Thoughts and Tips on My Trip to Macau

Spending some time in Macau made me wonder where the people get the money to bet and gamble. It also made me  see how buildings were  carefully put up in order to form stunning structures with great entertainment to included. 

This was a great way for me to check out what the place has to offer as I didn't really expect a lot except for the bungee jumping experience at the Macau tower. Here are a few thoughts and tips about Macau that you can use for reference. Hope this post helps!

Thoughts and Tips on My Trip to Macau

Travel to Macau

Free Bus Transport

buses to casinos

at the City of Dreams lobby

No need to worry about transportation costs. The hotel casinos in Macau offer free bus transport to different places in Macau. The buses stop in casinos which explain the free service; it’s their way to attract more clients to play and gamble. The buses look so new you’d want the trip to be longer.

I guess the only thing you need to worry about is which bus to take for which destination. In our case, we had a tour guide which helped a lot in saving time so we didn’t have to ask directions from other people. We already had a contact to direct us how to get to a location and which route to take.

We only paid 20 HKD for a taxicab going to the Macau Tower because we were thinking that we couldn’t make it in time.

Hotel Casinos are Abound

Casino Lisboa

just one of the new hotel casinos being constructed

The Venetian Hotel, City of Dreams, Wynn Hotel, Grand Lisboa, Hard Rock Café – just a few of the many hotel casinos that Macau has. When we visited the region, there were even more hotel casinos that were not yet finished and were being constructed. This made me wonder where the people get all the money to pay for rooms in these hotels. Just the thought expands one’s thinking to decipher how people flock to the island to play. Gambling is a craft I haven’t fully explored.

All of these establishments plus the entertainment that comes with each one truly makes Macau as Asia’s version of Las Vegas.

That’s Ate Eva at my back (couldn’t find a decent picture)

When we arrived at the port in Macau, a Filipina introduced herself and offered to be our tour guide for the day. At first, we were apprehensive to trust somebody we just met even if we had the same nationality. We turned a cold shoulder to her warm and kind demeanor. We tried to disregard her in conversations and distanced ourselves when we rode the bus together. As time passed, we got to know our tour guide better – she’s a mother who separated from her husband and was making ends meet by working in Macau.

Sometimes (well, most of the time) we tend to be too harsh. We think too much that the person is looking for ways to extort money from us; a SCAM, to put it bluntly.

I’m not saying that you should readily accept unsolicited help as there is still a need to be cautious especially when you’re in a different region. The lesson, I guess, is that the world is not all that cruel and savage when you learn to build trust.

Macau’s Shows and Structures

murals inside the Venetian Hotel

tinted glasses of pine-apple shaped Grand Lisboa

Fisherman’s Wharf

From the moment I stepped on the halls of the Venetian Hotel, to watching the different free shows (too bad we failed to see the Bubble show at the City of Dreams Hotel – which is the best free show in Macau), to seeing the view from the top of the Macau tower, to the Roman-inspired structures at the Fisherman’s Wharf, I was captivated by them all.

Note: Bring a Tripod for spectacular views of the lights in the casinos at night! I forgot to bring mine which was a total bummer. There are actually more picturesque places we’ve visited and mentioning them all deserve another blog entry.

Overall, I was just mesmerized at the beauty of the place – makes you want to have a hand to hold when you see these beautiful spots. ;p

Free Food and Drinks

beef jerky at Senado Square

free cookies too!

water bottles from Casinos

When you’re stomach’s grumbling and you don’t have any place to go nor have any cash to buy food, you can head off to the Senado Square to get free snacks. The street is full of shops for clothes and other merchandise. There’s also an alley leading to the Ruins of St. Paul where you can see store attendants of cookie shops offering free samples of their products. There are also beef stores and their staff holding tongs with jerkies, enticing passersby to try their samples. Sometimes they’d even direct a strip of jerky to your mouth and all you have to do is open to feed your hungry taste buds.

In our case, we already ate breakfast in Hong Kong before we arrived in Macau. We forgot to eat lunch because of all the walking that we made. Luckily, the free cookies and jerkies filled us in the next few hours.

As for the drinks, you can get free water bottles from the hotel casinos. You can get free fresh juices inside the hotel casinos too! These drinks, although intended for casino players, are not only limited to them. Hence, I quenched my thirst by helping myself when the opportunity arose.

World’s Highest Bungy Jump

I did it!

I don’t know how many times I’ve mentioned it in this blog but it was really fulfilling when your plans have come to fruition. I knew I had to do the bungy (or bungee) because I had a year to prepare for it. I still get a lot of surprised looks whenever I narrate the story as well as the budget of this feat. I can’t blame them. People only thought of that instance when I jumped, but only a few knew how long it took me to lead to that moment.

The price is definitely steep, but when you knew what you were getting into, it’s all worth it.

I set my eyes on the goal and when I leaped off that plank (or fell), there was no turning back. I did not see my life flash before me. Instead, it felt like I was about to experience more opportunities; that I had so much more in store that’s waiting for me. It was a jump for more possibilities so what a way it was to start a new route of adventures.

I don’t come from a well-off family. Honestly, we hardly make ends meet. I’m just lucky to have a job that allows me to live a little more than the basic. Despite the cost, it made me realize that I COULD do it; and I DID!

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Ruins of St. Paul

I wish we were able to spend the night in Macau; I would like to see it at dark with all the lights alive and playing. We were able to get a glimpse though, on our way back to the port for Hong Kong. I guess we just left too soon because of being tired from all the walking. Probably next time and maybe I’ll get back when I have some mooolah to burn.

My eyes were full due to the sights that made me realize how beautiful this region is – and I hardly use the term (you can roll your eyes now). hehe.

Check out my other posts on our Macau Side Trip:

• Macau Side Trip: Venetian Hotel, City of Dreams, Grand Lisboa
• Macau Side Trip: Senado Square and Ruins of St. Paul
• Prosperity Tree and Dragon Show at Wynn Hotel
• Macau Side Trip: Macau Tower and Fisherman’s Wharf
• My Bungy Jumping Experience at the Macau Tower
  
• Thoughts and Tips on My Trip to Macau

Total Expenses:

• Total Budget Expense of our Hong Kong & Macau Trips