There’s far more to Macau than meets the eye. Beyond its famous casinos, there are dozens of alternative attractions and activities that you’ll be surprised to know even existed. From the sublime to the ridiculous, here are 10 of our favourites.
Pink dolphin watching
The waters between Macau and Hong Kong are home to the world’s pinkest dolphins. The Indo-pacific Humpback dolphins are native to local waters and are distinctive because of their rosy coloured hue. Macau Sailing offers private cruises including a full day tour to Qingzhou Shuidao Island from Macau. This is a great way to watch pink dolphins.
Take a sangria bath
Hotel
You may have enjoyed a refreshing glass of sangria while holidaying in the Mediterranean, but have you ever bathed in it? At the Grand Lapa Spa in Macau, this unusual bathing method is believed to have therapeutic qualities. It’s part of their signature Macanaese Sangria Ritual. An indulgent treatment, lasting over two hours, which includes a body scrub, sangria bath and massage. Vinotherapy (using the skin, seeds and stems of grapes in spa treatments) is particularly moisturising for the skin. In addition to the bath, a glass of sangria is also offered for your pleasure.
Raise your adrenaline levels at the world’s highest bungy jump
There’s one BIG reason why adrenaline junkies often flock to Macau and that’s because it’s home to the world’s highest commercial bungy jump. At 233m / 764ft high, the jump holds the Guinness World Record for the highest commercial bungy jump in the world. Situated at the top of the striking Macau Tower, Jumpers leap from a platform 233m above the ground and experience the ultimate free fall experience before slowing down 30 meters from the ground and rebounding back up. For those looking for a thrill, this is the ultimate experience. Macau Tower also offers variants of the bungy jump, like the Skywalk and SkyJump activities, that are slightly less terrifying!
Stay at the Michael Jackson mansion
Hotel
courtesy of Sofitel Macau
Fans of the late king of pop will no doubt feel right at home here. The MJ Mansion is located in the Sofitel Macau At Pointe 16 Hotel. It’s decked out with an elaborate and luxury interior featuring Michael Jackson insignia and memorabilia. Other highlights include a private karaoke room to sing the night away, a rain forest shower and a Jacuzzi with unique river views and all the latest hi-tech mod cons. A tad on the eccentric side, but a unique place to stay nonetheless.
Ride the only figure of eight Ferris wheel in the world
Resort
The number eight is said to be auspicious and bring luck in Chinese culture, so much so that the Studio City resort in Macau even has its own figure of eight Ferris wheel – the first of its kind in the world. Admire the views from 130 meters up in the air as you travel around the figure of eight shaped wheel in one of its 17 spacious Steampunk-themed cabins.
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A rare chance to see giant pandas
Macau is home to the Macau Giant Panda Pavilion. The pavilion offers a rare chance to catch a glimpse of two giant pandas,” Kai Kai” and “Xin Xin”. They are among the 320 giant pandas living in breeding centres and zoos around the world and are part of an endangered species that has only 1,864 left living in the wild. Last Year giant panda Xin Xin gave birth to a set of adorable twins named named Dabao and Xiaobao, giving more reason to visit. The pavilion is a 3,000 square meter (32, 291 sq ft) state of the art facility that comprises indoor activity quarters and an outdoor yard, as well as centers for the feeding and caring for the pandas.
Cruise Macau on a traditional junk
Macau was once renowned for its fishing industry and many fishing boats and ships were built here in shipyards around the region. These traditional fishing boats are called junks. You can rent a junk and cruise Macau’s Peninsula coast enabling you to get an unbeatable view of the skyline at sunset. Simply relax on ship with a few friends and some cold beers, or even jump straight into the water for a swim. Either way, it offers a rare opportunity to see Macau from a totally different perspective. Macau sailing operates private cruises with the ships departing from Macau Yacht Club.
Go karting
courtesy of Macao Mototrsports Club
Every November Macau plays hosts to its biggest annual sporting event, the Macau Grand Prix. However, if you have the need for speed and fancy getting behind the wheel yourself, look no further than the Go karting at Macao Motorsports Club. The track is 1.2km long and is one of the most challenging karting tracks in Asia. All the equipment is included in the hire price, but you’ll need a drivers license.
Tea tasting at Macau Tea Culture House
Museum
Macau played an instrumental part in helping Chinese tea culture to spread to the Western world. Here, at the first tea museum in the city, you can learn all about the rich art of the Chinese tea ceremony. In addition, there’s free tea tasting every Saturday and Sunday from 3pm to 4pm.
Score a hole in one at Macau’s lesser known golf courses
Resort
The Ventian Macao casino resort is massive and it’s easy to miss that it has its own golf course. The 18 hole Grado mini golf course is a lesser known feature at The Venetian. It offers fun for all the family and provides golf balls and score cards for you to keep track of your game along the way.
An award-winning writer, Matthew moved to Hong Kong in 2014 and writes exclusively about Southeast Asia. He’s written for The Guardian and BBC amongst others.
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