In which quarter house in Macau?

Cap on China for your next departure? Here is our presentation of the neighborhoods where to stay in Macau to spend an unforgettable holiday!

Defined as a special administrative region of Macau of the People's Republic of China (RASM) in its long form, Macau is a former Portuguese counter having administered the city for more than 400 years and considered the last European colony in Asia. The population was 650,834 in 2016, mostly Chinese. A very liberal small market economy, Macao having been a former free zone, economic activity is largely focused on luck games and luxury: in fact, the turnover of the games (45 billion dollars) far exceeds that of Las Vegas (6 billion dollars)! As such, the average income of the inhabitants is one of the highest in the world. As a result, staying in Macau can be expensive. Where to book accommodation in this small island of Portugal in South-East Asia?

Macau is divided into four areas: the Macau peninsula connected to the Chinese continent, Taipa, Cotai and Coloane, on the southernmost and mountainous island. Between Chinese and Portuguese gastronomy, its subtropical climate, the western life and the freedom enjoyed by the Macanais, the city seduces many expatriates and visitors who come to stay in Macau. This is where to stay in Macau.

Macao Peninsula

Composed of old freguesias de Nossa Senhora de Fátima , freguesia de Santo António , freguesia de São Lázaro and of Freguesia da Sé , the peninsula is literally a hollow of different cultures and a crossroads between the West and the East. If you come to stay in Macau, you will meet on the peninsula a mix of lifestyles, gastronomy, religions and architectures both European and Chinese. Indeed, you will cross countless colonial buildings where Portuguese influence remains pregnant in the paved streets, churches, fortresses and gardens.

It is the oldest part of Macau, including some immanquables: many Buddhist temples, a plethora of green spaces – Parque Municipal Mong Ha , Jardim da Montanha Russa , Parque Municipal do Monte da Guia , Jardim do Monte do Forte - two lakes (Lac de Nam Van, Sai Van Lake) or museums: Macau Museum, Macau Maritime Museum, Dr. Sun Yat Sen Memorial, Macau Art Museum, etc. To stay in Macau, most of the hotels are gathered on this peninsula and as everywhere in Asia, restaurants and street markets where to eat for cheap.

Taipa, Cotai and Coloane

Staying in Taipa, Cotai and Coloane in the southern part of Macau, will plunge you more into immersion in the modernity where new large casinos jump. To stay in Taipa or in the south of Macau, you will have to have the means: it is the largest hotel complex in Asia, but these hotels are intended for a luxury and easy-to-use clientele. But the southern Macau is not exclusively dedicated to luxury and entertainment: the south of Macau also has small hills with hiking trails, accessible from Seac Pai Van Park and the beaches of Cheoc Van and Hac Sa. Again, if the hotels or apartments where to stay in Macau are expensive, there is no less that you can go shopping to bring back various souvenirs in France, eat for cheap in the street and enjoy beautiful urban or rural rides.

Main photo credit: Flickr – Harvey Jiang