Hong Kong and Macau, a popular tourist destination for international tourists, are both popular choices.
However, Macau is small in size and has little to rival Hong Kong except for its gaming industry.
Considering that Macau’s land area accounts for only 3% of Hong Kong, this shows that Macau is far more popular than Hong Kong in terms of tourist density per unit area.
So, what factors attract more people to choose Macau as a travel destination?
Among Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, only Macau has a world cultural heritage.
The city’s architecture carries more than 400 years of historical memory, and the combination of Chinese and Western architectural styles is spread throughout the city, spanning from the Ming Dynasty to the Republic of China.
These historical sites not only bear witness to Macau’s development process, but are also well protected.
In particular, in 2005, the Historic Center of Macau was listed as a World Cultural Heritage, adding a unique charm to the city.
In contrast, Hong Kong has not yet had a single place listed as a World Heritage Site, which is largely attributed to its lack of sufficiently eye-catching cultural resources.
When it comes to travel experience, Macau is undoubtedly impressive.
The city is full of the charm of Lingnan culture and European style. Although the urban area is not large, it is full of small alleys full of historical and cultural atmosphere.
The streets are clean, the pace of life is slow, and there is a sense of tranquility and peace.
In sharp contrast, the streets of Hong Kong are greasy and crowded, the sidewalks are narrow, and the hurried footsteps of people make people feel depressed.
Here, towering skyscrapers can be seen everywhere, but they cannot provide a unique living atmosphere like Macau.
The hospitality of Macau residents is also one of the important reasons for attracting tourists.
Locals are very friendly to mainland visitors and rarely encounter indifference.
In addition, the Mandarin level of Macau people is generally high, which makes communication smoother.
In contrast, in Hong Kong, using Mandarin to communicate may lead to a cold reception, especially in some shops, where waiters greet foreign customers with a smile, but are indifferent to customers who speak Mandarin.
Even when taking a taxi, the driver may express dissatisfaction when hearing Mandarin.
Therefore, for many tourists, Macau is a place worth visiting again and again.
In terms of prices, Macau has an advantage over Hong Kong.
Although both places are cities with high consumption, Hong Kong’s shopping appeal has gradually weakened in recent years, while the prices of goods in Macau are lower than those in Hong Kong.
For example, the prices of brand-name cosmetics, skin care products and electronic products in Macau are relatively affordable, although the cost of dining may be higher than other parts of the country. For example, a bowl of beef offal or a bowl of food the size of ice cream costs about 50 yuan, and the cheapest bowl of noodles costs 40 yuan.
Because of this, many Macau elderly people push carts to Zhuhai to buy daily necessities every day.
Macau is a perfect holiday destination.
There are luxury hotels such as the Parisian, the Venetian, and the Galaxy Macau. Their appearance is magnificent and the interior decoration is luxurious and exquisite, which is very suitable for taking pictures.
More importantly, these hotels provide five-star service quality, integrating shopping, entertainment, dining and gambling.
In addition, there are world-class performances such as the House of Dancing Water and Cirque du Soleil for tourists to enjoy.
You can enjoy a colorful journey without leaving the hotel door, which is very suitable for couples or families.
As a major feature of Macau, the gaming industry attracts countless tourists every year.
It is one of the main pillars of Macau’s economy and contributes most of the GDP.
According to statistics, Macau’s GDP in 2023 is about 331.6 billion yuan, which is equivalent to Shantou City in mainland China.
However, Macau has only about 600,000 people, which means that the per capita GDP is as high as 560,000 Macau patacas, ranking among the best in the country.
For many people, they may never have the opportunity to set foot in Las Vegas in the United States in their lifetime, but they can come to Macau to experience it.
This place is known as the Las Vegas of the East, with top-notch casinos and entertainment facilities that are no less than their American counterparts.
Visitors can enjoy a unique entertainment experience here with a relaxed attitude.
Of course, we must also keep in mind the principle of “big gambling hurts the body, small gambling is enjoyable”. If you are lucky in your first try, you should stop after winning a few times.
In Macau, payment methods are very convenient.
Whether in large hotels or small shops, you can use WeChat or Alipay to pay. You only need to prepare a small amount of Macau pataca change for public transportation.
In Hong Kong, cash is still the main means of payment, and the popularity of electronic payments such as WeChat and Alipay is relatively low.
Guanqian Street is one of the most romantic roads in Macau. Together with Caodui Street and Camp Street, it is known as the three oldest streets in Macau.
This street is dotted with many creative shops selling Italian crafts and accessories, full of retro flavor.
Rua do Campo is a typical old street in Macau. The ground is made of small pieces of granite. There are both Chinese and European buildings on both sides.
A short street allows people to feel the perfect fusion of Eastern and Western cultures.
The Sanzhangdeng area is the most lively area in Macau. For local residents, this is the city center.
There are many food stores around, with all kinds of food.
When it comes to Macau’s food, this city is undoubtedly a paradise for food lovers.
Macau’s food culture is rich and diverse, integrating Chinese and Western elements, creating a colorful food scene.
In addition to the famous egg tarts, Portuguese dishes such as Portuguese chicken and African chicken are also worth a try.
Many food stores will let customers taste for free, and the owners are often very generous. You can directly cut off a small piece of meat jerky for customers to try.
Portuguese egg tarts are one of Macau’s traditional snacks.
Just like going to Guangzhou to taste morning tea and going to Chongqing to enjoy hot pot, you must taste egg tarts when you arrive in Macau.
The Portuguese tart has a crispy shell and a full filling.
Margaret and Andrew’s are considered the best egg tart shops in Macau.
It is said that the two shops were originally run by a couple, but they later opened their own shops because of their divorce.
Margaret’s Egg Tart Shop is located at 17B, Rua de Matongling; Andrew’s Egg Tart Shop is located at the basement of 1, Rua de Tassa, Coloane City Center.
There are many highlights worth exploring in Macau.
Although the city is small in size, it is full of charming charm and worth spending a day exploring slowly.
Landmark buildings such as A-Ma Temple, Ruins of St. Paul’s, the ruins of St. Paul’s College, and the Fortress of Mount Fortress can all make tourists deeply feel the historical heritage of this city.
A-Ma Temple was built in the Ming Dynasty and is the oldest existing temple in Macau. It ranks first in Macau’s World Cultural Heritage List.
The Ruins of St. Paul’s is a landmark landscape in Macau. It was once part of St. Paul’s Cathedral, the earliest Catholic church in China. It was built during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty. After going through ups and downs, it has now become a must-visit place for tourists.
The Fortress of Mount Fortress is the core fortification of Macau. It was built by the Portuguese in the 45th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty. It is equipped with 42 cannons and was a key part of the Macau defense system at that time.
Senate Square is the center of Macau. Local residents are accustomed to calling it the “fountain”.
Most of the buildings on both sides here were built in the late 19th century. The ground paved with black and white wavy gravel creates a strong southern European style.
Macau Tower is the tenth largest observation tower in the world. Its height exceeds that of the Eiffel Tower and it has the world’s highest urban bungee jumping project.
Located in the heart of Macau, the Church of the Holy Rosary was built in the Ming Dynasty. It has a Baroque front door design. The milky white exterior wall is matched with eye-catching green shutters, which is particularly eye-catching.
