Lady’s Guide to One Day in Macau

I’ve always believed Macau is magical. Part old Portuguese, part new Chinese, and all steeped in money and luck, it has a legendary quality like no other travel destination. I’ve long imagined that being there would be like a James Bond film, a briefcase full of cash and contraband required for entry. And now I’m spending one day in Macau, excited to see how reality compares with my imagination.

One Day in Macau

I’ve arrived by ferry from Hong Kong—it’s surprisingly only an hour away—and find myself part of a crowd spilling out into the Macau heat.

I come sans aforementioned briefcase, but thankfully they let me through passport control anyway.

As I walk outside, I half expect a gang of well-trained ninjas to chase me through a casino, only my wit and poison-tipped pen to protect me.

But I quickly discover that that’s not the real Macau (and I can’t decide whether to feel incredibly disappointed or extremely relieved about this. Probably the latter. I don’t actually have a poison-tipped pen).

No, Macau isn’t a James Bond film. It’s a lot more than that. And a lot bigger, too. There’s so much to do here that one day in Macau isn’t nearly enough.

I’m not even big on gambling and there’s still too much to see in a day without setting foot in a casino (maybe that’s why I never encounter the ninjas).

Contemporary Macau

But I’m determined to see all I can in one day in Macau. Starting at the shiny new Macau Fisherman’s Wharf, a complex full of shops and restaurants, I walk down to the Macau Science Center.

Designed by I.M. Pei, one of my favorite architects, it looks like a silvery extraterrestrial ship come to Earth to teach us all about intelligent things.

From there I walk along the quiet waterfront. As I do, I take in the giant bronze statue of the Goddess of Mercy atop the Kun Iam Ecumenical Centre, and the iconic Macau Tower behind it.

Historic Macau

But what I really want to see are the vestiges of the Portuguese era. I’m fascinated by the history of Macau, a long-time Portuguese colony, and during my one day in Macau I head up to Senado Square to take it all in.

The square is as packed with people as the waterfront was empty, and the area around it is rich with historic buildings, bright yellow baroque churches, and bubbling fountains.

I love the grandeur of the facades and the black-and-white patterns in the cobblestones.

Following the crowds, I head up an amazingly crowded street lined with sweet shops on both sides. Eventually I come out at the base of a staircase leading up to the 16th-century Ruins of St Paul’s, Macau’s most famous landmark.

The lone facade of the former church is stunning even with nothing but daylight behind it.

Next to it is the historic Monte Fort, the former Portuguese military center where visitors can now climb up thick walls for panoramic views of Macau.

When I get to the top, the casinos glisten in the distance, calling to me with their promises of money and luck.

1 Day in Macau

But as luck would have it, my time in Macau is running out. I make my way down the hill and back to the ferry port to travel to Hong Kong.

One day in Macau hasn’t been nearly enough time to see everything, but it’s been sufficient to learn that while my imaginary vision of a James Bond world was exciting, the reality is even more enchanting.

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