https://www.scmp.com/rss/319224/feed Learn about the exciting developments in the Las Vegas of Asia through Experience Macau, a special channel brought to you by the Macau Government Tourist Office. From the latest offerings at mega resorts to fine dining and concerts, travel guides or the annual Grand Prix, extend your stay to truly enjoy all Macau has to offer. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Macau’s economy may have taken a slight downturn, but that hasn’t dampened Melco Crown Entertainment’s enthusiasm for the city’s tourism and entertainment future. Lawrence Ho’s gaming and resort company has upped its ante in Cotai with the opening of Studio City, a new US$3.2 billion Hollywood-inspired, all-encompassing entertainment complex. Located close to the Lotus Bridge immigration point connecting Hengqin Island and a future station point for the Macau Light Rapid Transit, Studio City... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1883145/studio-city-adds-dose-hollywood-excitement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1883145/studio-city-adds-dose-hollywood-excitement?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Nov 2015 04:30:00 +0000 Portuguese mariners arrived in Macau in the 16th century and, in 1535, the nation’s  traders were granted rights to berth ships and to carry out trading activities. Christian missionaries quickly followed. Over the centuries, the Portuguese built homes, forts, schools and churches. St Paul’s Cathedral, whose ruins have become a symbol of the city, was built in 1835. It burned down during a typhoon, leaving behind only a stone façade. While China has resumed sovereignty Macau, Portugal left more... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1879805/month-festivities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1879805/month-festivities?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Nov 2015 02:00:15 +0000 Exploring Macau has become easier and more fun with the launch of two hop-on, hop-off circular bus tours. One takes tourists around key sites in the old city on the peninsula, while the other goes on a tour of the islands of Taipa and Coloane. The “Step Out, Experience Macau’s Communities” Bus Highlight Tours, which are operated by Grayline Tours (Macau), have guides on board providing commentary about the sights in English, Cantonese and Putonghua. A one-day pass allows sightseers to get on and... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1877468/new-bus-tours-offer-simple-way-explore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1877468/new-bus-tours-offer-simple-way-explore?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Nov 2015 01:31:05 +0000 Macau comes alive every autumn with the roar of sports car and motorcycle engines, as drivers, riders and enthusiasts descend on the former Portuguese enclave for one of the world’s most exciting sporting events. The Macau Grand Prix takes place on the Guia Circuit on the third weekend of November each year, and is the only street circuit in which cars and motorcycles compete. The 62nd annual edition, from November 19 to 22, has attracted 231 drivers from 31 countries, including 59 locals.... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1875246/revving-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1875246/revving-it?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Nov 2015 02:15:04 +0000 Food, glorious food Foodies should be getting their appetites ready for the Macau Food Festival. Located next to the Macau Tower, the festival comprises booths offering Asian and European favourites and specialities from all over the world. The festival runs from Friday November 13 until Sunday November 29. Opening hours are 5pm to 11pm, Monday to Thursday, and 3pm to 12am, Friday to Sunday. Where Sai Van Lake Square (Praça do Lago Sai Van)   Brilliant Brazilian at the Sheraton Brazilian... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1872837/november-macau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1872837/november-macau?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Oct 2015 02:15:45 +0000 Macau’s eating out scene continues to improve. There are fine dining restaurants, informal bistros, intimate cafes and - for a slice of Macanese life - bustling street markets, where the locals say some of the best food is to be enjoyed. Here is an overview of some of the newer eateries that are taking the former Portuguese enclave by storm. The Broadway Macau is home to Macau’s first indoor hawker-style street market, offering an authentic ambience and taste of a traditional Macanese street... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1868398/diners-delight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1868398/diners-delight?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Oct 2015 02:37:30 +0000 Macau is a great destination for weddings. Thanks to government incentives attracting overseas couples and wedding guests, resorts and properties hosting  wedding fairs and offering so many choices - paired with Macau’s colonial legacy and landmarks perfect for wedding snaps - it’s become more popular as a wedding destination. For those looking for an offbeat destination that combines European and Eastern sensibilities, the Macau Government Tourist Office has been enticing bridal parties since... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1866930/bridal-parties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1866930/bridal-parties?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Oct 2015 07:30:30 +0000 Portugal once had a far-flung empire with "overseas provinces" in Africa, Asia and South America. It was the world's first truly global empire, spanning more than five centuries. While Brazil was considered the jewel in the crown - by far the largest of Portugal's overseas possessions - it was also the first to gain independence. The South American giant split from Portugal on September 7, 1822.   Six years after its explorers discovered a sea route to India, Portugal established three bases in... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1864595/macau-celebrates-its-historic-connections?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1864595/macau-celebrates-its-historic-connections?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Oct 2015 02:35:53 +0000 It’s an action-packed October, from concerts to art, hotel openings, and beer festivals. DJ party reaches fever pitch It is time to party to your heart’s content with legendary Dutch dance music DJ and producer Tiësto. The popular music icon is coming to Club Cubic on October 2 with an essential experience for electronic music fans. He has ranked in the top five of DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs list for more than a decade, and received a Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording of John Legend's 'All Of... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1862413/its-all-happening-macau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1862413/its-all-happening-macau?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2015 02:21:32 +0000 More than four centuries after the Portuguese settled in Macau in 1557, the enclave was returned to Chinese administration on December 20, 1999. But why was that particular date chosen for the handover? Unlike the British, who enjoyed full sovereignty over Hong Kong until the handover in 1997, the Portuguese had acknowledged Chinese sovereignty over Macau decades earlier. They were the administrators, but not the sovereign power.  Portugal had, in fact, tried to hand the territory back to China... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1860376/macaus-handover-site-evolves-cultural-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1860376/macaus-handover-site-evolves-cultural-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2015 02:00:00 +0000 This year’s Macao International Music Festival (MIMF) isn’t just amazing, it is “Sound-mazing”. That’s how the 29th edition of the prestigious event, organised by Macao’s Cultural Affairs Bureau from October 4 to November 1, is being advertised. This year will feature 23 extraordinary performances with artists from Russia, Sweden, the United States, Portugal, Britain, Italy, Israel, Switzerland, Iceland, Taiwan, mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau. To promote outreach and engage grass roots... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1858401/sounds-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1858401/sounds-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Sep 2015 01:52:48 +0000 Ever since the Venetian Macao resort started the casino boom in the city  over 10 years ago, the landscape of Cotai has been continuously changing. For this year and beyond, a new wave of mega resort-casinos are in the works, and the first to debut in May was Galaxy Entertainment Group's Galaxy Macau Phase II. Expanding the complex to 1.1 million square metres, this is the first major resort opening in Macau since 2012 and cost HK$43 billion out of a HK$100 billion planned investment for Galaxy... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1856328/galaxy-macau-phase-ii-opens-new-worlds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1856328/galaxy-macau-phase-ii-opens-new-worlds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Sep 2015 02:15:00 +0000 French connection Catch one of France’s pioneering video artists in Macau. “Traverse: Video installation by Robert Cahen” runs at the Macau Museum of Art. The exhibition presents installations and video works by the renowned videographer. A graduate of the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, Cahen studied music and developed a strong interest in images and videos, becoming a pioneer in pairing music and visuals. The result is a journey between reality and illusion that creates... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1854448/bon-jovi-concert-kung-fu-panda-academy-best?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1854448/bon-jovi-concert-kung-fu-panda-academy-best?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Sep 2015 02:19:10 +0000 Macau's dining scene has completely evolved over the last decade, with the enclave now boasting Michelin-starred restaurants, serving haute cuisine,  alongside a long list of food and beverage outlets representing the farthest reaches of the globe. But hidden away in the back alleys of the Old City, Taipa Village and along the beaches of Coloane are pedigreed restaurants that serve home-style grub made with recipes that have been passed down through generations. Established in 1903, Restaurante... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1852450/get-taste-old-macau-visiting-these?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1852450/get-taste-old-macau-visiting-these?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Aug 2015 01:34:39 +0000 One of the world’s most well-known fireworks festivals will mark another year in Macau in September. The 27th Macau International Fireworks Display Contest will illuminate the waterfront next to the Macau Tower on September 5, 12, 19, 27 and October 1. The event will feature 10 international teams demonstrating their pyrotechnic prowess and lighting up the skies over the city with spectacular fireworks demonstrations. This competition among the world’s best fireworks professionals makes for an... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1850734/macau-international-fireworks-display?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1850734/macau-international-fireworks-display?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Aug 2015 03:34:50 +0000 Senado Square Senado Square sits at the heart of old Macau. Overlooking the triangular-shaped plaza is a building called the Leal Senado, which means “loyal senate” in Portuguese. It was the seat of the enclave's legislative assembly before Macau was returned to Chinese administration in 1999. The Leal Senado houses a library with an important collection of books on Chinese history, along with a lovely courtyard garden and a ceremonial meeting room lined with portraits of Macau's Portuguese... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1848586/step-senado-square-and-past-walking-tours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1848586/step-senado-square-and-past-walking-tours?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Aug 2015 02:15:15 +0000 Macau is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of its historic centre earning official recognition as a Unesco World Heritage Site. The city’s collection of notable monuments is a rich tapestry of Portuguese and Chinese history, and includes more than 20 locations such as A-Ma Temple, Moorish Barracks, Mandarin’s House, Dom Pedro V Theatre, the Ruins of St. Paul’s and Guia Fortress. To recognise this milestone, the Macau government has arranged activities that cover everything from art to culture,... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1846421/monumental-celebration-macau-mark-10th?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1846421/monumental-celebration-macau-mark-10th?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Aug 2015 01:20:58 +0000 Hear out young musical talent Head to the Macao Science Center, Institute for Tourism Studies or Dom Pedro V Theatre during the first week of August to enjoy free classical music performances with the Macao Young Musicians Competition. Organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Macao, the event seeks to promote the development of local classical music and provide opportunities for young talents to gain stage experience. Some 700 candidates signed up this year, but only 30 have made it to the... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1844314/augusts-best-events-and-deals-macau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1844314/augusts-best-events-and-deals-macau?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Jul 2015 03:45:30 +0000 Coloane might be just a hop, skip and a jump from the mega resorts, massive shopping malls, and glitzy casinos of Cotai, but it is an entirely different world, where high-rises are the exception rather than the rule. Before it was linked to Taipa through the land reclamation that created Cotai, Coloane constituted the former Portuguese enclave's largest land mass. Even today, it is Macau's green lung, with beaches, rolling hills, and sylvan forests – the perfect spot to escape the maddening... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1842487/other-side-macau-fun-all-family-coloane?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1842487/other-side-macau-fun-all-family-coloane?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Jul 2015 03:15:43 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1841455/10th-anniversary-inscription-historic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1841455/10th-anniversary-inscription-historic?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Jul 2015 08:11:20 +0000 A walk through Macau's historic St Lazarus district is like a short course in Sino-Western history. Kun Iam Tong is a good place to start. The temple, at No 2 Avenida do Coronel Mesquita, which is also known as Pou Chai Sim Iun, dates back to the 13th century. The structure was built during the Ming dynasty in 1627. One of Macau's most important Buddhist temples is historically significant for two reasons. Marco Polo is said to have studied Buddhism there and the first treaty between China and... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1838603/temples-picturesque-gardens-and-quiet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1838603/temples-picturesque-gardens-and-quiet?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Jul 2015 02:15:15 +0000 After the world’s most decorated chef Joël Robuchon was enticed to Macau in 2001 by Hotel Lisboa to open the enclave’s first gastronomic restaurant – Robuchon au Dôme is now based at Grand Lisboa Macau – many other fine-dining restaurants have been established across the city. Recent arrivals include 8 ½, Otto e Mezzo Bombana and Fook Lam Moon, whose Hong Kong establishments have both earned Michelin stars (three and one, respectively). Since the inaugural Hong Kong Macau Michelin guide in 2008... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1834059/seven-best-fine-dining-restaurants-macau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1834059/seven-best-fine-dining-restaurants-macau?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Jul 2015 01:32:26 +0000 Holy trail Chinese mythology includes the tale of a child who was born a grown boy and had never been a baby. He was also born to be a good fighter, and would fight anyone to defend the weak, including his father. He was later made a deity called Na Tcha, often depicted flying on a wheel of fire. To honour Na Tcha, worshippers - many of them working in the transport industry because of the god boy’s ability to swiftly move about - gather for his birthday celebration on the 18th day of the fifth... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1829197/julys-best-deals-memorable-stay-macau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1829197/julys-best-deals-memorable-stay-macau?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jul 2015 02:00:53 +0000 Macau is not just for gamblers. A growing number of families are travelling to the former Portuguese enclave thanks to fun-filled and educational attractions that children find entertaining. There is Macau Tower, with its ultrahigh definition 3D and 2D theatres (Jurassic World is showing until July 1; and Terminator Genisys from July 2-15), observation decks with spectacular views, and the chance to test your nerve on the world's highest bungee jump. Children doing Skywalk X, a walk around the... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1824835/science-movies-and-skywalk-why-macau-isnt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1824835/science-movies-and-skywalk-why-macau-isnt?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Jun 2015 02:28:24 +0000 A mix of Chinese and Portuguese influences have created a special street-food culture in Macau. Here’s are six snacks to try - or bring back as gifts for friends and colleagues to show you know your stuff. 1. Pork chop bun - a piece of bone-in chop on a bun sounds simple, but the humble shack, Café Tai Lei Loi Kei (18, Largo Governardor Tamagnigi Barbosa, Tayopa) turned the basic staple into a cultural institution with a marinated tender meat on a crusty chewy bun. It’s a snack but it’s... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1822177/street-food-six-best-street-food-snacks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1822177/street-food-six-best-street-food-snacks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Jun 2015 01:30:15 +0000 French Connection Officially opened at the end of May, The exhibition “From Lorient to the Orient - Port Cities of China and France on the 18th Century Maritime Silk Route”, organised by the Macao Museum as part of the 26th Macao Arts Festival and Le French May, will run until the end of August. The showcased items, which include textiles, costumes, oil paintings, prints, porcelain and moulds, include those on loan from various authorities in France such as the Musée de la Compagnie des Indes de... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1818338/music-museums-and-suites-quick-guide-junes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1818338/music-museums-and-suites-quick-guide-junes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Jun 2015 01:41:05 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1815692/step-out-experience-macaus-communities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1815692/step-out-experience-macaus-communities?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2015 03:15:15 +0000 Macau has seized global attention for its huge integrated resorts in the reclaimed Cotai area, but it is also known for its history as a Portuguese enclave in China from 1557 to 1999, a period that has left behind graceful architecture and cobblestone lanes. Whether you are a first-time visitor or a regular, one route that never gets old is exploring the Historic Centre of Macau. A great place to start is the city’s most famous site: Largo Senado. This square, flanked by pastel neoclassical... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1810165/step-out-and-discover-macau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1810165/step-out-and-discover-macau?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2015 01:49:37 +0000 One evening near the end of December 1999, I was walking with a group of friends on Taipa Island in Macau. The city’s return to China was hours away and we were deciding what to do before the midnight handover. One of our party spied a Portuguese coat of arms, one of many flying on pennants along the roadside, and quickly climbed onto a fence to claim it as a souvenir – just as two police officers drove past. They saw us, but didn’t stop. Those colonial emblems wouldn’t be there much longer... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1810157/city-lotus-flower?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1810157/city-lotus-flower?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2015 01:45:15 +0000 You might say Macanese cuisine is the original fusion food. Hong Kong diners are generally familiar with the dishes, but many find describing the cuisine much more difficult. It is not traditional Portuguese and the spices and sauces are different than Chinese, but there are traces of both. Generally, fans agree the distinctive flavours are unlike any other cuisine. Yet, it is tricky to place the origins of the dishes because in most cases it might not come from just one specific source. In... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1810150/macanese-cuisine-offers-something-every?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/experience-macau/article/1810150/macanese-cuisine-offers-something-every?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2015 01:45:15 +0000