Buy One Get One Free Flights, Bargain Hotels, Quarantine-Free Travel to Macau – What Are You Waiting For?
The sudden pandemic has dragged on for over a year. It's been ages since I last traveled abroad. All things considered, only Macau can somewhat satisfy my longing for distant places. Now, if you want to avoid 14-day quarantines both ways, Macau is the only option for outbound travel! This privilege is not even available to Hong Kong and Taiwan compatriots—it's exclusively for mainland travelers. Travel to and from Macau is quarantine-free! All you need is a nucleic acid test report issued within 7 days, making it very convenient!
What to do in Macau?
Macau has many places worth exploring for food and sights—small, exquisite, and worth delving into. That's my impression of this artistic little city.
Must-visit classics: Ruins of St. Paul's & Love Lane
The Ruins of St. Paul's is one of Macau's iconic landmarks and one of the 'Eight Scenic Spots of Macau'. Located at the foot of Fortaleza do Monte, it's flanked by the Macau Museum and the Mount Fortress. Its official name is the Ruins of the Cathedral of St. Paul, with over 350 years of history. The Ruins of St. Paul's is a historical witness to Western civilization's entry into China. In 1583, the famous missionary Matteo Ricci redesigned the world map here, the 'Complete Map of the Myriad Countries', adding Chinese annotations and presenting it to the local Chinese government.
The Ruins of St. Paul's is a must-visit spot in Macau. Since the pandemic, the large tour groups have dwindled, so the site looks even better in photos without too many visitors. That sense of age and history is rare and hard to find in many mainland Chinese cities nowadays...
Love Lane is right next to the Ruins of St. Paul's. The name comes from the early Portuguese 'Travessa da Paixão', where 'Paixão' can mean infatuation and passion. Movies like 'Isabella' and 'Look for a Star' were filmed here. Now, Love Lane even has a 'Film Museum' that visitors can enter for free.
The buildings on either side of Love Lane are full of European charm. Walking down the lane feels like stepping into a fairy-tale town in Europe. According to local legend, anyone who walks through Love Lane will soon encounter love. But I've walked up and down so many times—where is my prince charming?
Fresh and Artistic: Coloane & Rua do Cunha
I've always loved the fresh green Portuguese-style buildings in Coloane. Not only do they look great in photos, but they are also culturally rich artistic spots. Wandering through the streets and courtyards filled with European-style architecture, you sometimes run into locals with striking mixed-race features, giving you the sensation of pretending to be abroad!
Rua do Cunha, renowned for its food, is actually a fantastic photo-worthy spot. Besides the must-try 'Weng Kee Coffee', there's delicious durian ice cream, traditional Portuguese egg tarts, and various Michelin-listed street foods—all tasty and great value! The colorful, varied little houses also make for perfect photo backdrops.
Off-the-Beaten-Path: Our Lady's Village
For the Portuguese, Catholicism is a very important faith. In Macau, almost everywhere you'll find Catholic churches and various statues of the Virgin Mary. Our Lady's Village, located near Macau Airport and Hac Sa Beach, is a very offbeat attraction. During Portuguese rule, it was a leper colony that nearby residents shunned in fear.
In 1963, an Italian priest was assigned here. To dispel people's doubts and fears about leprosy patients, he renamed the place 'Our Lady's Village', implying that the Virgin Mary brings hope to the villagers. Since then it has been called 'Ka Ho Our Lady's Village'. Today, it has become a popular photo spot for the culturally inclined, with its orange traditional Portuguese buildings and unique triangular chapel—all very photogenic.
How to get to Macau?
For traveling to Macau, Air Macau is the best choice~ First, direct flights from many cities in mainland China mean no need to transfer in Zhuhai, reducing hassle and risk. Second, it's affordable: Buy one, get one free! A round-trip direct flight for two from Xiamen to Macau costs just over 1,000 RMB (including taxes), which is more cost-effective than many domestic routes! Taking the high-speed train to Zhuhai round trip would cost several hundred RMB anyway, so flying is definitely more reliable!
As for service, I really have to give a thumbs-up to Air Macau's Premium Economy Class. The flight attendants are warm and attentive. On a short 1-hour flight from Xiamen, they provide slippers, exclusive drinks, special snacks, newspapers, and in-flight entertainment Wi-Fi (you can watch movies, play games, shop, etc.)... From Xiamen to Macau, upgrading to Premium Economy costs only an extra 200 RMB, and you get to check in at the business class counter, a baggage allowance of 25KG (5KG more than economy), and priority baggage delivery.
If you've purchased a business class ticket, you can also visit Air Macau's exclusive VIP lounge on the 2nd floor of Macau International Airport to experience their excellent service. The lounge is spacious, with a wide selection of snacks and drinks, and some items can be made to order on the spot—tastes great! If you're tired, just lie back on a massage chair to relax. Before boarding, a staff member will come to remind you—very thoughtful~
For those worried about the risks of flying, rest assured. Because of immigration requirements, Air Macau disinfects its operating aircraft every few hours, and the disinfection is done with exceptional thoroughness, leaving no stone unturned! Currently, Air Macau is offering various promotions, including buy-one-get-one-free tickets and discounts on admission to well-known attractions during your Macau trip. Remember to keep your boarding pass!
Boarding pass discounts as follows:
Macao Science Center
Enjoy discounted admission: Exhibition Center ticket MOP 15, Planetarium 2D ticket MOP 36, Planetarium 3D ticket MOP 48.
Discount period: Now until 31 December 2021
On Children's Day, I chose to be a kid for a day at the Macao Science Center! Besides using simple and easy-to-understand methods to help children grasp basic astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics, there are many fun interactive science projects. For example, you can remotely explore the moon's surface, use a magnifying glass to search for COVID-19 viruses, 'drive' around Macau for urban exploration, or board Zheng He's 'giant ship' to embark on a voyage of discovery... At every exhibit, we'd first ask, 'How do you play?' 'Is it fun?'—truly enjoying the innocent joy of a child in the science center!
SKYPARK Macau Tower by AJ Hackett
1. Purchase the Skywalk and enjoy a MOP 200 cash discount.
2. Buy a bungy jump and skyjump combo ticket for 10% off.
3. With the above purchases, you'll receive a free T-shirt, certificate, video, photo, Macau Tower admission ticket, and a refreshment voucher.
Discount period: 1 July 2021 to 31 December 2021
This time, due to weather conditions, I didn't go up the Macau Tower for a brave challenge, but it gives me a reason to come back next time!
Where to stay in Macau?
The first thing upon arriving in Macau is to check into the hotel. For my 4-day, 3-night stay, I chose the trendy Wynn Palace (which was so popular before that rooms were often fully booked year-round, but pandemic prices are a real steal! Book now and it's a win!). The hotel is very close to the airport, with bus stops and a light rail station right outside. There are also scheduled shuttle buses to various spots in Macau, making transportation very convenient!
'Magnificent and luxurious' is my first impression of Wynn Palace. Not only is the lobby breathtaking, but every room is filled with opulence and high-end sophistication. My room was decorated primarily in Hermès orange, creating a wonderful ambiance. The curtains and electronics can all be controlled via a tablet! The mini bar is fully stocked, and the snacks in the drawer are quite creative. There was even an adults-only 'secret'—I was curious about what was inside, but after a glance at the price, I didn't dare open it...
From the floor-to-ceiling windows of my suite, I could directly enjoy the fountain show below—a fantastic view! Each day's breakfast has multiple options, very international. Just check your choices on the card and hang it outside your door before 3 AM, and the service staff will deliver breakfast directly to your room at your specified time—very punctual! Over three days, I chose Cantonese, Western, and Japanese breakfasts, each with different flavors but all delicious, with rich variety, balanced nutrition, and extremely generous portions!
What to eat in Macau?
The one-Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant Wing Lei Palace is located inside Wynn Palace, and reservations are required. The decor and colors of Wing Lei Palace are nothing short of opulent; the tableware is specially custom-made, with elegant gold rims paired with sophisticated green, and the exclusive patterns are meticulously designed couture.
Chef Tam sources the freshest ingredients from the market every day, carefully selects premium produce from around the world, and creates uniquely inventive cuisine! Just listening to the introduction of dishes, I counted more than ten countries. For those who want to taste global cuisine but aren't accustomed to Western food, Wing Lei Palace can meet your discerning needs~
Next, we visited Macau's two-Michelin-starred restaurant Wing Lei, where each dish is a double delight for the eyes and palate. The service staff provide detailed explanations of the dishes' contents and meanings when serving. Chef Chan can also tailor seasonal dishes to guests' budgets, a form of 'omakase' dining.
The tea pairing is also very thoughtful, from the appetizing 'house blend', to the mid-course Taiwanese high mountain tea, to the final lychee black tea with dessert. It all made me appreciate the exquisite deliciousness of 'tea and dim sum'—not just the dim sum, but the tea itself is crucial. All their dishes can be served à la carte per person, so whether you come with a few friends, everyone can fully enjoy the chef's meticulously crafted Michelin-starred cuisine!
Macau Travel Tips:
1. City transportation:
Bus: MOP 6 per person
Casino shuttles: Free, depart at scheduled times
Taxi: I recommend using Macau's 'Didi' ride-hailing taxis; you can book in advance, the seats are comfortable, and they support WeChat Pay.
Prices in Macau aren't exactly low, but due to the exchange rate, most brands are still slightly cheaper than on the mainland. I especially recommend buying Apple products in Macau—you can save hundreds to over a thousand, a great deal!
Possibly due to the pandemic, immigration checks have become much stricter. Be careful not to bring meat products (including cooked meat, floss, and jerky) into the country, and try to bring only the amount of luxury goods for personal use, otherwise there's a high chance of confiscation and taxation.
