A Family Trip to Macau: Learning to Balance Work and Play with Your Child

📍 Macau · 👁 7099 reads · ❤️ 34 likes

Every summer vacation, I take my child on a trip. The goal is not only to broaden his horizons but also to let him have a great time, so that he can settle down and focus on studying afterwards! This summer, we plan to go to Macau because my husband had been there on a business trip before and left with a very good impression. When traveling, the first thing to consider is the hotel accommodation. My husband said that several hotels under Sands Macau, such as The Venetian Macao, The Parisian Macao, Conrad Macao, Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel, and St. Regis Macao, are all great, and he especially recommended The Venetian Macao, which integrates accommodation, dining, shopping, and entertainment for a one-stop experience. It sounded good, so we chose it~

The location of The Venetian Macao is truly excellent, in a bustling area with convenient transportation. The hotel service is impeccable, with complimentary shuttle buses for guests.

Its architecture is also very striking and unique. The colorful walls exude a romantic vibe, and anyone who loves European architecture will fall in love with this place.

There is also an artificial lake around the hotel, sparkling beautifully under the sunlight.

For family trips, consider booking the Bella Suite. We booked online a few days in advance and almost missed out on this room type. After all, during summer break, many parents are traveling with their children! By the way, staying two consecutive nights currently offers a 30% discount!

The room has a sleeping area and a children's area. The sleeping area has a king-size bed, perfect for me and my husband. The children's area has bunk beds that can sleep two kids. My son is a bit mischievous and wanted to sleep on the top bunk, but for safety reasons, we insisted he sleep on the bottom bunk.

To my surprise, the bathroom had children's toiletries, which felt really thoughtful! The towels were folded into cute elephant shapes, and a row of little yellow ducks lined the edge of the bathtub. A perfect stay experience!

Along the way, my husband repeatedly reminded me not to go too crazy at The Grand Canal Shoppes. He was afraid I'd drain his credit card—what a cheapskate! What I didn't expect was that before being conquered by the various famous stores, I was first captivated by the beauty of The Grand Canal Shoppes! Watching the gondolas drift along the canal, looking up at the dreamlike sky—it was utterly enchanting!

Admiring the stunning European architecture at The Grand Canal Shoppes and listening to the gondoliers' melodious songs, I felt as if I were on the streets of Italy—romantic and leisurely. I wished time could stand still!

After enjoying the scenery, it was time for business. To make shopping easier, I handed my child over to his dad, and the two of them followed me around like little sidekicks. Let me start with the first store I visited: Victoria's Secret! It's on the third floor of The Grand Canal Shoppes. Selected bras were only MOP 98, less than 10% off, and there was also a 50% discount on selected bras.

Besides very sexy lingerie styles, the store also had sports bras! The fabric was very comfortable, with good elasticity. The staff proactively helped pick suitable styles, without being pushy.

The black lingerie looked incredibly alluring—so sexy it made me blush a little~

After looking around, I decided that more modest lingerie styles suited me better!

The duty-free shops in Macau are full of magic and have been flooding my social media feed recently. When my friend heard I was taking the whole family to Macau, she immediately sent me a list full of beauty and skincare products. Today, I'll take you to have a good look at Artyzen Duty Free. We arrived just in time; the store wasn't too crowded.

Selected full-priced beauty products from the same brand were buy 2 get 1 free, and selected best-selling lip products were buy 3 get 2 free. No wonder my friend was so eager for me to bring back a whole suitcase—the duty-free shops in Macau are having incredible deals!

I suggest not coming during peak hours~ The staff told me that during busy times, you have to fight for items! Sounds a bit scary but also exciting!

At the buy 2 get 1 free counter, there was a dazzling array of skincare products. SK-II's "Ex-boyfriend" face mask is really good!

The fragrance area could be smelled from far away. I really like Gucci perfumes; the bottle design feels elegant. While I was trying perfumes, my husband and child kept circling around me, looking very interested! It seems that regardless of gender, we're all creatures driven by scent!

My husband doesn't have many hobbies, but he loves buying shoes. Adidas is a brand he's worn since his school days—it feels like he's developed an emotional connection, haha!

While my husband focused on picking his shoes, I looked at a few sneakers for my child. The scalloped toe design looked quite trendy, and the sole had just the right firmness!

The T-shirts were also great; the fabric felt smooth, and there were many colors and styles. In summer, you need a few more of these cool short sleeves.

MLB—their baseball caps are well-known and very popular. The store had rows of shelves with many types of hats, a real challenge for anyone with decision paralysis! Selected items were 2 for 30% off. If you like baseball caps, come check it out!

Do you prefer flashy or simple hats? Personally, I like simple, plain-colored ones. After all, I'm a mom now, not as showy as before, haha!

Besides hats, the store also had some sandals, backpacks, clothes, etc. The items were a bit mixed, but mainly hats.

I bought a waist bag for my child—it will definitely look cool on him!

Apart from The Grand Canal Shoppes, you can also shop at Four Seasons Shoppes, Sands Plaza, or The Shoppes at Parisian! Because of my friend's request, I specifically went to DFS at Four Seasons Shoppes. Being a bit directionally challenged, I downloaded the Sands Resorts Macao indoor navigation app. With navigation, nothing could stop my shopping spree!

Four Seasons Shoppes has many well-known luxury brands. We saw quite a few along the way; Dior's advertising screen was huge!

DFS has many Western beauty brands. Following my friend's list, I bought a lot for her and secretly bought the same items for myself—pretty smart, right?

Crossing the Starlight Bridge brings you to Sands Plaza. I mainly came here to check out Adventure Kingdom; I couldn't just focus on shopping and ignore my son!

Adventure Kingdom is on the 3rd floor of Sands Cotai Central. The staff told us that Macau medical workers and local residents can enter for free. I suddenly felt envious, but it's okay—as long as the child has fun, it's worth spending money!

Adventure Kingdom is divided into several areas with many scenes, full of fairy-tale charm! Bringing kids here is not only fun but also educational!

When it comes to food at The Venetian Macao, there are countless options. Here, I highly recommend Lord Stow's Egg Tarts.

Sitting by the river, enjoying the crispy egg tarts and drinking milk tea while taking in the beautiful scenery—it's really relaxing! The egg tarts are delicious, highly recommended!

After much thought, we decided to have Chinese food in Macau. Northern Kitchen is located at Shop 1015, Ground Floor, The Venetian Macao, and is easy to find. The restaurant's decor is festive and very Chinese!

Their xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) and roasted lamb pita sandwich were both very tasty. The xiaolongbao had flavorful broth, and the lamb pita was full of meaty aroma!

The mouthwatering chicken was slightly spicy, and my child liked it. The garlic white pork was not greasy, with a perfect balance of fat and lean!

At the end of the trip, my child asked if we would come back to Macau again. My perfect answer was: It depends on your performance! For parents, how to appropriately reward children is a profound subject. If you're planning a trip with your kids soon, consider Macau! You can have fun and save money—why not?

Travel Diary Table of Contents

1. Hello, The Venetian Macao

2. The Grand Canal Shoppes

3. Four Seasons Shoppes and Sands Plaza

4. Lord Stow's Egg Tarts and Northern Kitchen

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