The Chinese special administrative region of Macau has awakened
from its deep sleep since the city was returned to China from
Portugal. Where facades crumbled in the last years of colonial rule,
an incredible entertainment industry has grown up that has no reason
to fear comparison with Las Vegas. At the same time, the old town
has been preserved, which reminds travelers strongly of old Lisbon.
Modern Asia and old Europe live together here in a unique symbiosis
that makes up the charm of this small city by Chinese standards.
Macau is located on the Pearl River Delta in the south of the
People's Republic of China, around 60 km west of the financial
metropolis of Hong Kong. Macau has also benefited from the region's
economic rise to become the strongest in China, but has retained a
more original character. The street scene sometimes has a
Mediterranean feel, not least because of some of the very old
buildings and the many motor scooters. Macau's old town has been a
UNESCO World Heritage Site since January 2005.
In 1557, the
Chinese imperial court donated the area that is now Macau to
Portugal to reward the Portuguese for their support in the fight
against pirates. The first European trading post in China flourished
until it was eventually overtaken by neighboring British Hong Kong.
However, it remained in European hands for two years longer than its
big sister. It was not until December 20, 1999 that the last colony
in Asia was returned to China.
Macau, which is only 25 km² in size, consists of the Macau Peninsula and the two islands of Taipa and Coloane, which have now grown together through land reclamation. The Macau Peninsula is densely populated and is the old core of Macau. At just seven km², the peninsula is so small that many distances can be easily covered on foot if you can do without a comfortable taxi or bus.
1 Largo do Senado At Largo do Senado you can still find many remnants
of the colonial administrative buildings from the Portuguese era. At the
head of the Leal Senado, the "loyal Senate". The Macau parliament
received this honorary title because it refused to recognize the Kingdom
of Spain, with which Portugal was in a personal union from 1580 to 1640,
as the new leading power. For this reason, the Portuguese flag continued
to fly over Macau during this time, rather than the Spanish one.
2
Macau Tower (澳門旅遊塔會展娛樂中心). The 338-meter-high tower was opened in 2001.
It was built on newly reclaimed land together with the congress center
and offers an excellent view over Macau. If the partially glass floor of
the observation deck isn't exciting enough for you, A.J. Hacket - the
New Zealand inventors of commercial bungee jumping - offer plenty of
thrills: you can do a lap in the open air above the viewing platform,
secured by ropes, or climb to the top of the tower mast. Since mid-2005,
you can also jump from the tower - secured by a steel cable structure.
3 Fortaleza do Monte (大炮台). The fort is the oldest fortress in Macau and
offers a beautiful view of downtown Macau. The National Museum of Macau
is located inside the fort.
4 Fortaleza de Guia (東望洋炮台). You can walk
up to Macau's second colonial fortress or take the cable car. At the top
there is a lighthouse and a chapel in which you can find remains of the
old wall paintings. At the bottom of the cable car there is a small park
with some animal enclosures with monkeys, birds and bears.
5 Facade
of the São Paulo Cathedral (大三巴牌坊), Rua de São Paulo . In 1835, the São
Paulo Cathedral burned down. All that remains is the facade, which is
now the landmark of Macau. The original building was built between 1620
and 1627 under the direction of the Jesuits. On the back of the facade,
a staircase leads to the height of the first row of windows and allows a
view of the old town below. Below the former nave there is a museum in
which objects from the 17th century that were found during excavations
are on display.
Jardim de Lou Lim Ioc (盧廉若公園), Estrada Adolfo
Correiro. The former private garden of a wealthy Chinese merchant from
the 19th century is now open to the public. Artificial miniature
landscapes, bamboo groves and goldfish ponds invite you to take a lovely
stroll through the park.infoedit
Lin Fong Miu Temple (蓮峰廟)
Kun Iam
Tong Temple (普濟禪院)
Taipa Old Settlement. Taipa Village is the contrast to the high-rise
buildings in Taipa. Taipa Village is the complete opposite of the
otherwise very sterile city center. It is definitely worth stopping here
for a few hours. Very Mediterranean atmosphere. Bus number 11 stops
right there; right after the Jockey Arena.
Feira Semanal das Ilhas.
Every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. there is a weekend market around
Taipa Old Settlement.
Casas. In Taipa Old Settlement there are also a
large number of well-preserved colonial buildings right on the promenade
of a lake. Certainly some of the most beautiful. These are also open to
visitors during the day.
The southern end of Macao, Coloane (路環), was its own island until a
few years ago, which is now connected to Taipa by landfill through the
newly created town of Cotai (路氹城), and whose northern boundary is the
Venetian Casino complex.
In the center of the peninsula is the
A-Ma Cultural Village, Estrada do Alto de Coloane, with the statue of
the goddess A-Ma, otherwise known as Māzǔ (媽祖), built in 1998.
In
the southeast is the natural beach Baía de Hác Sá (黑沙海灘). At its
northern end is the 4*
Grand Coloane Resort, 1918 Estr. de Hac Sa.
Tel.: +853 2887 1111. Directly next to it is a playground for the
nouveau riche, the Macao Golf and Country Club.
There are also
smaller beaches with swimming pools on the southern tip, e.g. the one in
Cheoc Van Bay (竹灣). Buses 15, 21A, 25, 26A all also go to the village of
Coloane.
On the south-western side facing China is the main
settlement, the village of Coloane (路環村). The Coloane-2 bus stop is at
the roundabout around Eanes Park, which is also adjacent to the market.
The village is visited because of several Taoist temples and the St.
Xavier Church (路環聖方濟各堂) phone = +853 2888 2128, built in 1928. The
relics of several Japanese martyrs from the time around 1600 that were
previously kept here have been transferred to the St. Paul Museum. On
the slope behind the village is the prison of Macao. The temples are
called (from north to south): Sam Seng (三圣宫 = Kam Fa 金花庙), 2 Rua dos
Navegantes built in 1865; Kun Iam on the Travessa do Caetano; the old
Tin Hau Temple (天后古廟) and the Tam Kung (譚公廟) built in 1862. The Museu
Natural e Agrário (土地暨自然博物館), opened in 1997, has a natural history
focus.
Beaches. You can swim in the sea mainly on the south side of Coloane
Island (see above). The smaller beach is Cheocvan and the more popular
and larger is Hacsa, which is sometimes very crowded in summer despite
the rather dirty water. Behind Hacsa there is a small sports and
amusement park as well as a swimming pool, which is often preferable to
the sea. The famous Fernando's Restaurant is also on this beach.
Gambling: Macau is known for its casinos; who would have thought that
more money is gambled here than in Las Vegas. Macau still seems to have
a lot of potential, or rather, the Chinese wallets still seem to be very
full. Therefore, a district is currently being built between Taipa and
Coloane based on the Las Vegas model, which is intended to surpass it.
The reason for the success of the Macanese gaming industry seems to be
the unbridled passion for gambling of many Chinese, or rather many
Asians. They seem to gamble away their house and home and much more
without batting an eyelid. Where chips are not required, you can only
play with Hong Kong dollars. Patacas are not accepted.
Fortunately,
the casinos also offer non-gamblers some worthwhile things to do, for
example, at The Sands. Drinks are free. You just have to keep your eyes
peeled for the waitresses who are walking around with a tray and tell
them what you want. Everything from water to vodka bull is available.
The only problem is that you have to gamble if you want to sit down. In
the New Century on Taipa, on the other hand, you can enjoy breakfast for
free while you enjoy a show. The Wynn offers a free show every 15
minutes with the Tree of Life, right at the main entrance, and with the
water show in front of the casino. In the Venetian, you can take a
gondola ride through the three artificial canals with a real singer for
the equivalent of €11 per person (2017). There are also numerous
boutiques in the replica of the lagoon city. In addition to constantly
changing, paid shows in the bubble, the City of Dreams offers a special
video show of the four dragons' hunt for the dragon pearl.
Unfortunately, this show now also costs admission, but you get a
discount if you have been to a restaurant beforehand. The only free show
is the water world.
The minimum age for gambling was raised from 18
to 21 a few years ago.
Shopping spree: Since Macau is a free port,
some things are cheaper here than elsewhere. For example, electronics
such as digital cameras (around 40% cheaper). Clothes and shoes are
often (original branded goods) much cheaper than in Germany. The
guarantee alone could play a role when buying electrical appliances, as
this only applies to Macau and Hong Kong.
Food: Macau offers a wide
variety of cuisines from different nationalities, often at a fairly
reasonable price. It is definitely worth eating every meal somewhere
else here. From cheap noodle soup to fine dining, everything is
available.
Entry and exit regulations
Unlike when traveling to the People's
Republic of China, citizens from Germany, Austria and Switzerland do not
need a visa to enter Macau if they stay for a maximum of ninety days. A
valid passport is sufficient. A one-time one-month visa extension can be
applied for at the immigration office in the Macau Chamber of Commerce
Building. When entering the country, small forms must be filled out,
which are handed in at passport control. The carbon copy must be shown
again when leaving the country. However, there should be no major
problems if this form goes missing, except that the form must be filled
out a second time.
General customs checks are not carried out,
but spot checks can be carried out at any time. Articles of personal use
may be imported in reasonable quantities, and foreign currency in
unlimited quantities.
By plane
The Aeroporto Internacional de
Macau (IATA: MFM) connects Macau with many cities in Asia. Due to the
lower airport fees than in neighboring Hong Kong, many low-cost airlines
fly from Macau. However, there are no connections with Europe, which is
why Macau can only be reached via transit airports such as Hong Kong.
A helicopter line connects the ferry terminals of Macau and Hong
Kong.
Flying with low-cost airlines from Macau is a good idea,
as, in contrast to Hong Kong, only a small airport tax is charged here.
Air Macau
Tiger Airways
Air Asia
Eva Air
If you
don't have a credit card, you can also easily have the flight booked by
a travel agency.
By train
Macau has no direct connection to
the real rail network. This only extends as far as the border with
China.
From Hengqin station (横琴站) in Zhuhai, you can connect to
the mainland railway via the two large train stations there on the
Hengqin line, a branch line directly from Macau.
By bus
Direct bus connections exist to the Chinese
cities of Guangzhou (Canton) and Zhong Shan. However, you have to get
off the bus with your luggage at the border between Macau and China for
immigration formalities.
On foot
The border crossing from
China to Macau is practically in Zhuhai, so you don't really need any
means of transport from there. On the Macau side, you can also quickly
reach most places in the old town on foot or take a taxi.
By road
You can get to Hong Kong-Lantau and Zhuhai via the longest "bridge" in
the world, 6.7 kilometers of which are built as a tunnel. Traffic on the
bridge is on the right, and vehicles registered in Macau require a
special license plate. There are bus connections that operate 24 hours a
day.
By ship
There are regular ferry connections from Hong
Kong from the Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan on Hong Kong Island
(MTR Sheung Wan), the Kowloon Ferry Terminal and from the airport. From
the airport in Hong Kong, the Macau Ferry Terminal can also be reached
by airport bus number 11. The fast ferries run approximately every 15
minutes and take around 50 minutes (as of 2015: 70 minutes due to
construction work) to cross. Costs, depending on time, start at 254 MOP.
There is also the option of taking the bus from Zhuhai to Hong Kong, but
this is hardly a cost advantage and also takes a long time. It is not
necessary to buy tickets in advance, but it is particularly useful
during peak times on the weekend. If there is a free seat on a ferry
that leaves earlier, you can take the earlier ship instead of the seat
you actually booked.
Piers in Macao are the Outer Harbour Ferry
Terminal buses 17, N1B (both Av. Amizade); 8, 28 C (Jai Alai). The Grand
Prix track and the Oceanus Casino are right by the harbour. or the Taipa
Temporary Ferry Terminal Bus lines: 26, 36, AP1, MT1, MT2, N2
There are two ferry operators, both based in Hong Kong:
(Prices, all
“Economy,” as of Oct. 2016. 1 Pataca = 1 HK$ = 1 Yuan.)
Turbo
Jet, a company that has bought up several competitors in recent years.
In addition to the main routes, Macao is also connected to
Hong Kong
Airport. During the expansion from Oct. 2015, the piers have changed.
Open: 5x daily. Price: HK$ 154.
and Shenzhen, 新港务大道1001号 邮政编码:
518128. (11x daily; HK$ 235).
From the New Territories from Tuen Mun
Ferry Pier (buses: 962A, K52 (then through a shopping center)). Price:
153 on weekdays, up to 200 at night and on weekends.
The Shekou
Harbour Passenger Terminal is only served on weekends. at Shenzhen.
CotaiJet also serves the two main routes mentioned,
at similar prices. There are also 5 departures daily from Lantau Airport
(HK$ 256).
Getting from one place to another is no problem in Macau. The bus
system is excellent, taxis are very cheap and, especially in the old
town, everything is basically within walking distance.
By bus
Macau has a very efficient bus network that not only makes it easy to
get around Macau itself, but also to the "islands" of Taipa and Coloane.
Timetables are posted at all bus stops, which often also provide
pictures of the sights. All buses are air-conditioned, which is quite
pleasant in summer. Bus fares cost $2.50, $3.30 or $4.00, depending on
the distance. Please note, however, that no change is given on the bus.
So if the trip costs $3.30 but you only have $5, then the trip was $1.70
more expensive.
For example, with bus number 11, you can easily
get from Largo do Senado to Taipa Village, which is quite worthwhile.
All this for 2x 3.30 MOP.
TRANSMAC – Transportes Urbanos de
Macau, S.A.R.L.
There are also buses from TCM.
The most convenient
and cheapest means of transport are the free casino shuttle buses.
Shuttle buses run very frequently from the two ferry terminals, the
airport and the border crossing to the large casinos and into the city.
There are also connections between the casinos. The buses have large
signs for the casinos and hostesses are on hand to help. You don't have
to do anything other than get on and be taken to your desired casino or
into the city. If you plan your tour in advance and plan the routes well
together, you can easily visit all of Macau in one day. The best way to
get to the city center is to take the shuttle from the Wynn, the Golden
Star or the Grand Lisboa. From there it is only a five-minute walk.
Taxi
If there are no more buses running or for other
eventualities, a taxi is a good option. Taxis are cheap in Macau. A trip
across the whole island costs less than 100 MOP. From Macau, Sands, to
Taipa, University, it costs about 30 to 35 MOP. The taximeter starts at
10 MOP; the luggage allowance is 5 MOP. Taxis are available at any time
of day.
Black taxis go from anywhere except the airport to
anywhere.
The yellow taxis are only for the airport. They often
refuse to drive even shorter distances.
The official languages are Mandarin and Portuguese. However, the population mainly speaks Cantonese. English is often only spoken by younger people or in tourism. Mandarin is becoming increasingly popular due to immigrants from the motherland, but unlike Cantonese, not everyone understands it.
The currency of the Special Administrative Region is the Macau Pataca (MOP).
Macau gets busy at the weekend. That's when all the gambling-addicted
Chinese come and squander all their money. Hotel prices often double. It
is therefore generally not advisable to visit at the weekend.
Accommodation can be booked quite easily on the ferry; this is where you
can even find the best prices. Inexpensive accommodation (under €50) or
hostels are in short supply. Unlike in Las Vegas, there are no special
prices in casino hotels for single travelers.
If you want to go
looking on your own, you will definitely find your luck. If you want to
find cheaper deals, you will have no choice but to do so here. Largo do
Senado is recommended as a starting point. There are a few hotels here.
Sometimes you end up in a hotel that charges 350 patacas per hour. But
this is not recommended, as you will certainly not have the bed to
yourself during this hour. The author says: Far too expensive and you
don't even get any peace and quiet. You can recognize such "houses" by
the fact that you are surrounded by women when you enter.
Upscale
Fu Hua Guangdong Hotel (富华粤海酒店), 98-102, Rua Francisco Xavier Pereira
(俾利喇街98-102号). Tel.: +853 2855 3838. Luxurious 3* Open: Reception 24h.
Price: Double (weekdays) 775-1000 M$.
Macau's cuisine is a reflection of its many roots. In addition to the
local Cantonese cuisine, Portuguese cuisine has left its mark on the
city. The most successful import is the Pastéis de Nata: a shell made of
puff pastry filled with a vanilla cream that has been slightly blackened
during baking. The taste is a little different to that in Lisbon, but
thanks to a chain, this little delicacy is now spreading to all major
cities in China. Seafood and wine are of course also part of the offer,
and the Bica, the small coffee after dinner, remains strong competition
to Starbuck & Co. Canton's gourmets swear by dim sun and a variety of
other steamed dumplings and rice flour cakes. There are also a few good
quality Indian restaurants and restaurants serving Chinese food from
other regions of the huge country.
Fernando's Restaurant, 9 Praia
de Hacsa, 200 meters north of the beach bus stop. Fernando's Restaurant
on Hacsa Beach is famous in Macau and Hong Kong. The inexpensive and
rustic restaurant, which does not accept reservations, is known
primarily for its suckling pig and prawns.
Aruna Indian Curry & Cafe
House, Avendia Amizade, 779B Edf. Chong Yu, Bloco 2 Loja. Delicious
Indian food.
The Panda. In Taipa, between New Century and McDonalds
(the one at the roundabout), there are a few restaurants, including the
Panda. Here, low-budget travelers can get good food for little money.
The soup is definitely recommended here. Available with shrimp or beef
ribs for 15 MOP. Be sure to get the spicy (European spicy) version, as
the other one is not nearly as good.
McDonalds. Even if it sounds
very blasphemous, sometimes a burger tastes great when you can't stand
the sight of noodles, rice or anything like that anymore and you don't
have enough money for anything better. That's why you can see the golden
M everywhere. There is also one at KFC.
Macau is not only known as the gambling paradise of southern China,
Macau also has a lot of other entertainment options to offer. From nice
street cafes to large discos. The horizontal business is not nearly as
pushy as in Hong Kong.
Bex. Quite a relaxed club, not far from
Sands and Mandarin. Entry is generally free, prices are quite moderate.
Quite a young crowd. Definitely recommended.
Fisherman's Wharft. The
new entertainment mile in Macau, not far from the ferry and opposite
Sands. Live music, no entry as it is open air. Prices are higher than in
Bex.
DD's. Price: 100 MOP entry for male guests at weekends, women
have free entry.
Mandarin Oriental. There is a pretty nice club with
live music on the ground floor of the Mandarin. There is no entry fee,
but the prices for drinks are quite high. Many women here are happy to
keep the generous gentleman company.
Mostly harmless. It does happen occasionally that someone's wallet is stolen, but not nearly as often as in Zhuhai, where this is a real national sport. Otherwise, Macau can be considered quite safe. In addition, the police are omnipresent. You can therefore walk down dark alleys at night without having to fear, as violent crimes do not actually occur. Nevertheless, things like bags etc. should not be left out of sight, as opportunity makes thieves.
The electrical voltage in Macau, as in Hong Kong, is 220 V at 50 Hz,
which is roughly the same as the German system. However, the sockets
usually have three holes or three slots; other systems are also
available. Adapters are available in every supermarket.
ATMs are also
very common. Bank of China (BOC) and Banco Nacional Ultramarino (BNU)
all accept the EC card (Maestro), which makes a credit card almost
superfluous. The author of this line managed without one, although he
stayed in Macau for six months.
International dialing code for Macao: +853..., to call abroad dial 00...
There are four providers. China Telecom Macau works according to the CDMA standard, which very few European phones are designed for. SIM cards are available at the ferry terminal (in vending machines) and in “convenience stores.” The person called also pays the per-minute rate for local calls.
3 Com (Hutchison Whampoa): M$ 0.40/min.
CTM (MobiWeb) is also the
state landline operator. The SIM cards are called BEST. For M$ 48 you
get 480 MB of internet, 100 hours of WiFi and 480 minutes for 30 days.
SmarTone: M$ 0.54/min.
Main post office, Senado Square. Open: Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Medical care in Macau is available in hospitals. Depending on how
urgent it is, you can go to the emergency room or to normal treatment.
It works something like this: you register in the lobby and receive a
card that you have to bring with you to every visit from now on. You
also receive two pieces of paper with a waiting number. You hand these
in to the receptionist on the 2nd floor. It's best to ask how long it
will take; it can take "several" hours. After several hours, annoy the
receptionist. It's best to go again straight away, as others like to
push their way to the front and things are anything but civilized, so
you should sit in front of the appropriate door after annoying them.
After the examination, you receive various pieces of paper like a
prescription. With these you go back to window 6 on the 1st floor, which
is the payment point. The price consists of 3 Pataca registration fee,
30 Pataca treatment and, if necessary, medicine. To the right of counter
6 hangs a large LED board that shows your name, when and where the
medication can be picked up.
Kiang Wu Hospital
Tel: 2952102
If you don't have an emergency and 'just' need a doctor, you can be
treated by American or Chinese doctors at the Hope Medical Clinic:
Hope Medical Clinic
Fu Wah Court, 1-D
26 Ave de Sidonio Pais, 1/F
Further recommendations can be found at Tropeninstitut.de.
Zhuhai. It is only a stone's throw from Macau to Zhuhai. However, you
need a visa for the People's Republic of China. The best way to apply
for this in Macau is two days in advance at the Chinese Foreign
Ministry's office (PRC Foreign Affairs Ministry) on Avendia do Dr.
Rodrigo Rodrigues. A visa valid for six months and with multiple entries
costs 400 patacas. The standard visa for one month and with a single
entry is cheaper. A passport photo is required for the visa to be
issued. Bus No. 28. Open: Mon - Thurs 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. + 2:00 p.m.
- 5:00 p.m., Fri 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Hong Kong. You can travel to
Hong Kong comfortably by ferry or helicopter. The city has enough to
offer to spend several days there alone.
Shenzhen. Also connected to
Macau by several ferries every day. However, the tourist attractions are
limited. You also need an entry visa for the People's Republic to enter
Shenzhen. If you book a day trip from Hong Kong in a tour group at a
travel agency, the organizer will take care of the formalities.
Macau is located on the coast of the South China Sea, in the Pearl
River Delta. It includes the territory of the Macau Peninsula, the
islands of Taipa and Coloane, with a total area of 30.8 km². Across the
strait it borders the metropolis of Zhuhai.
The Macau Peninsula
is formed by the estuary of the river. Zhujiang (Pearl) in the east and
the river. Xijiang in the west. The surface is mostly flat, formed as a
result of the gradual reconquest of land from the sea. Numerous steep
hills are a remnant of the former relief. The peninsula used to be an
island, but in the 17th century it was connected to the mainland. Both
other islands are connected to Macau by a road and two bridges. Most of
the territory is built up, there are no agricultural lands, pastures and
forests, but green spaces occupy 22.4%. The maximum height above sea
level is 172.4 m.
As in Hong Kong, the climate is subtropical with hot, humid summers and dry, mild winters. Temperatures in January are between 5 and 15 degrees, and rise to an average of almost 30 degrees in the summer months. The high humidity may be particularly unusual, especially in the months of April to August. Values of 97% are not uncommon. From April to September, the monsoon brings large amounts of precipitation, especially in the form of sudden cloudbursts. In summer (July-September) it is typhoon season, and during these hurricane-like storms there is sometimes a curfew, which you should adhere to. Macau can be visited all year round, but the months of June to August are very demanding in terms of climate.
Macau's human history is thought to date back 6,000 years and spans many different and varied civilizations and periods of existence. Evidence of human and cultural existence dating back 3,500 to 4,000 years has been discovered on the Macau Peninsula on Coloane Island.
During the Chinese Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC), the region was under the
jurisdiction of Panyu County, Nanhai Prefecture of Guangdong Province.
The Macau region was first settled by Chinese during the Han Dynasty
(2nd century BC to 2nd century AD). It was administratively part of
Dongguan Prefecture in the Jin Dynasty (266–420 AD), and was alternately
under the control of Nanhai and Dongguan in later dynasties.
Since the 5th century, trading ships travelling between Southeast Asia
and Guangzhou used the region as a port for refuge, fresh water and
food. In 1152, during the Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD), it came under the
jurisdiction of the new Xiangshan County. In 1277, about 50,000 refugees
fleeing the Mongol conquest of China settled in the coastal region.
Mong Há has long been the centre of Chinese life in Macau and is the
site of what may be the region's oldest temple, a shrine dedicated to
the Buddhist Guanyin (goddess of mercy). Later in the Ming Dynasty
(1368–1644 AD), fishermen from various parts of Guangdong and Fujian
provinces migrated to Macau and built the A-Ma Temple, where they prayed
for safety at sea. The Hoklo boat people were the first to show interest
in Macau as a trading centre for the southern provinces. However, Macau
did not develop into a significant settlement until the mid-16th
century, when it was leased to the Kingdom of Portugal.
In the following period, the city developed into one of the most
important trading centers between Asia and Europe as part of the
Portuguese trade with China. The Portuguese settlement in Macau around
1557 led to the creation of an annual sea trade line
Goa-Cochin-Malacca-Macau-Japan, which was open to various
concessionaires for a fee. This shipping line, to which the Portuguese
crown appointed ship captains, soon became one of the most profitable
trade routes in the Asian trade, as it not only enabled the import of
Asian luxury products such as silk, porcelain and lacquer furniture, but
also the placement of European copper on the Far Eastern markets and the
import of large quantities of Japanese silver. The trade in silk, spices
and tea flourished and brought great prosperity to Macau.
After
the Napoleonic Wars, Great Britain forced Portugal to open its ports to
trade from British ships. Goa and Macau had previously had a healthy
economy, but now it collapsed. It had a catastrophic effect on the
Portuguese merchant fleet and they lost the textile trade with India. In
Macau, the economy was able to get going again, independently of the
mother country, with the opium and tea trade. Even after the British
takeover of Hong Kong in 1844, access to the treaty ports in China
benefited, even though Macau finally lost its dominance in Asian trade.
In 1845, Portugal unilaterally declared Macau its free port. When new
rules in 1870 disadvantaged trade via Macau, Macau's role as an
emigration port for Chinese who worked abroad as coolies boomed. Between
a sixth and a quarter of all coolies from China traveled to the world
via Macau.
From the middle of the 19th century, a dispute began
between China and Portugal over the political and legal status of Macau
that lasted for over 150 years. Under international pressure, the
Chinese Empire was forced to recognize the permanent occupation and
government of Macau by Portugal in 1887. From 1892, the reformer Sun
Yat-sen stayed in the city, making Macau one of the most important
starting points of the Chinese revolution.
Around this time,
Macau developed into an appendage of the neighboring British colony in
almost all economic areas. In contrast to Hong Kong, with a few
temporary exceptions, the Chinese and Portuguese inhabitants of the city
lived in a symbiosis that was beneficial for both sides. Negotiations
between Portugal and the Republic of China on the return of the city to
China began in 1928, but remained unsuccessful in the course of the
Chinese Civil War and the Sino-Japanese War.
Due to Portugal's
policy of neutrality, Macau remained unoccupied by Japanese troops
during the Second World War. During this time, the city took in many
refugees of various nationalities. After the war, Portuguese President
António de Oliveira Salazar unilaterally declared Macau an overseas
province and an integral part of Portugal by decree, although the Allies
had assured the Republic of China in 1943 that all ports on the Chinese
coast would be returned.
After the founding of the People's
Republic of China in 1949, the new communist government in Beijing also
demanded the return of Macau, but was unable to prevail because Portugal
did not recognize mainland China's claim to sole representation. A
solution to the "Macau question" was postponed indefinitely. On July 31,
1963, the United Nations Security Council rejected the construction of
the Portuguese overseas provinces in UN Resolution 180 as contrary to
international law.
In 1966 and 1974, Portugal made concrete
offers to the People's Republic of China to return Macau to China. The
prerequisite for such treaties to be binding under international law
would have been the establishment of diplomatic relations between
Portugal and the People's Republic of China, but this was rejected by
the Portuguese government, which instead viewed the Republic of China in
Taiwan as the sole government of all of China. It was not until 1979
that Portugal recognized the People's Republic of China as the sole
legitimate representative of the Chinese people on the basis of UN
Resolution 2758 of 1971.
This paved the way for a return
acceptable to both sides based on the "one country, two systems"
unification concept developed by Deng Xiaoping. Official bilateral talks
between Portugal and the Chinese government began in 1985, one year
after the British government agreed to hand over Hong Kong in 1997.
Among other things, vested rights and debt relationships as well as
existing investment protection, double taxation and legal assistance
agreements between Macau and Hong Kong had to be taken into account.
After intensive negotiations, both countries agreed in 1987 to hand
Macau over to the People's Republic of China in 1999.
Macau was annexed to China at midnight on December 19/20, 1999. At the ceremony, then Chinese President Jiang Zemin said that "the return of Macau symbolizes the final end of Western colonial rule over Asia." Since then, Macau's official name has been the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. Based on the Sino-Portuguese Declaration of 1987, Macau has self-governing rights until 2049.
All of Macau's inhabitants are referred to as Macauans, while Macanese are a small ethnic group within the Macau people. A large part of the population lives on the Macau peninsula or within the borders of the Concelho de Macau. Since the beginning of the 21st century in particular, the population has been increasing extremely rapidly due to a lack of space, including on the Macau islands. With around 21,000 inhabitants per square kilometer, Macau has a very high population density. Macau is the area with the second highest life expectancy in the world. It is 84.5 years. Macau has a relatively old population, with less than a quarter being younger than 25 years.
Of the 650,834 inhabitants of Macau in the 2016 census, 577,107 were
Chinese, making this ethnic group the largest with a resulting share of
88.7%. The second ethnic group traditionally represented in Macau is the
Portuguese, but they only make up a small proportion at 6,853 people or
1.1%. In total, 11,715 people have at least partial Portuguese roots,
which corresponds to a share of 1.8%; in detail, 3,889 people or 0.6%
have Chinese-Portuguese ancestry and 973 people or 0.1% have Portuguese
and another non-Chinese ancestry. The Macanese, the original Creole
population in Macau, are not recorded in the census, but are found as a
multi-ethnic community, particularly among Chinese-Portuguese people or
those people who have Portuguese roots and descent from ethnic groups
other than Chinese. In addition to Chinese, Portuguese and Macanese,
there are many predominantly Asian minorities in Macau, which together
comprise a group of 59,998 people and thus 9.2% of the total population.
In recent decades, the ethnic composition has changed significantly
with the population size due to strong migration from abroad, including
mainland China. The proportion of Chinese in the total population has
decreased by 7 percentage points from 95.7% to 88.7% within 15 years
from 2001 to 2016. A continuity can be seen here: in 2011, 92.4% were
Chinese. The proportion of Chinese is decreasing in particular in favour
of other Asian ethnic groups. While in 2001 only 9,338 people or 2.1% of
the population were neither Chinese nor Portuguese, by 2011 their number
had risen to 32,413 or 5.9%; in 2016, a significantly higher figure of
9.2% was reached. About half of these 9.2% are likely to be Filipinos;
in addition, a quarter are Vietnamese and a quarter are people of other,
but mainly Asian, ethnic groups.
Over the decades, a downward
trend in the proportion of people with at least partial Portuguese
ancestry has been observed. In 2001, 1.8% of the population had a
Portuguese background, while their proportion fell to 1.6% by 2006 and
1.4% by 2011. In particular, the proportion of mixed Chinese-Portuguese
people shrank from 1.0% in 2001 to 0.8% in 2006 and then to 0.7% in
2011, while the proportion of people who were exclusively of Portuguese
descent remained the same. This shows in particular the loss of
importance of the mixed Macanese compared to the Portuguese, which puts
the Sino-Portuguese culture of the Macanese at risk, while exclusively
Portuguese-born people moved in from Portugal and were able to maintain
the proportion of Portuguese, with the absolute number increasing from
2,810 to 3,485 people between 2001 and 2011. However, the 2016 census
marked a change: while the mixed Chinese-Portuguese population continued
to decline to 0.6%, the exclusively Portuguese population doubled from
3,485 people or 0.6% to 6,853 people or 1.1% compared to 2011. Overall,
the proportion of those with at least partial Portuguese ancestry rose
again to 1.8%.
The distribution of nationalities and citizenships corresponds
roughly to the distribution of ethnic groups. Corresponding to the
proportion of ethnic Chinese of 88.7%, 88.44% of the inhabitants or
575,585 people were Chinese citizens in 2016. The second largest
nationality was the citizens of the Philippines with 30,080 people,
which corresponds to a share of 4.62% of the total population. Only
9,024 people or 1.39% had Portuguese citizenship. In addition, 4.73% had
an unnamed Asian citizenship and 0.82% had an unnamed non-Asian
citizenship.
Due to migration, a shift in the nationality ratio
can be observed: while in the penultimate census in 2011, 92.27% of the
inhabitants had Chinese citizenship, which comes with limited rights in
Macau, in the last census in 2016 this figure was only 88.44%. In
contrast, the proportion of people with Filipino nationality in
particular increased, more than doubling within five years from 2.67% to
4.62%. The proportion of Portuguese nationals, like the proportion of
ethnic Portuguese, also increased from 0.91% to 1.39% between 2011 and
2016. The proportion of other Asian nationalities also rose sharply from
3.19% to 4.73%, while other non-Asian nationalities fell slightly from a
share of 0.96% in 2011 to 0.82% in 2016.
The changes in the
period from 2011 to 2016 were relatively large, while there were only
minor changes from 2001 to 2006 to 2011. For example, the proportion of
holders of Chinese citizenship only fell from 95.2% in 2001 to 93.9% in
2006 to 92.3% in 2011. In the 2001 census, Portuguese was also the
second most common nationality with a share of 2.0%, while Filipinos
only accounted for 1.2% of the total population. In the following years,
however, Filipino citizenship replaced Portuguese citizenship in second
place, with the proportion of people with Filipino nationality
increasing to 2.0% and the proportion of people with Portuguese
nationality falling to 1.7% in the five years up to 2006. This trend
continued until 2011, with the proportion of Portuguese nationality
increasing by a further 0.7% from 2.0% to 2.7%, while the proportion of
people with Portuguese nationality fell further from 1.7% to 0.9%.
Nevertheless, the period from 2001 to 2011 was much more consistent than
the shorter period from 2011 to 2016, in which the proportion of
Filipino citizens increased much more significantly and the proportion
of Portuguese citizens also recovered.
Geographically, Macau belongs to the Cantonese language area, a Chinese language that is widespread throughout the Pearl River Delta and is also spoken in Hong Kong and Guangzhou (also known as Canton). Due to centuries of Portuguese colonialism, Portuguese and the resulting creole language Macanese are also historically anchored in Macau. Both Chinese and Portuguese are official languages. Bilingualism is strictly observed in official communications. For example, all legal texts, public documents and government websites are available in Chinese and Portuguese. Both Chinese and Portuguese are also spoken in the Legislative Assembly, and speeches are made understandable to speakers of both official languages through simultaneous interpretation. In recent years, the importance of English in Macau has increased due to its status as an international city, so that government websites are now also available in English. Speakers of Portuguese have repeatedly expressed fears that their language is becoming increasingly restricted. With regard to the language situation, several trends can be observed in the long term: on the one hand, a clear increase in Mandarin Chinese and English (especially in passive language comprehension) and, on the other hand, a slow decline in Cantonese and Portuguese. For some time now, far more people have spoken and understood English than Portuguese.
In 2006, it was estimated that Macau's population was about 80% Buddhist, 4% Roman Catholic and 1% Protestant. 15% belonged to another religion or no religion. Buddhism is also represented by non-Chinese organizations such as the Tibetan Buddhism of the Nyingmapa.
Macau has four universities and numerous other educational
institutions:
Macau Polytechnic Institute (Instituto Politécnico de
Macau)
University of Macau (Universidade de Macau)
Macau
University of Science and Technology
Saint Joseph's University
(Universidade de São José)
Institute for Tourism Studies
Kiang Wu
Nursing College
Macau Millennium College
Macau Security Forces
Training College
Macau Institute of Management
United Nations
University International Institute for Software Technology
Institute
of European Studies of Macau
Special Olympics Macau was founded in 1987 and has participated in the Special Olympics World Games several times. The association has announced its participation in the 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Berlin. The delegation will be looked after by Hanau before the games as part of the Host Town Program.
Highlights in the city's annual events calendar are the Chinese New
Year celebrations, the Macau Arts Festival, the Tun Ng Dragon Boat
Festival (端午節, Duānwǔ Jié, Jyutping Dyun1ng5 Zit6), the International
Fireworks Display Contest and the International Music Festival.
Since 1954, the Macau Grand Prix has been held every November on the
Guia Circuit, a street circuit consisting of various races for
motorcycles, touring cars and single-seaters.
The production of fireworks and textiles is economically important for Macau. The unemployment rate in 2017 was reported to be 2%, which is very low.
Gambling has long been a central source of income for Macau. In 1962,
the Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau (STDM, English: Macau
Travel and Entertainment Company) was founded, a privately organized
company that temporarily held the monopoly on gambling and maintained
other activities in the leisure and tourism industry. STDM was majority
owned by Stanley Ho (30 percent) and Teddy Yip (27 percent). The casinos
made Macau attractive for regional tourists. Until the market was
liberalized in 2002, STDM generated up to 60 percent of Macau's gross
domestic product in some years.
In 2011, there were 34 casinos
with a turnover of 33.9 billion US dollars. This represents a 42 percent
increase in turnover compared to 2010. Due to gambling, Macau has more
than tripled the number of tourists from eight million in 2000 to
29,324,822 in 2013. In 2013, the casinos in Macau generated six times as
much turnover as those in Las Vegas. In January 2014, 2,503,609 tourists
visited. This is particularly reflected in the construction industry,
because, given Macau's small size, high-rise buildings are the main
building activity.
Since the gambling monopoly fell in late 2002,
it has been primarily US consortia from Las Vegas, Nevada that have
applied for licenses to build casinos. The investors want to recreate
the Las Vegas Strip on the artificial landfill between the two southern
islands of Taipa and Coloane. In May 2004, the Sands Macau, a casino
with a golden facade (which has been a hotel since 2007), opened, the
construction costs of which were paid off in less than a year. A large
casino, hotel and leisure complex has been built near the southern flank
of Taipa, currently the largest in the world. The centerpiece is the
casino hall, which is easily accessible from all sides and has an
exceptionally large area of 51,000 square meters.
Texas Hold'em
Poker has been officially permitted as a form of gambling in Macau since
January 2008. In May 2011, the Galaxy Resort opened in Macau, another
gambling palace with 2,200 hotel rooms, 50 restaurants, an artificial
beach and a wave pool.
Since 1989, Macau has had a horse racing
track with a capacity of 15,000 seats, where betting on the outcome of
the races is legal. In 2012, the minimum age for gambling in Macau was
raised from 18 to 21.
The resort hotel casino The Venetian Macao was built between 2004 and
2007 and is (as of March 2013) the sixth largest building in the world
in terms of floor space. The Venetian is dominated by the 151 meter high
angled hotel block with 39 floors and 3000 suites. Like in Las Vegas,
they are subsidized to attract the required masses of players to the
casino. To complement the hotel operations and guarantee occupancy, a
111,000 square meter conference center, a fully equipped theater and an
event arena with 15,000 seats were built. The restaurants and shops
spread throughout the complex cover an area of 149,000 square meters.
In the first five months after opening on August 29, 2007, 10 million
guests were counted. The personnel costs in the complex are calculated
at around 25,000 employees, which is one in five jobs in Macau.
The Venetian, like its model in Las Vegas, which is two-thirds smaller,
is framed by a replica of Venetian canals with gondolas on street fronts
under an artificial sky in permanent twilight. The decor is in the
Venetian style; however, the Chinese lucky charms of dragons and fish
are integrated into the furnishings everywhere near the casino. Outside
there is the solitary campanile from St. Mark's Square, which was
rebuilt in its original size including the tower figure (98.6 meters). A
large pond lights up in the complex at night.
The Macau peninsula and the island of Taipa are connected by three
bridges. Since the beginning of 2005, the newest bridge, the Ponte da
Sai Van (西灣大橋, Xīwān Dàqiáo, Jyutping Sai1waan1 Daai6kiu4), has been
open to traffic in western Macau. Only this new and higher bridge makes
Taipa Island accessible by car even in the event of a typhoon warning.
The two older bridges (Ponte Governador Nobre de Carvalho and Ponte da
Amizade, since 1994; in the east) are not sufficiently protected from
wind and waves.
Regular fast ferries run between the ports of
Macau and Taipa. Hydrofoils travel the Macau-Hong Kong route around 150
times a day. There are connections to Hong Kong International Airport,
the China Ferry Pier in Kowloon and the Macau Ferry Terminal on Hong
Kong Island. The crossing takes around an hour. There are also ferry
connections to Shekou (蛇口, Shékǒu, Jyutping Se4hau2) (Shenzhen) and
Shenzhen Airport, as well as bus lines to Gongbei (拱北, Gǒngběi, Jyutping
Gung2bak1) (Zhuhai) and Guangzhou. There are also regular helicopter
flights to Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
Macau has had its own
international airport, Macau International Airport, since 1995. Traffic
in the city center and even local traffic on the surrounding islands is
relieved by an effective bus system. All vehicles are equipped with air
conditioning. In contrast to mainland China, there is left-hand traffic
in Macau, as in Hong Kong.
The Ligeiro de Macau Metro (Macao
Light Rapid Transit) has been operating since 2019. The driverless
rubber-tired people mover initially serves Taipa and Cotai and then
leads to the Macau Peninsula. Further routes are under construction.
Since the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) in
October 2018, there has been a direct road connection across the Pearl
River to the neighboring cities of Hong Kong and Zhuhai. The bridge is
open to traffic with border buses. Use for private individual and
business car traffic between the inner Chinese borders of the special
administrative regions (Macau and Hong Kong) and mainland China (Zhuhai)
is regulated daily according to quotas and is only permitted for
pre-registered drivers with administrative and insurance requirements.
Sons of the city
Vicente Nicolau de Mesquita (1818–1880),
Portuguese officer
Pedro Nolasco da Silva (1842–1912), translator,
writer, journalist and teacher
Victor Hugo de Azevedo Coutinho
(1871–1955), naval officer, professor at the University of Coimbra and
politician, Prime Minister from 1914 to 1915
João Tamagnini de Sousa
Barbosa (1883–1948), military man and politician, Prime Minister from
1918 to 1919
Luís Gonzaga Gomes (1907–1976), sinologist, translator,
historian and author
Geoffrey de Ste Croix (1910–2000), British
historian
José Lei (1930–2023), sports shooter who competed for Hong
Kong
José Lai Hung-seng (* 1946), Bishop
Fernando Chui Sai On (*
1957), politician, 2009-2019 Chief Administrator of Macau
José Maria
Pereira Coutinho (* 1957), politician
Soi Cheang (* 1972), film
director and producer
Eurico de Jesus (* 1977), racing driver
Honorary citizen
Hermann-Josef Weidinger OPraem (1918-2004), Austrian
Premonstratensian canon, known as herbalist
Died here
José dos
Santos Vaquinhas († 1888), Portuguese officer and colonial administrator
Francisco de Paula Luz († 1915), Portuguese officer and colonial
administrator