Korean Job Discussion Forums

pkang0202 · Joined: 09 Mar 2007

A friend of mine suggested I go to Macau instead of Las Vegas. Anyone been there?

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

Macau is the Las Vegas of Asia.

It's very much like Portugal because it was a former Portugese Colony. It was handed over 10 years ago in 1999.

There are interesting sights - the place itself is not big.. pretty small, but has a lot of characters.

When you go there, you must eat EGG TARTS.

and bring me some when you come back!!! Laughing

partialtone · Joined: 27 Nov 2007

Been to both. Vegas has more gambling options, wider range of stakes, and 10x the party.

bbb0777 · Joined: 24 Aug 2009

Yes, but only for sight-seeing, not gambling. For sight seeing: It seemed a day was enough if one hurried. A friend and I visited as part of a Hong Kong/Macau combined trip. We took a one-hour ferry from a Hong Kong dock to Macau, then a return ferry directly from Macau to Hong Kong International.

Basically there's a cute downtown with lots of colonial Portuguese architecture/large hill with great views, surrounded by residential areas. Many other things more outlying on the main island, but that covered most of the tourist sites. Then there is the newer part of town (separate island) where all the newer/larger casinos are located.

The islands making up Macau are very small (much smaller than Hong Kong). We walked everywhere aside from taking a taxi from the old downtown area to the area with the newer casinos. The casinos seem to often have free shuttle buses between one-another as well. We took a bus from the Venetian to The Sands Casino (prominent, older casino near the dock).

blackjack · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Location: anyang

I loved Macau, I could actually imagine living there. It has a really laid back aging coastal resort feel to it. I spent a full day there and walked all over (my feet were killing me by the end and I stunk to high heaven). I checked out a couple of casinos and was underwhelmed. If that is anything like Las Vegas then las vegas is very overrated.

I played blackjack for a few hours won enough to pay for my macau trip and half of the hong kong trip

here are some shitty photos if you are interested

http://picasaweb.google.com/Daxwave/Macau#

and hong kong

http://picasaweb.google.com/Daxwave/HongKong#

cangel · Joined: 19 Jun 2003 Location: Jeonju, S. Korea

I was there in 2003 and it was hooker heaven. Awesome fusion of Portuguese and Chinese in the architecture. The food is quite good too. Now that the really huge casinos have taken over, it's probably priced to match. Pity.

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

mises · Joined: 05 Nov 2007 Location: retired

It is the center of degenerate activity for north east Asia. Much like Vegas for North America. It's worth a quick trip but don't expect to love the place.

bbb0777 · Joined: 24 Aug 2009

Er, as for hooker heaven:

I read that, but didn't see that much. I recall seeing one sex shop, and maybe one person who was almost certainly a prostitute.

I imagine, especially given it's gambling focus, that there are lots of prostitutes about if one is looking for such things, but if you're not, they are not going to be pervasiveness/stifling (as opposed to say Bangkok where prostitution extremely open/pushy/etc.).

weatherman · Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Location: Korea

I love macau. Would, as another poster said, think of living there. Lots of history, stories, and architecture if that is your thing. One could spend two days seeing just about every thing on the penisula and then another day on the two island (now one island). Laid back with a great mix of chinese and portuguese influences. I couldn't a give won about the gambling or support industries associated with it.

jamiewebber · Joined: 02 Sep 2009 Location: Gwangmyeong

I was in Macau in November 2007. Stayed at the Venetian resort. It was awesome. Can't spend too many days there, but it was a fun place to hang out for a few days. So many casinos and great food. Pretty easy to get around too. You can also (depending on what country you are from) catch the boat to Hong Kong very easily. The boat ride is about an hour and customs and everything on both sides take usually 30-60 minutes. It's pretty cheap too. Hong Kong is awesome as well.

Recommend them both. Have fun! If you go to Hong Kong and are looking for a cheap place to stay, wouldn't recommend the Chunking Mansions.

Ilsanman · Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Location: Bucheon, Korea

I would not say Macau is cheap. But not overly pricy as well.

I am going to Macau again next year. I can't wait.

Mosley · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

I haven't been to Macau for over three years now...I was living in Zhuhai for a while.

Compared to HK, Macau seems cheap. But compared to mainland China or Vietnam, etc., it can seem bloody expensive. Glitzy casinos have blighted the landscape & are out of my price league anyway.

BUT what some have said about the architecture, history, food, etc., holds true...it's worth about a 3 day trip. Don't ignore, if you're a history buff, visits to Catholic cemeteries and the quaint Prot. graveyard w/the Anglican chapel.

smoggy · Joined: 31 Jul 2009

Macau is wonderful. I walked all over, and saw the armory, the museum which gives the full history of Macau and the famous 1 sided church. It was destroyed during the war. That is the first stop everyone goes to see. I ate at one of the Portugese restaurants and ate like a Queen for 16US. I saw all of the Chinese with blank stares when they were losing their shirt. The Winn tower is wonderful. I understand since Sept. 2006, the economy has tanked and it is not as good.

Mosley · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

smoggy: When you say the "one sided church", do you mean the facade of the ruins of St. Paul's? If so, it was not destroyed during "the war" Confused

It was destroyed in a 19th C. fire.

Macau's history is interesting, but it doesn't hold a candle to HK's.

BTW: English-speaking travellers to Macau shouldn't expect all that much in the way of English being spoken. In fact, despite Port. lang. signs all over, Port. is not widely spoken. Cantonese is king.