HazelDiary

I finally got the chance to visit Macao on my recent trip to Hong Kong. Whenever we heard of Macao, the first thing that comes into our mind is casinos. That explains why they are aptly named the “Las Vegas of Asia”. Many of my friends suggested me to go for a day trip instead of 2 days trip and true enough. I think 1 day trip is just nice for me.

HOW TO GET THERE

Since it is a day trip from Hong Kong, we are taking an hour ferry ride to Macaou. All you need to do is to purchase the ferry ticket from two choice of ferry companies- TurboJet and Cotai Water Jet. We purchased from Cotai Water and paid HKD199 (economy seat) for one way over the weekend. You can opt to purchase round trip at the counter too. We bought our tickets at the ferry terminal but you can get discounts from Klook,Changi Recommends or KKday. The difference is one in SGD and the other one is in USD. This is to avoid the hassle to go down personally to purchase.

WHERE & WHAT I DO IN MACAO

It was raining whole day in Macao and I was quite disappointed of the weather. I cannot do much exploring the Taipa village and outdoor activities. I stayed indoor most of the time. So once we reached Venetian Macao, we went to have a look at the casino and explore the mall.

The interior design of Venetian Macao

Casino area

Then we headed to the bus station and took a shuttle bus from Venetian Macao to Studio City to take the Golden Reel ride. The Golden Reel ride ticket can purchase on the spot or if you enjoy discounts, you can purchase from Klook or Changi Recommends first. It is not just any Ferris Wheel because it is the world’s first figure-8 Ferris wheel (known as the Golden Reel). I choose this over Macao Tower because I think it would be quite interesting to take the ride snakes around the number 8. If only it was not raining that day, my view would be perfect.

The Golden Reel Model Display

 Next, we headed to Taipa Village via the shuttle bus provided to have a look at the place. But because it was raining and we didn’t get to take any photos and explore. We just stopped by a shop to have our lunch before deciding tot take a cab to Ruins of St. Paul.
 Ruins of St. Paul is the heart of old Macao and it is the iconic attractions. It is part of the Historic Centre of Macao which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And of course there are so many tourists despite the rainy day. Having said that, I also took a picture for keepsake as well.

Alternatively, you can also book Macau Sightseeing Day Tour and let the tour guide make all the arrangement for you. If you are foodie, sign up for Macau Half Day Walking Food Tour to explore the delicacies there.

This pretty summaries my day trip in Macao and I don’t think I will be back any soon. Perhaps the weather just made the whole experience not as fun as I thought. Maybe one day I will be back to discover the beauty of Macao.
HOW TO GET AROUND MACAO
When in Macao, you can get around easily using the free shuttle buses. They shuttle passengers between the ferry terminal and hotels in Macao Penisula , Cotai and Taipa. Observe the signage shown on individual bus station to check the destination you are planning to go. Queue in line and wait for the bus to arrive. Alternatively you can always take a metered cab to go around. I would advise you to save the cab money and travel using shuttle bus instead.
TIPS WHEN YOU ARE TAKING FERRY BACK TO HONGKONG
There are two ferry terminals in Hong Kong :-
1. Hong Kong China Ferry Terminal – 33 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
2. Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal – 202 Connaught Road Central, Central Hong Kong Island
We bought 7pm ticket back to Hong Kong but we were done exploring Macao at 5pm. So, we decided to try our luck if we are able to board the earlier ferry. And YES! There is a queue for those who want to travel back to Hong Kong earlier than its intended timing stated in the ticket. We queued accordingly and managed to board the ferry an hour earlier.

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