "Historic Center of Macau", a UNESCO World Heritage Site

A historic street scene in Macau showcasing traditional architecture influenced by both Portuguese and Chinese cultures

Selfie in front of a Macau sign made from azulejos tiles

A bustling pedestrian street in the historic center of Macau, where up to 200,000 tourists visit per day!

A vibrant alleyway in the historic center of Macau

Traditional Macanese almond cookies

A vendor offers free samples of caramelized Macau-style beef and pork jerky on Rua de S. Paulo (Dasanba Street), the narrow pedestrian street leading up to the Ruins of St. Paul's

Friendship statue

Ruins of Saint Paul's, a famous 17th Century landmark in Macau

UNESCO heritage site St Paul's was built by Jesuit missionaries and Chinese craftsmen and destroyed by fire in 1835. The surviving stone façade displays a blend of European and Asian design elements, often referred to as a "biblical sermon in stone"

Detail of a winged demon on the Ruins of Saint Paul's

The surviving stone façade of St. Paul's is one of the "Seven Wonders of Portuguese Origin in the World"

View of St Paul's from Monte Fort

Historic stone staircase leading up to Monte Fort

Bronze bell replica of the historic coat of arms of Macau at Mount Fortress

Becky next to one of 32 cannons used successfully to defend against an attempted invasion by the Dutch in 1622

Exterior balcony of the Macao Museum

Gilded red lacquerwork on a panel featuring several hunters pursuing tigers; Macao Museum

Traditional Chinese carved wood panel on display at the Macao Museum

A historic cast iron post box from the Portuguese colonial era on display at Macao Museum

Chinese ancient astronomical instruments used to measure celestial coordinates and track the movements of heavenly bodies

Miniature diorama showcasing historical life in Macau

A handcrafted Qilin mask commonly used in traditional dances

Vintage Beijing opera doll

Vintage poster for Black Hawk Brand firecrackers manufactured by Kwong Hing Tai Firecracker Co in Macau

Traditional Chinese wedding bed

Limestone stele, commissioned in 537 by the Eastern Wei dynasty, depicting Shakyamuni Buddha flanked by bodhisattvas

Terracotta army figurine of a middle-ranking officer

Traditional puppet from a Chinese opera theater display

This intricate sculpture is carved from a single piece of Dushan jade

Chinese fish shaped lanterns used for festivals

Antique furniture on display at the Macao Museum

Heavily embroidered blue and white Cantonese opera costume

Vintage Market is a hidden gem focused on 90s inspired clothing

This pedestrian alley is located in the historic São Lázaro district of Macau

Chui Lok Chi Mansion in the São Lázaro district is a fine example of Sino-Portuguese architecture

Painting of the São Lázaro district on a pillar box in Macau

Yellow colonial building in the historic center of Macau

Becky is happy with our matcha and bubble tea

Decorative signage that is part of a cultural initiative to direct visitors to the historic St. Lazarus' Quarter in Macau

St. Lazarus Quarter is a historic neighborhood known for its Portuguese architectural influence

Traditional bamboo scaffolding and protective green nylon netting construction scene in Macau

Entrance to the Mercado Municipal da Horta da Mitra in Macau, a market originally built in 1939

The historic UNESCO world heritage Guia Fortress is a 17th century colonial military complex located at the highest point of the Macau Peninsula

Panoramic view of the Macau peninsula cityscape from Guia Fortress

A happy chef at a local restaurant in the historic district of Macau

Mural of Portuguese poet Camilo Pessanha created by street artist Vhils (Alexandre Farto); Consulate of Portugal

Fried sesame ball

This Capitol Theater building opened in 1931 as one of Macau's first cinemas

Senate Square

Street scene in Macau's historic center

Rua da Felicidade (Happiness Street) in Macau

Cat in the historic center of Macau

Street intersection in Macau

High density, old residential building in Macau

A typical old residential building in Macau characterized by iron security cages on balconies and windows to prevent burglary

Lilau Square

Largo do Lilau (Lilau Square) is renowned for its historic Portuguese style residential buildings

Footpath in old Macau

Moorish Barracks in Macau

A pet grooming business in Macau

Barra Square

Entrance to the historic A-Ma Temple in Macau

Circular moon gate of the A-Ma Temple

Conical incense coils hanging inside the A-Ma Temple

Worshippers at the A-Ma Temple, the oldest temple in Macau (established in 1488)

Becky standing in the circular moon gate of A-Ma Temple

Mural of children playing on a tire near A-Ma Temple

One of the Inner Harbor heritage district murals

Mural of a traditional palm reader

The MGM Cotai resort in Macau

The iconic gold lion sculpture at the entrance to MGM Cotai Casino Resort

Interior of the Wynn Palace Hotel

Interior of the Dancing Water Theater in Macau, which is home to the world's largest water based show "The House of Dancing Water"

"House of Dancing Water" show at the City of Dreams resort on the Cotai Strip

Amazing costumes on display at the "House of Dancing Water" show, which cost a whopping $250 Million to produce!

The "House of Dancing Water" show features a vast pool that can hold over 17 million liters (4.5 million gallons) of water

The "House of Dancing Water" is a 90 minute spectacle combining acrobatics, dance, and diving with a cast of over 300 artists and technicians!

We were mesmerized by the "House of Dancing Water" show which was incredible!

The 2000 seat theater holds the equivalent of 5 Olympic sized pools! Using advanced stage technology, eight stage lifts can convert the aquatic pool into a solid floor in seconds