Travel to The Venetian Macao Hotel, Spend Freely
At the end of the year, you need to find a chance to spend the money you've earned all year. After thinking it over, I think a trip to Macao is the best deal. Living in Zhuhai, I can go to Macao very conveniently—transportation is cheap and it doesn't take much time on the road! Why choose Macao? Because I’m eyeing the promotional offers at major shopping malls there, and even the hotels have room deals! According to the latest information I've gathered, The Venetian Macao, The Parisian Macao, Conrad Macao Cotai Central, Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel, and St. Regis Macao have all launched very affordable room packages. On the Sands China official website, you can also find out about the 'Shop & Redeem' promotion. As long as you spend MOP 8,000 or more at the four shopping cities under Sands China, you can get a free reward shopping voucher worth up to MOP 38,000. This voucher can be used at over 600 participating stores and counters, and you can also exchange it for a complimentary premium accommodation at Sands Resorts Macao, including the brand new Four Seasons Private Residences.
What's the benefit of traveling with your boyfriend? About having him handle all the luggage and route planning, while you just follow him! Our journey from departure to arrival was smooth. After crossing the border, we took the hotel's free shuttle bus without any obstacles. As the largest all-in-one resort hotel in Macao, The Venetian Macao has its own man-made lake and 3,000 luxury suites. Standing at the hotel entrance, I felt even more excited and curious about the scenery inside.
This could rival a royal palace! The magnificent lobby left us speechless, with warm lights shining on golden spheres, gleaming and sparkling. My boyfriend and I deliberately waited for the tourists to disperse so we could take photos.
The luxurious royal suite for couples is designed with a gondola theme, and the room's color scheme perfectly matched our aesthetic. The sunken living room gave off a strong sense of homely warmth, and the furniture had great texture—especially the blue sofa; I really wanted to buy the same one for home.
The bathroom was spotless. From the dressing table and mirror above the sink, you could tell that the daily cleaning of the hotel rooms was thorough.
You never know what kind of street performers you'll encounter at The Grand Canal Shoppes; surprises keep coming one after another.
Before visiting the Yatai Duty Free Shop, my boyfriend said, 'Buy whatever you want, I'll pay!' Once inside, I found many brands on sale. Some high-end skincare brands I'd wanted but hesitated to buy were also offering promotions. For the first time, I felt that SK-II products were within reach, haha~
Visiting Yatai once could stock up on skincare for the entire next year! The more you buy, the better the deals. As a delicate girl who won't leave the house without makeup, I use cosmetics quickly, so buying in bulk saves money and hassle!
Armani, MAC, Laneige, Dior, YSL—every lipstick brand you can name is here, with full color ranges and great prices. I'd advise all female friends: never let your boyfriend pick out lipstick for you; he might choose the 'death Barbie pink'—crying and laughing!
Zara's store is located at Shop 103, Gondola Street, 3rd Floor of The Grand Canal Shoppes. It's a large store. The men's and women's clothing here are stylish. For a girl who hasn't bought clothes in a long time, browsing such a big fashion store is so satisfying!
My boyfriend's greatest virtue is his patience. He never gets impatient when accompanying me shopping. Instead, I sometimes get annoyed watching him take forever to decide on a piece of clothing. The staff, seeing we were a couple, enthusiastically recommended couples' padded jackets, which looked quite nice. Zara's clothes are relatively affordable and have diverse designs, meeting daily fashion needs and popular among young consumers~
This teal-green jacket was so attractive I couldn't take my eyes off it, but it's not suitable for the current season. After hesitating for a long time, I decided not to buy it yet. Zara's accessories are also worth checking out—hairpins, earrings, and clips are all good.
Next came the part where my boyfriend visited his favorite stores. First was adidas Originals. There were quite a few customers when we went, but the staff still warmly received us.
My boyfriend's eyes lit up when he saw the shoes, like a child. He kept telling me about the styles and colors of each pair, reciting them as if they were his treasures. If women loving handbags is instinct, then men must love shoes. Think of Bai Jingting, and you'll understand, haha.
Adidas clothing was also on sale. Their down jackets are very warm. This is my first year out of school and working, so I have some savings. I took this opportunity to buy a padded jacket for my parents!
The Breitling watch store is on the 3rd floor of The Grand Canal Shoppes. Upon entering from the main entrance, I saw various decorative items—books, wine glasses, hourglasses, ceramic crafts, etc. The interior design is trendy.
The sales staff were very dedicated, following us and introducing products in detail. My boyfriend knows a lot about watches, and while they chatted enthusiastically, I flipped through magazines, looked at product brochures, and acted as a part-time photographer.
The Breitling Superocean series watches have a dial that's not too large, suitable for both men and women. I personally think the blue and white models are more feminine, while the other two are more assertive.
Modeled after the Venetian water city in Italy, the indoor shopping center—The Grand Canal Shoppes—has a unique canal scenery. Looking up, you can see endless blue sky and white clouds. The European-style ceiling creates a cinematic feel, like walking through a movie scene.
I happened to capture a resting gondolier in a photo, full of atmosphere. Photography enthusiasts, bring your camera to The Grand Canal Shoppes—you're sure to take fantastic photos!
The Gondola Gift & Ticket Gallery sells boat tickets and souvenirs. Since we hadn't booked online, we came to buy tickets in person. Originally just here for tickets, we saw many interesting and fun crafts and ended up wandering around for nearly an hour!
Before taking the gondola ride, we needed to queue at the boarding point. As a popular water attraction, there were quite a few people, testing your patience. Luckily, I was traveling with my boyfriend this time; when I got tired of waiting, I could act spoiled with him. The longer we waited, the happier we felt when we finally got on the boat!
When the 15-minute boat trip ended, I felt it was far too short. Seeing the gondola staff disinfecting so carefully, I suddenly felt that everyone's job is not easy.
Macao's food really exceeded expectations. Take Lord Stow's Egg Tart, for example. Before eating, it looked no different from ordinary egg tarts, but once in my mouth, I realized what handmade Portuguese egg tarts actually taste like!
MOP 12 per egg tart—not expensive. The tart is quite large, slightly charred on the surface, with a rich milky aroma. While my boyfriend ordered, I found a seat and discovered a great spot. Eating the delicious egg tart while enjoying the canal view, sometimes boatmen row past singing—such a rare and pleasant afternoon tea time!
The dark one is a chocolate egg tart—taste is quite different from the original Portuguese tart; it's denser, without the smoothness of egg custard.
On the topic of food, I consider myself authoritative. Before coming to Macao, I checked all the restaurants inside The Venetian Macao online and finally booked Northern Kitchen. This restaurant is an authentic northern Chinese eatery visited by David Beckham, located on the ground floor lobby of The Venetian Macao. Just follow the signs—it's easy to find; the red lanterns decorating the restaurant exterior are very eye-catching!
The open kitchen allows you to watch the chefs cooking up close. The noodle chef seemed highly skilled; the dough was like magic in his hands.
Fortunately, they served quickly; otherwise, my boyfriend and I would have collapsed from hunger! The steaming crab roe soup dumplings—if it weren't for the waiter warning us they were hot, I would have popped one in my mouth right away with chopsticks. Let me share an elegant way to eat: first bite a small hole, suck out the soup inside, then take a full bite—the soft skin and tender filling together are divine!
Candied purple sweet potato—the sweet sugar threads melt in your mouth. The sweet potato pieces are very soft, with a glutinous texture that's addictive.
Drunken Chicken (Shikumen style)—cool chicken with a faint wine aroma. Truly a 'drunken chicken', haha.
Boiled fish fillets (Sichuan style)—a classic Sichuan dish. The fish fillets are incredibly tender. Don't be fooled by the many chilies—it's not very spicy; even those who can't handle spice can try it. The fish pieces are huge and plentiful.
Fried pork slices in sauce (Guo Bao Rou) and Beijing Zhajiang Noodles. The waiter actually mixed the noodles for us, and they tasted especially good.
Lamb with fried bread (Yangrou Ji Mo) is one of their signature dishes. Six fragrant big breads; those with small appetites would be full after two.
Garlic white-cut pork (Suan Ni Bai Qie Rou)—I never eat fatty meat, so this was a real 'face-slapping' moment. At first, my friend rolled one up for me and urged me to try; I was extremely reluctant. After eating the first one, I immediately 'slapped my own face' and rolled a second one myself, haha.
I really wish days like this, full of shopping and spending, could last longer. But unfortunately, my pockets aren't deep enough, haha! This also teaches us a lesson: working hard to earn money is the most practical thing, so when you encounter something you like, you won't be deterred by the price. If I had to summarize this trip with a few tags, they would be 'fulfilling', 'joyful', 'positive', and 'free'. Speaking of which, I strongly urge everyone to visit Macao before 2020 ends and experience the joy of shopping—it's absolutely crazy~
Travel Diary Index:
1. Stay: The Venetian Macao Hotel
2. Shop: Yatai and Zara
3. Shop: Adidas and Breitling
4. Play: Gondola Ride
5. Eat: Lord Stow's Egg Tart
6. Eat: Northern Kitchen
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