Macau packs a punch
Macau is an undisputed heavy hitter. It’s a comparable hub to Hong Kong that more than holds its own in the fashion and food stakes. Travellers needn’t pass through Hong Kong borders to reach Macau either, with the Turbo Jet operating straight from the airport terminal and reaching Macau within 50 minutes.
In particular, Macau certainly punches above its weight when it comes to the drawcards of food and shopping, frequently cited reasons of a trip to Hong Kong.
Round one: Shopping
Magnetise your credit cards as Macau is a haven for shopping. All the world renowned designer brands have shop fronts here and better yet the prices are cheaper than Macau’s Asian neighbours.
Lower taxes and duties mean that high tech items as well as luxury goods won’t hit your wallet as hard. If luxury is what you’re after, look no further than the Cotai Strip which has its own attraction in the form of a Venetian canal and gondolas.
If antiques are more your style, the markets on the streets around Senado Square sell art, rugs, homewares and old-fashioned bric-a-brac.
New on the shopping scene is the Macau Tourism and Cultural Activities centre which is inside a traditional Portuguese building. The centre is filled with small stalls that sell handcrafted items and local designs.
For local fashion head to the designer hub of the Three Lamps district where you will find an outfit inspired by Macau – look out for mandarin collars and bright buttons.
Macau has a shopping festival that runs for the entirety of December and last year’s theme was “One day shopping, one day touring”. The festival aims to highlight the local creative shops that are uniquely Macanese.
Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro, or San Ma Lo, is widely regarded as one of the best places to shop for local delicacies, jewellery, fashion and electronics in boutique shops.
Pawnshops that reached their heyday during the Sino-Japanese War from 1930 are mostly turned into museums now to promote cross-cultural understanding, and are an ideal compromise of history and shopping.
The knockout:
Gold is a big ticket item for visitors to Macau as the jewellery is reasonably priced. Macau is also one of the best places to buy Portuguese wine and it costs a lot less to buy a quality bottle than throughout the rest of China.
Round two: Food
Everyone who visits Macau raves about the food, which is an irresistible fusion informed by Portuguese and Chinese heritage. The range begins with street food and accelerates to Michelin-starred restaurants.
Let’s start with traditional Portuguese fare, so good it will make you forget you’re in Asia. Antonio restaurant is the legacy of chef Antonio Coelho.
Found down a laneway in Taipa Village, be sure to order the gratinated goat’s cheese with olive oil and honey, saut√©ed garlic clams, codfish cakes, as well as the seafood stew with crab, prawns, scallops and fish. Garlic is the one guarantee you get in traditional Portuguese dishes, and O-Manel restaurant also serves it in large doses, particularly in the clams in lemon sauce.
Also found in the Taipa Village, this is an informal establishment with only six tables and football posters on the wall.
For the unique flavour of Macanese cuisine, make your way to Restaurant Litoral and order the curried shrimp with crabmeat as well as the famous African Chicken.
Mezza9 in the Grand Hyatt also dishes up Macanese fare, with the duck rice a perennial favourite. Even better, there’s an option of unlimited wine for less than a quarter of the meal price.
The street food is difficult to walk past, and there are many easy-to-gobble delights such as pork chop buns and egg rolls. Duck rice is also scooped up from large pans. Almond cookies are a crowd pleaser and sweet pork jerky can be found in the Macau tourism and cultural activities centre.
At the other end of the spectrum is Zi Yat Heen, which boasts two Michelin stars and specialises in high-end Chinese cuisine. There’s also Wing Lei, a dim sum specialist that has also earned two Michelin stars. To up the opulence, overhead is a dragon made of 90,000 crystals.
The knockout:
For dessert, head to McPherson’s Sweet Shoppe for the black garlic chocolate or ice cream. Even more outlandish is the durian ice cream, a gentle introduction to a taste that can only be described as cheese meeting onion meeting overripe banana.
Latest News
Voyages celebrates 40 years at Uluru with two new immersive experiences
No plans for celebrating your 40th this year? Here's a hot tip from us.
SkyDeck: The inflight entertainment you could never have imagined
Forget those external cameras you can live stream while in the air... With SkyDeck you can check it out for yourself.
Second Boeing whistleblower dies of ‘mystery infection’
Joshua Dean died from a fast-growing mystery infection on Tuesday.
Aussie winners of American Airlines ‘Sell Your Way to the USA’ announced
Show me the money! For the winners, Sell Your Way to the USA was worth getting involved in.
ANZCRO celebrates 30th with special edition of iconic New Zealand Book
Choice bro! ANZCRO celebrates its 30th with a special edition of its iconic New Zealand Book. Chur!
Room to move at Cairns Harbourside Hotel with ‘spacious’ new family package
Moody teens can eat two-minute noodles while younger brothers and sisters get to eat free with mum and dad. Win, win!
A&K unveils lavish around the world wildlife adventure in private jet
The kind of holiday that if you need to ask the cost, you probably can't afford it.
Flight Centre and Reforest hit one million trees target early
Nice one Flight Centre, we think you've earned an early Friday knockoff.
New cruise options spearhead stacked APT 2025 program
Just in case you thought you were running out of cruise itineraries, APT's here with a fresh batch.
Travel Weekly announces a new team to helm Australia’s No.1 travel trade title
Some shameless self-promotion from us, but we thought you needed to know who's bringing you the news.
IHG reveals plans for Brisbane’s first Kimpton in 2028
Just another reason to book that trip to Brisvegas. But don't jump the gun, it's not open until 2028.
Cruiseabout’s first store in five years opens in Perth
Perth gets a break from being behind the rest of the country with the addition of the first Cruiseabout store.
ATAS complaints process acknowledges non-economic loss
A High Court case win over 'disappointment and distress' on a cruise gone wrong prompts ATIA complaints change.
Cunard previews new Queen Anne
Yep, this one does exactly what it says on the tin.
Bunnik Tours unveils latest expansion to Iceland
Just as the Icelandic vikings did many years ago, Bunnik is expanding into new territories.
Australia’s first glamping retreat turns 25
25th anniversary gifts usually come in silver. Ours comes in the way of a news story.
Embrace the journey: Traversing the world with the Shokz OpenRun
If you’ve been on the wrong side of a final call in the airport, or missed the stop on rail journey, it might be time to invest in a pair of Shokz OpenRun headphones. Originally marketed as headphones for fitness fanatics, runners or cyclists with a keen to steer clear of a prang with a car, […]
Tourism Western Australia MD Carolyn Turnbull departs
Turnbull hints her new role will see her staying in the tourism and hospitality industry and who can blame her?
DriveAway launches Brit-Euro Blitz campaign
If agents can put the foot down quick enough and get involved, there are some great prizes to be won.
Fly and Stay Free with the Great Southern
Unlike those dodgy scam phone calls you're getting more and more of, there's no strings attached to this deal.
Sober travel and TikTok guide Australian Gen Z trips
Can you call it a sober holiday if you enjoy a few glasses of red on the flight? We think yes.
Travel DAZE Exec Agenda REVEALED: top execs to speak on airline competition
As the industry reels from Bonza's implosion, it is more important than ever to ask the big questions.
TTC: Deals are driving up demand for September trips
The latest market research from TTC Tour Brands shows interest in international leisure travel remains high for 2024, with 77 per cent of Australians over 18 still planning trips this year. Notably, 28 per cent of those travellers are eyeing September for their journeys. Europe continues to be the most popular destination, with 68 per […]
Skroo says Rex will need deep pockets to fill lost Bonza slots
The door is open for Rex, and anyone else who wants to launch a regional Aussie airline...
Sno’n’Ski Holidays unveils 2025 mega famil to Colorado!
Let the games begin - this is certainly not a famil that you will want to miss!
Walk Japan launches Kyoto: Mountains to the sea walking tour
There are two types of people, one who enjoys walking on holiday and another who enjoys sipping Mojitos by the pool.
Which destination had a 48% boost in bookings following 10 MILLION TikTok views?
Here's a clue: it's not Malabar Beach.
Asher Telford appointed General Manager of SeaLink Whitsundays
Telford has plenty of reasons to smile after SeaLink doubles down and makes him GM after buying his tourism operation.
Qantas ‘working urgently’ to fix app data leak
Qantas is looking into customer reports that passengers have this morning been able to access other passengers’ personal information on the airlines app. X user Lachlan posted that he was able log into different accounts every time he opened the app. My @Qantas app logs me in to a different person each time I open […]
Hilton Expands Presence in North Queensland with the signing of Hilton Garden Inn Townsville
Heading to a North Queensland Cowboys clash? Hilton Garden Inn Townsville is set to open, but not until 2026.
Rail Europe ANZ: making dream journeys come true
Rail Europe's running a lottery! You're not going to win millions, but you might just snag a free holiday.
UPDATE: Bonza hole deepens as administrators investigate financial affairs
Administrators dig deeper as struggling airline unlikely to be revived.
Revamped Wailoaloa Beach hotel opens as Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa
Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa is open and ready for bookings after the first phase of a multi-million-dollar transformation. Part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ premium collection, the transformation has seen the completion of 106 guestrooms showcasing contemporary interiors reflective of the premium Crowne Plaza brand and is a first for the […]
Nielsen Data reveals brands spending big to attract Aussie tourists
Trip A Deal, Virgin and Ignite Travel walk into a bar, blow their cash on travel advertising instead of the pokies.
Kamalaya Koh Samui clinches clutch of wellness awards
Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa has so far clinched five prestigious awards in 2024, including being inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’ at the World Spa & Wellness Awards in London. Founders of the Koh Samui sanctuary and spa John and Karina Stewart expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the awards. “We are profoundly honoured […]
Jetstar offers 200,000 return for free flights to celebrate 20th anniversary
Jetstar hits 20 and everyone else gets the presents with free return flights to domestic and international destinations.