5 Amazing Places In Macau You Didn't Know Existed

At only 7 square miles, Macau might be small, but there’s more to see and do than you could ever imagine. Beyond its attention grabbing casinos, there are plenty of lesser known attractions to check out. Here are some of Macau’s best kept secrets.

Secret mansions

Resort, Hotel

Known as the Paiza Mansions, you won’t find these “mansions” available for booking on travel websites or advertised online as you typically need an invite to stay here. Hidden away in a private wing of the gigantic Venetian Macao casino, the Paiza Mansions are like mini-hotels within a hotel. They are reachable only by private elevator and after navigating a series of secret corridors you reach these palatial 7,000 square feet suites, that come with personal butlers and a masseur.

The suites are often free to invitation-only guests who can splurge large sums downstairs at the casino. They also double as a place for visiting VIPs to stay when they’re in town. When international stars like David Beckham, Mariah Carey and Katy Perry visited the resort this is where they stayed.

Rooms with a pool inside

Swimming pools at hotels are pretty standard these days. Nothing special. However, at Banyan Tree Macau, outside swimming pools are already so last decade. Instead, their suites come with a relaxation pool inside the room. So if you fancy a quick dip in the privacy of your own room, you only need step out of bed and your own indoor pool awaits. You also get a generously sized bath tub (so you’re pretty much spoilt for choice for how you choose to get wet). A little over the top, but over-indulgence is the name of the game for Macau hotels.

Portuguese wine paradise

“Drink wine and feel fine” is the slogan of Macau Soul, a cosy wine lounge located just around the corner from Macau’s most famous landmark, the Ruins of St. Paul’s. This place is a hidden beauty and there’s every possible chance that you can be tempted to drink a lot of wine here, especially if you like Portuguese wines.

The lounge is unique, in that their entire wine list is exclusively made up of Portuguese wines. They offer over 600 labels, so don’t worry, they’ll be one on the list that will suit your taste. Of course, with Macau being a former Portuguese colony and with Portuguese wines now even beating French and Italian wines to win top awards, Macau Soul is the perfect place to discover why the wines are suddenly so trendy. A great spot to share an evening with friends over a bottle of wine (or two).

Macau Soul,31A Rua de São Paulo, Macau +853 2836 5182

Maria’s Private Kitchen

Apartment

Macau is no stranger to gourmet restaurants and Michelin-starred eateries. However, if you really want to get a taste of authentic local cuisine then one of Macau’s growing number of private kitchens might be worth considering. Maria’s Private Kitchen is just the place.

Chef Maria Couto specialises in Macanese cuisine and after spending her early years training in the United States and Portugual, she returned to Macau and now runs a private kitchen from her apartment. Typically, Maria prepares a five-course meal for guests with the focus on Macanese dishes that are not readily available elsewhere. For an authentic local dining experience, you can’t beat Maria’s kitchen.

Cable car

The lesser known cable car ride to the top of Guia Hill is a great activity for all the family. If you walk through the Flora Garden Gate at the foot of the hill you will find a cable car that takes you to the top where you can enjoy some of the best panoramic views in town.

At the top of the hill you will also find the Guia Fortress, one of Macau’s leading attractions. Constructed in the early 1600’s, the Fortress features a fort, a chapel and an adjacent lighthouse. The lighthouse was built in 1864 and was the first western style lighthouse on the China coast.

About the author

Matthew Keegan

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.