Macao, an autonomous region on the south coast of China, is a place which thrums with energy.
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For travellers seeking a high-octane destination, Macao delivers with dynamic festivals, parades and events year-round.
And despite its small size – just 33 square kilometres – it has a breadth of attractions suited to all kinds of visitors from families to retirees.
An event for every month
There’s no slow season in Macao, explains Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macao Government Tourist Office.
The year kicks off with celebrations throughout January and February for Lunar New Year.
“We have parades, we have dragon dance, we have lion dance, so it's a very, very big celebration,” de Senna Fernandes tells Euronews Travel in an interview at the ITB Berlin travel trade show.
In March, Macao turns to food with the Cities of Gastronomy Fest, where destinations from all over the world are invited to showcase their cuisine.
Macao itself is also a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, hailed as the home of the first “fusion food” stemming from its time under Portuguese administration beginning in the 16th century.
April follows with a travel fair, and then arts festivals throughout the summer months. September arrives with a bang as a fireworks festival sees teams from around the world compete to light up the skies with the most spectacular pyrotechnics.
An international music festival with opera and classical concerts is scheduled in October, while the city hosts its grand prix car racing in November. December concludes an eventful year with light festivals.
Cotai: The new part of town
The historic centre of Macao is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, notable for an architecture that is “a unique testimony to the meeting of aesthetic, cultural, architectural and technological influences from East and West”, according to the designation.
But de Senna Fernandes urges visitors to look to Macao’s new part of town, too. Called Cotai, the area is built on reclaimed land and crammed with glitzy attractions, cutting-edge architecture and all-hours entertainment.
In Cotai there are around 25,000 hotel rooms. The five-star Capella at Galaxy Macau has recently opened, joining the prestigious ranks of luxury properties in the area, including The Ritz-Carlton, Andaz, Raffles, and Banyan Tree.
De Senna Fernandes highlights the area’s music scene, which has welcomed stars like Andrea Bocelli and will host performances by K-pop singers this year.
For families, there is an indoor and outdoor water park with “next generation” roller-coasters, a surfing simulator and a sci-fi themed slide tower.
While the destination is keen to emphasise its family-friendly attractions, it is also looking to entice the “silver segment” of travellers.
Along the Cotai Strip, those looking for slower-paced entertainment can wander air-conditioned resorts like The Parisian and The Londoner, enjoying their replicas of famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Big Ben.
There is a fountain spectacle of water, music and lights in front of the Wynn Palace, and visitors can take languorous gondola rides down the indoor canals of The Venetian.
“All in all, I think there is much to do and much to cater to all these different types of visitors,” says de Senna Fernandes.