Wednesday, June 02, 2010

Macau: Activities for non-gamblers at Macau's casinos and entertainment resorts


As I previously mentioned, Macau is not all about casinos. In fact, casinos and entertainment resorts such as City of Dreams, The Venetian Macao, Ponte 16 and Wynn have a lot of activities you might want to try out. Dining and shopping are a staple at all casinos and entertainment resorts.


1. City of Dreams: Steaks at Horizons, Dragon's Treasure and Hard Rock Hotel
I personally like the interior design of City of Dreams. They even have a guide to the art that you can find around the complex.

Check out the steaks at Horizons. We had a really wonderful lunch there. For starters, we were served Champagne Glazed Cold Smoked Tasmanian Salmon (with cucumber and caper salsa, beetroot puree, Ikura roe) MOP98. Then came in the soup, "Kabucha" Veloute with Herb Crusted Hokkaido Scallop (Kumquat espuma, pata negra chips) MOP128. Of course, the main dish was the Filet Mignon 8oz USA Prime MOP98. To cap off our lunch, we had Tahitian Vanilla Creme Brulee (delicately set creme with thin caramel crust and fresh berries) MOP65.


Dragon's Treasure at The Bubble is a really spectacular lights and sounds show at City of Dreams. After the show, we then went around Hard Rock Hotel and checked out the memorabilia wall. You'll see some Michael Jackson items there too. City of Dreams also has some really affordable shopping options, unlike most resorts which cater to the high end market. So you might want to check the shops out.


2. The Venetian Macao: Cirque de Soleil and gondola rides at the Grand Canal
I've already mentioned this in a previous post. Cirque de Soleil's Zaia is really very entertaining. And if it fits your budget, it's something you might want to consider. Ticket prices range from HK$388 to HK$788 for adults and HK$194 to HK$394 for children. VIP tickets are HK$1288. Here's information for booking online.

Another attraction here are the gondola rides at the Grand Canal. Of course, the shops at the Grand Canal are very much visited. But they're more on the higher end when compared to those at City of Dreams. The Venetian also has a lot of dining options. I heard Old Neptune serves really great Macanese food.


3. Ponte 16: MJ Gallery
We stayed at the Sofitel Macau At Ponte 16 which is a really nice hotel with a view of Mainland China. Ponte 16 is actually a redevelopment of Macau's Pier 16. In fact, the old Ponte 16 building at the end of San Ma Lo still stands as part of the development.


One of the attractions at Ponte 16 in the MJ Gallery which is home to some significant memorabilia of Michael Jackson.

Ponte 16 has several renowned restaurants that offer top-notch Cantonese cuisine, excellent Northern Chinese home-made noodles and dumplings, plus French and Mediterranean dining experiences among many others. Check out Mistral (6/F, Sofitel Macau At Ponte 16) where we had a really filling breakfast everyday.


4. Wynn Hotel: Performance Lake, Tree of Prosperity and Dragon of Fortune
Performance Lake is an outdoor dancing fountain in between Wynn and Casino Lisboa. Shows are every 15 minutes. The Tree of Prosperity and Dragon of Fortune are lights and sound shows inside Wynn Hotel.

Of course, you can enjoy the casino lights by taking a stroll around the Casino Lisboa area. The various casinos offer free shuttle services to major points around Macau and Cotai so just ask the information desk where to hop on them.

There are more activities to talk about and I'll keep on updating this post as more information comes in. Did I miss anything? Check out the MGTO website for even more activities from greyhound racing to tours on a 9-seat, chauffeur-driven replica of a 1920s English bus!

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