To discover another aspect to multifaceted China, take a day trip to Macau.
The former Portuguese colony mixes crumbling fortresses with glitzy casinos, baroque churches with cobbled backstreets, and spicy Macanese seafood with classic dim sum.
Macau’s exotic history and culture are evident at every turn, with eight squares and 22 historic buildings on the World Heritage List.
Take a walk down the main street to the baroque Church of St. Dominic, tour the Jesuit Monte Fort, with its exceptional Macau Museum, and don’t miss the evocative ruins of the Church of St. Paul, its free-standing baroque facade a Macau symbol.
A drive around the peninsula reveals yet more churches, beautiful colonial buildings, temples and gardens.
Macau is 65 km (40 mi) west of Hong Kong, on the opposite shore of the Pearl River. Like Hong Kong, it is a special administrative region of China, and most travelers don’t require a visa to visit. Ferries run throughout the day and night, and the crossing takes around an hour.
Most of Macau’s sights surround the inner harbor on the small peninsula jutting down from the mainland. Three bridges lead across the water to tiny Taipa and Coloane islands.
