Macau Resumes Independent Travel! This 'Travel Restart Guide' Will Show You Around Macau
📒 Preface
As soon as Macau reopened its borders, I went there for 3 days. I really missed the food and great hotels there. Right after returning, I wrote this travelogue experience immediately, hoping to provide a little guidance for fans who want to visit Macau. This 'Travel Restart Guide' selects 'must-visit' recommendations from three aspects: attractions, food experiences, and hotel stays. Friends can save this post.
Ruins of St. Paul's Church, originally built in the 17th century and destroyed in the 19th century, reflecting the fusion of Eastern and Western cultures in Macau. The church suffered three major fires, leaving only the front facade. Because the Ruins of St. Paul's look very similar to ancient Chinese memorial arches, and the architectural style blends Eastern and Western elements, it is very distinctive.
We arrived at the ruins at 9 PM, with very few tourists, allowing us to take photos however we liked.
Suggested itinerary: We stayed at the Grand Lisboa Hotel for two nights, just a 25-minute walk from the Ruins of St. Paul's. After dinner, we walked along Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro, passing various old European-style buildings such as the Banco Nacional Ultramarino, the Senate, and Travessa do Amor.
The Largo do Senado, full of Southern European charm, is called 'the Fountain' by Macau locals. It has been the city center since Macau's founding. At 8:45 PM, the streets were empty, so I quickly captured it with my camera.
The old city area of Macau preserves the oldest and most numerous Western-style buildings in China. The night view along Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro is beautiful.
Advertising signs written in traditional Chinese characters reflect a strong commercial atmosphere.
Macau was Europe's first and last colony in Asia, colonized nearly three centuries earlier than Hong Kong, so colonial traces are more evident.
For example, the Bishop's Hill Chapel on Penha Hill is worth visiting. It is a Gothic Revival-style church backed by a hill and facing the sea, with a very tall gate tower and a statue of the Virgin Mary standing on the pointed roof.
The church was built in 1622. The surrounding ancient trees have grown tall, and the green plants provide a great background for photography. The church itself is a sacred and solemn place, so many people come here to take wedding photos. Because Bishop's Hill is relatively high in altitude, you can overlook the Macau Peninsula city area and Nam Van Lake, which is quite nice.
Macau is an international city with a variety of cuisines from China, the West, the South, and the North, a paradise for food lovers. As a seasoned foodie, I certainly didn't miss out. This star-hunting trip successfully checked off two Michelin three-star restaurants, making it absolutely worthwhile.
My first stop in Macau was Robuchon au Dôme, a French restaurant that has received three Michelin stars for 12 consecutive years. It is the only three-Michelin-star Western restaurant in Macau, created by the legendary French chef Joël Robuchon, with current executive chef Julien Tongourian. It ranks among the top five French restaurants in the world and number one in Asia.
The entire restaurant's decor is excellent. Upon entering, you see a very impressive wine cellar. Below, I will introduce this ultra-luxurious dining experience from the perspectives of the restaurant's view and food presentation.
🌟 The restaurant's seats are arranged along the outer edge of the glass dome. I went for lunch on a clear day with high visibility, offering a 270-degree view of the Macau Peninsula cityscape. The scenery was stunning, and I heard the night view is even better. 🌟 The lunch menu has three sets. The cheapest is 998 MOP, including one starter, one main course, cheese or dessert, and coffee or tea with classic sweets. The other two sets add an extra starter or main course respectively. Wine is ordered separately. 🌟 The specific menu can be seen in the picture above. Ingredients include caviar, foie gras, seafood, etc. The bread and self-selected desserts are excellent, and the service is great. When serving wine, the waiter carefully introduces it to the guests. 🌟 Upon seating, the waiter provides a mask bag; when serving food, a transparent glass cover is used to keep it warm. 🌟 The restaurant is located in the dome on the highest floor of the Grand Lisboa Hotel. Take the elevator to the 39th floor, then transfer to another elevator to the 43rd floor. 🌟 Every waiter wears a badge with their name and country identifier to facilitate communication with guests from different countries. 🌟 There is a dress code: women can wear fashionable casual clothes, men must wear long pants, and open-toed shoes and sleeveless tops are not allowed.
It is said that the success rate of proposals at this restaurant is quite high because of its ultra-luxurious and captivating atmosphere. In the center of the restaurant hangs a giant chandelier with 131,500 Swarovski crystals, cascading like a waterfall from the 19-meter-high domed ceiling. Reflected by the marble floor and paired with Baccarat crystal floor lamps on both sides, it is very romantic.
Under the Swarovski crystal chandelier, a pianist performs. When we went to take photos, the pianist even cooperated with eye contact for the photos.
The restaurant's tables, tableware combinations, and decorative pieces are very distinctive. During our meal, we used Riedel crystal glasses for wine and Bernardaud high-relief platinum plates for food, very high-end. Recommended dishes: At Robuchon au Dôme, two French dishes are must-tries: 'Caviar and King Crab Tartare with Seafood Jelly' and 'Grilled Beef Fillet and Foie Gras with Port Wine Sauce.'
The presentation of 'Caviar and King Crab Tartare with Seafood Jelly' is like a work of art with stunning appearance—I couldn't bear to eat it. The tiny dots show the chef's skill. The center has black caviar on top, crab meat hidden underneath, surrounded by seafood jelly. On top of the seafood jelly are small yellow balls made from a mixture of broccoli and green parsley cream. The ingredients include French caviar and Alaskan king crab, perfectly blending the rich, full flavor of caviar with smooth broccoli cream.
The second dish, 'Grilled Beef Fillet and Foie Gras with Port Wine Sauce,' is served by two waiters presenting a rectangular wooden box to you. When opened, it emits a strong smoky aroma. The beef fillet and foie gras, grilled at low temperature with rosemary and dry twigs, sit in the middle. The foie gras is not greasy, melts in your mouth, and is super delicious. Dipping in the specially prepared port wine sauce adds layers of flavor.
Regarding wine, we chose three types to pair with the meal: white wine, red wine, and champagne. According to the waiter, the restaurant's wine list is the most comprehensive in Asia. Since 2005, it has received the 'Grand Award' from the famous wine review magazine Wine Spectator every year. I can only say: awesome!
French dining is full of ritual and takes a long time. Our lunch lasted four hours. Before the starter, the waiter recommended a French bread cart and carefully explained the names and textures of various breads.
Then, they made butter for the bread on the spot, served in two small dishes: one salted, one unsalted.
After the meal, desserts were served. A dessert cart was pushed over with various cakes, followed by an ice cream cart. Many of them I had never tried before, full of novelty, and I wanted to try each one.
Many flavors I had never tasted before, like the vanilla ice cream in the picture below. They offer both sorbet and ice cream. The difference is that sorbet has less cream and more water, suitable for ladies on a diet.
🍽 [Food Guide] 🖼 Restaurant Environment: The restaurant is grand and romantic, with a 270-degree view of the Macau cityscape. 🕙 Opening Hours: Currently only open for lunch; please refer to the official website for details. 📍 Address: 43rd Floor, Grand Lisboa Hotel, Macau SAR, Robuchon au Dôme.
After French cuisine, we tried Cantonese cuisine. The 8 Restaurant we visited is the only high-end Chinese restaurant in Macau that has received three Michelin stars for seven consecutive years.
The restaurant's name uses the number '8', which, along with the vibrant goldfish theme, brings good luck and fortune to all guests. The restaurant's decor mainly uses red and black, looking noble, luxurious, and full of traditional Chinese characteristics.
Entering the restaurant, you first walk through a glass corridor. On both sides are slowly flowing water curtain walls. Using light projection technology, it cleverly simulates a goldfish pond scene. The lively goldfish move as guests walk by, very innovative.
In the center of the dining area hangs a silver crystal ball that reflects different colors, and together with the reflection below, it forms an '8'. At the back of the restaurant is a giant double-sided embroidered goldfish screen, extremely lifelike and complementing each other.
The ceiling lights use decorations like copper coins, very traditional Chinese. The restaurant is famous for exquisite creative dim sum and classic Cantonese dishes made with modern cooking methods. Let's take a look at some classic dishes below.
Appetizer: a small spoon with a small abalone and beef stuffed with morel mushrooms.
Golden Garlic Emerald Star Grouper is a signature dish. The coral grouper has sweet and fresh meat. The sugar-crispy fermented black beans and golden fried garlic create a unique aroma when combined with the grouper. Before serving, a broth-based sauce is added to make the grouper even smoother.
Assorted Roasted Delicacies: includes honey-glazed Iberico pork char siu, pan-seared scallops, and organic cherry tomatoes with snow crab.
Fish Maw, Shredded Duck, and Conpoy Soup
Crispy Blue Angel Shrimp and Pipa Chicken with Mixed Herbs
Braised Rice with Abalone and Chicken in Clay Pot
Post-meal dessert with strong Macau characteristics: egg tart with milk tea. The egg tart's pastry is thin and crispy, the custard rich and smooth; the milk tea is silky and fragrant, just a small cup, perfectly sized.
We also paired champagne, white wine, and red wine with the meal. Good wine helps enhance the flavors of food and open up the layers of taste.
Photo with Executive Chef Xie Jinsong of the 8 Restaurant
🍽 [Food Guide] 🖼 Restaurant Environment: The restaurant is unique and grand, full of traditional Chinese characteristics. 🕙 Opening Hours: 11:30-14:30, 18:30-22:00. 📍 Address: 2nd Floor, Grand Lisboa Hotel, Macau SAR, 8 Restaurant.
The Grand Lisboa Hotel currently has the most Michelin stars in Macau. Including the one-star innovative steakhouse 'The Kitchen', it has a total of 7 Michelin stars. But the hotel also offers more affordable local Portuguese-Macau specialties.
The Café da Manhã's croissants are very popular; many locals come to buy bread for breakfast the next day.
Below are some classic local favorites:
Portuguese-style pork neck: tender meat, eaten with shredded cucumber underneath for a different taste.
Bacalhau balls: salted cod mixed with mashed potatoes, then deep-fried. Almost every Macau local orders this as a starter at restaurants.
Grand Lisboa Club Sandwich
Café da Manhã – Noodle Zone is where you can taste Chinese dim sum and dishes, such as various hand-pulled noodles, Cantonese congee, and Sichuan-Shanghai snacks.
The restaurant features fast service and a performance. You can enjoy the famous 'Kung Fu Tea' performance in the noodle zone, which is also a delight.
The restaurant decor is very Chinese-style. The pillars on the bridge are decorated with the twelve zodiac animals, quite special.
Next to the tables are lotus ponds, and the lotus leaves are made of metal.
The food quality in the noodle zone is good, prices are affordable, delicious and not expensive. Money-saving tip: pay with a membership card for a discount.
To experience authentic Macau tea restaurant culture, I recommend the Crystal Lounge. We had breakfast there. Hong Kong-style pineapple bun, pan-fried cocktail bun, four-treasure rice, and the signature char siu fried egg rice are all specialties. The restaurant is open 24 hours, so if you stay at the Grand Lisboa, you can enjoy late-night snacks downstairs anytime you're hungry.
Signature char siu fried egg rice
Hong Kong-style pineapple bun: look at the thick slab of butter in the middle.
Macau people's favorite nostalgic snack: spicy sardines with luncheon meat instant noodles.
The Grand Lisboa Hotel goes beyond the definition of an ordinary hotel; it is definitely a must-visit attraction. Its lotus-shaped architectural design, a symbol of Macau, fully reflects the city's history and cultural heritage, making it one of the most representative buildings in the area. Several times, while taking a boat from Xiangzhou Port to Wailingding Island and Guishan Island, I could clearly recognize this golden building from afar across the sea.
Aerial view: the Grand Lisboa Hotel stands tall on the Macau Peninsula, with the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge lying like a dragon on the sea in the distance.
The hotel is very high-end; toiletries are international first-class brands like Hermès.
The hotel has over 400 luxurious guest rooms and suites. The room color schemes are red, blue, and purple. My room was purple.
The rooms are quite spacious. My room had a view of the Macau Peninsula reclamation area and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, with a nice view.
The night view is even more brilliant; Macau is the Oriental Las Vegas.
The bathroom is also very spacious, with a massage bathtub and underwater lighting.
Double sink design, with a LCD TV in the center mirror.
At the Grand Lisboa Hotel, there are endless experiences. Besides dining, you can also make your own food under the guidance of a chef.
In the afternoon, at Don Alfonso 1890 Italian restaurant, I joined pizza chef Maurizio Ferrini to make authentic Neapolitan pizza on the spot.
The teacher first introduced the process, then under his guidance, I kneaded the dough.
Kneading repeatedly, making the dough round and larger, finally forming a shape with a low center and higher edges.
Another chef guided me to add toppings to the pizza.
I added Italian ham, mushrooms, organic vegetables, and tomato sauce. Then handed it to the chef to put in the oven; after 30 seconds, it was ready.
At the Café da Manhã workshop, I joined pastry chef Mr. Muranaka Tokuhito to experience making Serradura cake on the spot.
Serradura cake is a favorite dessert among Macau locals, a must-try when visiting Macau. Serradura, meaning 'sawdust' in Portuguese, is a unique Portuguese-Macau dessert. It is made by layering crushed biscuits and cream, then freezing.
The process is simple: three layers of biscuit crumbs and three layers of cream, alternating. Finally, insert a mint leaf in the center for decoration.
After finishing, hand it to the teacher to put in the refrigerator.
Entering the first floor of the Grand Lisboa Hotel feels like entering an art museum. The exhibits are so rich.
From glittering dragon boats to prehistoric mammoth ivory carvings, many rare treasures can be seen here.
Upon entering the main entrance is a statue of Dr. Ho.
To the left are diamonds and emeralds, very dazzling.
Prehistoric mammoth ivory carving: Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, very vivid and lifelike.
The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, each showing their special powers.
The lotus pond in the lobby is also a great photo spot.
The Grand Lisboa Spa is a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star recommendation, so I tried it this time. I experienced the 60-minute Grand Lisboa Signature Massage. There are over a dozen aromatherapy oils to choose from. The masseuse placed the aromatherapy stone on glass for us to smell, making it easy to choose. The oils are produced in the UK.
Afterwards, the masseuse asked about some acupoints, pressure intensity, and sore spots on the body to accurately press the spine and foot acupoints and use Swedish massage techniques to relax the body, relieve muscle and joint pain from exercise, and promote blood circulation.
The suite we experienced also had a soaking tub and private restroom.
I finally chose lavender oil, which helps relax and relieve fatigue.
The mobile hair wash cart next to the spa salon is very unique. I've never tried such a hair wash experience in mainland China. After cutting, guests don't need to get up and go to the wash basin. Instead, they sit on the leather chair, and the stylist pushes the wash cart over to wash directly, convenient and space-saving.
After the haircut, I looked more energetic and happily took a photo with the stylist.
Visa Section:
1⃣️ [Macau Visa] If your previous Macau visa is still valid, you can use it directly! Guangdong resumed visa processing on the 26th of last month. The nationwide for tourism visas is September 23rd. Currently, you cannot use self-service machines; you need to go to the local exit-entry administration's manual counter. The visa is issued in 7 working days.
2⃣️ [Nucleic Acid Test] To enter Macau, you need a negative nucleic acid test report valid within 7 days! The test is very convenient, no appointment needed. You can get a number at any hospital on-site. Throat swabs are not as uncomfortable as imagined. The paper result is issued the same day, the electronic result the next day. You can check on the 'Yue Sheng Shi' mini-program on your phone, and the information is also uploaded to the cloud. If you return after the nucleic acid test expires, you need to take another test in Macau before entering.
3⃣️ [Health Code] Enter your identity information in 'Yue Sheng Shi' to get a Yue Kang Code. After passing the Zhuhai checkpoint, fill in your trip information and convert it to 'Macau Health Code' with one click. The Macau Health Code is very important; you need to show it when entering any indoor venue in Macau. Screenshots are invalid because it updates every few hours.
4⃣️ [Border Checkpoints] We went through the Gongbei checkpoint to enter Macau, and passed through the Hengqin checkpoint in Zhuhai. Basically no queuing, about 25 minutes.
5⃣️ [Epidemic Prevention Measures] The epidemic prevention measures at the Grand Lisboa Hotel are commendable! Everyone wears masks, temperature checks at the entrance, show Macau Health Code, disinfectant hand sanitizer everywhere, and before meals, the restaurant provides sanitizing wipes and mask bags. So you can enjoy peace of mind in the hotel.
📷 Photography Equipment
1 Canon 6D2
2 DJI Mavic Air 2 (Macau requires that the drone not exceed 30 meters above ground; register with the Civil Aviation Administration before takeoff)
3 Lens: 16-35 F2.8, 35mm prime F1.4 Sigma (35mm prime is great for food photography and indoor hotel room shots)
4 Tripod + fill light
📷 Transportation Guide
During this star-hunting trip, I stayed two nights at the Grand Lisboa Hotel, which has an excellent location close to everything. There is a public bus stop right outside, with convenient bus routes to Coloane, Cotai, and Taipa.
I have attached the bus routes.
You can take the hotel's free shuttle bus. For example, at the Gongbei checkpoint in Zhuhai, after clearing customs, find the green bus and board it. The hotel is surrounded by attractions, and it's only a 15-minute drive to Macau International Airport and 5 minutes to the Macau Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal. If you love food like me, you can stay in the hotel and enjoy Michelin-starred restaurants without leaving the building.
