A Xi'an Native's Macau Getaway: So Much Fun I Forgot to Go Home

📍 Macau · 👁 1 reads · ❤️ 58 likes

Macau has long been open to mainland tourists, and there are many ways to get here—by sea, land, or air. From my experience, I’d recommend mainland visitors fly, as flight tickets are quite affordable right now. Flying to Macau not only wastes less time on the road, it’s comfortable too. Visitors from Guangzhou can hop on a high-speed train to Zhuhai and then clear immigration into Macau. As for friends from Shenzhen, you can arrive by ferry. Whichever way you travel, make sure to bring a valid nucleic acid test report taken within 7 days—the paper version, please. For those planning a shopping spree in Macau, it’s worth learning about the local currency. In Macau, the Macanese pataca has a better exchange rate than the Hong Kong dollar, which in turn beats the renminbi. It makes sense to exchange some cash in advance. There are also plenty of hotel choices. Properties under Sands Macao like The Venetian Macao, The Parisian Macao, Conrad Macao, Sheraton Grand Macao, and The St. Regis Macao often run accommodation deals. Keep an eye on their official websites for the latest news. These days when people go out, unless their own data plan is enough, the first instinct is to find somewhere with Wi-Fi to leech some internet. Macau counts as outside the mainland, so to stay connected wherever you go, I suggest buying a roaming data package or a local SIM card. As long as you have enough data, you can even live-stream your Macau journey in the family chat group.

The Londoner Macao is the newest luxury hotel in Macau, and since its opening, there’s been a steady stream of visitors. As someone who loves British style, I’ve wanted to visit for ages, but never had the time. The hotel is built like a little British town, complete with Big Ben, a Crystal Palace, and clusters of European-style architecture—all steeped in classic British charm. Staying at The Londoner Macao really makes you feel like you’re on holiday in London, England—a bit surreal yet strangely real.

Design elements like the red telephone box, London Underground signs, and a pub turn this corridor into a celebration of British culture.

From the outdoor corridor you can admire the church-like façade of The Londoner, reminiscent of a rugged cliff face carved with ravines—absolutely breathtaking.

Here comes the part everyone cares about most—the suites. They’re huge. We opted for the Louis Suite with a king bed; twin-bed suites are also available, so the variety is good. On the top floor there are suites co-designed and endorsed by David Beckham. For all you Becks fans—go for it!

Our room was 75㎡, and not only was the bedroom spacious, the living area, tea station, and bathroom all felt nicely laid out. The toiletries in the suite are also high-end brands. Packing light and just checking in really isn’t a rip-off.

While checking in at the lobby, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the Crystal Palace. Cupid’s arrow hit me; I was enveloped in the glow of the lights, totally enchanted. They also stage occasional art performances here—if you catch one, make sure to record it. Hot songs, dynamic dances, and when a number ended, we just cried out for more!

Churchill’s Table is a British restaurant serving authentic English cuisine and afternoon tea. The interior is classic and elegant, with a dark-toned palette that gives it a noble air. The dishes look pricey, but prices are actually okay. Ingredients are fresh and of good quality, so the taste naturally won’t disappoint.

There’s too much food to introduce one by one, so I’ll just show you a few dishes that excel in both looks and substance. First up, the signature roast beef—tender and perfectly portioned for one. The caramel roast ribs are another house specialty, slightly sweet, with a crispy exterior and a sauce that’s out of this world—so good you’ll want to lick your fingers!

English pea soup—admittedly an odd colour, but it tastes refreshingly cool with a hint of mint. The noodles were good too and could work as a main.

When we checked in, the hotel staff let us know we could enjoy full-day access to The Residence. This exclusive private club for Londoner guests offers not just a buffet breakfast, but also exquisite afternoon tea and relaxing evening cocktails.

To see just how lavish their buffet breakfast was, I deliberately got up early. It turns out breakfast is served until 1 p.m.—quite a wake-up call! But getting up early has its perks; I felt energetic all day.

The buffet counter held so many delicacies my eyes couldn’t take it all in. Western, Chinese, dim sum, noodles, congee… basically every breakfast item you can think of. That morning we ate not only abundantly but healthily.

The Londoner Macao Shoppes in the hotel are a pleasure to explore. The mall is huge, spanning several floors. The décor has that charming little English romance and is super photogenic. Along with Shoppes at Parisian, The Grand Canal Shoppes, and Four Seasons Shop, The Londoner Macao Shoppes make up the four signature shopping kingdoms under Sands Macao, home to over 800 brand stores—three days and nights might not even be enough to cover them all.

Fila Kids sells children’s wear, with plenty of collection pieces and collaboration lines, all stylish and trendy. Just looking at the mannequins makes you want to buy for the little ones at home. The clothes are brightly coloured, perfect for kids’ ages, and radiate vitality.

The short-sleeve fabric is super soft, so it’s comfortable and breathable for kids. Honestly, none of their clothes are ugly; the colour combinations are great. Even a simple style can be paired to look fashionable.

To see the world’s largest pure-gold Winnie the Pooh, we headed to Chow Tai Fook, located at Shop 1015, Level 1, The Londoner Shoppes. The golden Pooh is incredibly cute, with a hand-on-hip pose that looks a little sassy.

The store was running a promotion: 20% off workmanship fees on pure gold items, and you could also buy a selected piece of jewellery at a “trade-in price.” Before you buy, check with the staff, as some offers apply only to specific products—don’t get it wrong. They had many bracelet styles, differing in design and craftsmanship. They felt light and effortless on the wrist, not heavy at all.

The phoenix headpiece was also exquisite. I felt too embarrassed to try it on with my oily hair, afraid of ruining it.

If anyone says Macau doesn’t have fun or beautiful sights, I’ll be the first to argue. How can the Eiffel Tower, reachable on foot, not be amazing? As the icon of The Parisian Macao, the Eiffel Tower is a landmark of Macau. Though modelled after the actual Eiffel Tower in France, its charm is no less than the original.

The souvenir shop on the 5th floor of the tower not only sells many Parisian-themed keepsakes but also tickets to the 7th and 37th-floor observation decks. Before going up, I was extremely excited because I couldn’t imagine what kind of vista would unfold before my eyes.

The 7th-floor observation deck isn’t empty; it’s decorated romantically, with pink balloons, a bicycle, and a large paper photo frame for visitor photos.

Don’t inspect the locks on the Love Lock Bridge too closely, or you’ll be green with envy. The dense cluster represents countless couples who’ve come here to pledge eternal vows and witness their truest feelings beneath the tower—just thinking about it feels incredibly romantic.

After soaking up enough French romance, you can head to The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian Macao for a taste of Italian-style freshness. The endless artificial sky here changes through different times of day via backstage computer controls—so beautiful you can only stare wide-eyed, wanting to imprint it on your memory. The Grand Canal Shoppes is Asia’s largest indoor waterfront shopping mall, built to resemble a Venetian town. Three canals meander through it, with bridges, gondolas, European-style buildings, and other characteristic elements that turn everyone here into photo-crazy enthusiasts. My phone battery drained ridiculously fast from all the picture-taking, so you might want to bring a power bank.

Sitting in a gondola, watching shops glide by on both banks, the gondolier’s melodious singing fills your ears. Fellow travellers confident in their voices can even sing a duet with the boatman. The whole gondola ride lasts over twenty minutes—twenty-plus minutes of complete relaxation. Cherish them.

The charm of Macau’s old town is simply irresistible. Whether it’s the old residential architecture or the local specialties, it’s all worth taking your time to appreciate and savour. The buildings near Rua do Cunha are especially lovely and photogenic, with colourful façades that scream summer. Even the narrow lanes feel unique—maybe I’m looking through rose-tinted glasses, haha. In short, I love it!

Before coming, my friends and I said we’d eat our way from one end of the street to the other. Little did we know the snack stall owners are so generous, serving super generous portions—our stomachs couldn’t quite keep up. If I had to name a few must-eats, the wok-boiled coffee from Café de Sai Kun is a definite must-try. Hand-ground coffee is so aromatic, preserving the raw aroma of the beans. The weather was a bit hot, so a durian ice cream was just the thing to cool down. The rich durian flavour—just smelling it feels like the scent of money, though the price was actually reasonable, not very expensive. Cheung Chau mochi is another no-regret treat!

The Ruins of St. Paul’s are near Rua do Cunha, so eating your way through the snacks and then visiting the ruins is probably a standard route for many visitors. The façade is magnificent and imposing. Having withstood the passage of history and time, it looks especially weighty, and the photos you take can convey a hint of solitude.

Although the area in front of the ruins is always busy, as long as you get creative you can still snap some atmospheric shots. That trick of shooting up into the sky that was popular a while back? It definitely came in handy here!

As someone who’s lived in Xi’an for over twenty years, the historical architecture of China’s ancient capitals is what I’ve seen most. This trip to Macau let me experience three very different themed hotels all at once—French, Italian, and British style—and it truly opened my eyes. Macau is a treasure of a city, and you won’t just visit once. I hope on my next trip I can discover even more facets of it. Anyone up for joining me? Raise your hands!

Travelogue Contents

1. Through Time and Space to London

2. Sampling Authentic British Food

3. Shopping Party – You’re Invited

4. The Eiffel Tower and Canal Views

5. Eating and Wandering on Rua do Cunha

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