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Lee Cobaj

As Covid-19 disruptions slip ever further into the past, Macau is coming alive again – and not all the action is happening on the casino floor.
We look at some of the new permanent attractions, as well as one-off shows and events, that should brighten up a trip to Hong Kong’s sister city.
1. Red parasols, flower beds and wooden tables and chairs await visitors at the new rooftop sitting-out area atop the revamped Iao Hon Market. Located inside a 1970s housing estate, the roof terrace has photogenic views of the neighbourhood, as well as a court for gateball, a faster-paced version of croquet.
Free.

2. The Light Up Macao festival is back from December 2 to February 25, and will transform the city’s streets and historic buildings into a swirling psychedelic landscape.
All across the city, visitors will be able to see tunnels of neon, elaborate light installations and projection mapping on the likes of the St Paul’s Cathedral, Nam Van Lake and the A-Ma Temple.
Free.

3. Pull on your double denim, puffer jackets and hair scrunchies for a night with Irish boy band Westlife – behind the 1990s hits “You Raise Me Up” and “Flying Without Wings” – who are bringing The Wild Dreams Tour to The Londoner Arena on November 18 and 19.
Tickets from 680 patacas (US$84); cotaiticketing.com.

4. Following more than a decade of performances, Macau’s most audacious show, The House of Dancing Water, was sunk during the pandemic, leaving visitors with little in the way of Las Vegas-style entertainment.
Happily, the extravaganza has been salvaged and is set to return to the City of Dreams stage in the coming months with a brand new, reimagined spectacular.
For tickets, go to thehouseofdancingwater.com.












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5. Tucked behind the Ruins of St Paul’s, the long-established St Lazarus neighbourhood has risen from the dead, with a host of new boutiques, galleries, bars and restaurants.
Most notable is 3 Sardines, which scores an impressive 4.6 on Facebook for its eccentric decor and modern take on petiscos, or Portuguese tapas – heaps of fried green beans, quail eggs served in little wooden bird cages, baby snails drenched in garlic. Team with some home-brewed Lazaro beer.
34 Rua de São Roque; @3sardinesmacau.

6. Visit Fisherman’s Wharf Convention and Exhibition Centre between November 17 and December 3 to fill up on snacks and souvenirs from the more than 100 stalls that comprise the 23rd Macau Food Festival.
As well as dozens of local foods, you’ll find stands from Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea. Elasticated waistbands recommended.

7. Perfect for the cooler months, Studio City has opened a gigantic indoor water park to complement its gigantic outdoor water park. Expect surf simulators, wave pools and numerous water slides, including one that blasts riders like a rocket into the outside air. Closed on Tuesdays.
Winter adult ticket 468 patacas, child 320 patacas. For details, go to studiocity-macau.com.

8. Long before the casinos took over, Macau was a maritime town with 17 shipbuilders crowding the shores of Lai Chi Vun Village, in Coloane.
Now that history is being celebrated with a revitalisation of the old shipyard area, which has a new exhibition space, food and souvenir market, and buskers performing at the weekend (although probably not the Elvis Costello song “Shipbuilding”).
For details, go to www.icm.gov.mo/en/Laichivun.


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Asia travel

What’s new in Macau beyond the casinos? Revived neighbourhoods, a roof garden and one-off shows and festivals to look forward to

The Light Up Macao 2023 festival. Photo: Macau Government Tourism Office

Iao Hon Market has photogenic views of Macau. It is one of several new attractions to visit in Hong Kong’s sister city. Photo: Macau Government

The Light Up Macao festival takes place all over the city. Photo: Macau Government Tourism Office

Westlife will be performing in Macau on November 18 and 19. Photo: Mike Lewis Photography/Redferns

The House of Dancing Water is set to return to the City of Dreams stage in the coming months. Photo: City of Dreams

The Macau Food Festival is set to open between November 17 and December 3. Photo: Macau Food Festival

Studio City has opened a gigantic outdoor water park.

A themed exhibition at Macau’s former shipyards reminds the public about the history and culture of the Lai Chi Vun Shipyards and of Lai Chi Vun Village. Photo: Government Information Bureau, Macau

What’s new in Macau: 5 hotel openings in 2023, from the first Versace hotel in Asia to the invite-only Raffles at Galaxy Macau – rooms more than US$1,800

What’s new in Macau? One of five prominent hotel openings in 2023 was that of the trendy W Macau. Photo: W Macau

W marks the spot: the W Macau. Photo: W Macau

The W’s Cantonese restaurant Divahas has views of Studio City’s Golden Reel. Photo: W Macau

Rates at the Raffles at Galaxy Macau are expected to start from almost US2,000 a night. Photo: Galaxy Macau

 A penthouse suite at the new Raffles. Photo: Galaxy Macau

The Karl Lagerfeld: a hotel for label-loving grown-ups. Photo: The Karl Lagerfeld

There is nothing understated about the rooms at The Karl Lagerfeld hotel. Photo: The Karl Lagerfeld

The outdoor pool at The Karl Lagerfeld hotel. Photo: The Karl Lagerfeld

The exterior of the Andaz Macau. 

Floor-to-ceiling windows allow light to flood rooms at the Andaz Macau hotel. Photo: Andaz Macau

Expect creamy marble, Medusa floor mosaics and glimmers of gold at Palazzo Versace. Photo: Palazzo Versace

How does one of Macau’s oldest ice cream shops stay relevant? Lai Kei owner says it’s all about the human touch – and working with fashion brands

Lai Kei’s signature ice cream sandwich is housed in a paper box featuring a drawing of a girl in pigtails that was sketched by Lai Kei’s founder, Kong Lai-king. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Ambert Kong Wing-tsan, the third generation owner of ice cream shop Lai Kei, explains how one of Macau’s most beloved home-grown brands has managed to survive for as long as it has. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Kong Lai-king (left), the founder of Lai Kei Ice Cream, as a young man next to his ice cream stall. Photo: courtesy of Ambert Kong

Coconut ice cream at Lai Kei in Macau. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Lai Kei has a history going back over 80 years. The current shop, on Avenida do Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida, has been around since the 1960s. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

An old advert for Lai Kei’s packaged ice cream. Photo: courtesy of Ambert Kong

Lai Kei has delightfully retro interiors. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Ambert Kong outside Lai Kei in Macau. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Macau’s boutique hotel Pousada de Coloane is a survivor; a peaceful oasis with Portuguese heritage, sea views and no casino

The Pousada de Coloane in Macau is a beachside boutique hotel that boasts a panoramic view of the South China Sea. Photo: Pousada de Coloane

Pousada de Coloane, in the south of Macau, has 23 spacious rooms, each with its own balcony (above) and tub, a restaurant serving hearty Portuguese dishes, and not a casino in sight. Photo: Pousada de Coloane

The Pousada de Coloane, in Macau, is a beachside boutique hotel with a panoramic view of the South China Sea. Photo: Pousada de Coloane

European influences in the lobby of the Pousada de Coloane. Photo: Pousada de Coloane

The Pousada de Coloane’s restaurant retains its Portuguese identity in its interiors – the fireplace is typical of homes back in Iberia. Photo: Pousada de Coloane

The Pousada de Coloane’s superior double room is spacious, with a king-size bed and a tub in the bathroom. Photo: Pousada de Coloane

The second-floor, guest-room view from the Pousada de Coloane. Photo: Mabel Lui

Portuguese steak with Parma ham, a runny egg and fried potatoes at the Pousada’s restaurant. Photo: Mabel Lui

Part of the continental breakfast set at the Pousada de Coloane. Photo: Pousada de Coloane

The clean Cheoc Van Beach. Photo: Mabel Lui

Cheoc Van Beach also has a public swimming pool, open from May to October. Photo: Mabel Lui

It’s surely time to drop the sailing junk as a symbol of Hong Kong – but who knows? Desperate tourism chiefs may have them sail the seas again

A lone junk plies Victoria Harbour in 1982,  by which time the fleets of junks that once plied its waters were a thing of the past. The Hong Kong Tourism Board adopted a junk as a symbol of the city with great success, but it long ago ceased representing reality.

Motorised junks with fixed sails still draw tourists’ cameras, but no longer represent Hong Kong. Photo: Elson Li

A woman walks past a poster is Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, depicting a motorised junk in Victoria Harbour. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Fishing boats at anchor in the Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter in 1979. Multiple generations of a fishing family used to live aboard a Chinese junk. Photo: SCMP

The Peninsula vs Raffles: how London’s 2 new Asian-brand hotels square up – rooms, suites, restaurants, prices and more

Left &#xA;&#xA;Raffles London facade&#xA;&#xA;CREDIT: Raffles London /  John Athimaritis&#xA;&#xA;Right&#xA;&#xA;The Peninsula London’s exterior. &#xA;&#xA;CREDIT: The Peninsula / Will Pryce

Raffles London (left) and The Peninsula London (right). The two new Asian-brand hotels opened in September. We give the lowdown on their rooms, suites, prices, restaurants, bars, fitness centres and more. Photos: Raffles London/John Athimaritis; The Peninsula/Will Pryce

The ornate Raffles London staircase. Photo: Raffles London/John Athimaritis

The living room area in Raffles London’s Granville Suite. Photo: Raffles London/John Athimaritis

The Peninsula London’s Brooklands bar. Photo: The Peninsula/Will Pryce

Claims abound that wartime prime minister Winston Churchill would rub the nose of the OWO’s carved lion for luck. Photo: Raffles London/John Athimaritis

A plaque on the Raffles London staircase. Photo: Raffles London/John Athimaritis

The Peninsula London is located on Hyde Park Corner. Photo: The Peninsula/Will Pryce

The Peninsula London’s entrance. Photo: The Peninsula/Will Pryce

The Peninsula London’s The Lobby restaurant. Photo: The Peninsula/Will Pryce

One of The Peninsula London’s Grand Premier Park Rooms. Photo: The Peninsula/Will Pryce

A dressing room in one of The Peninsula London’s Grand Premier Terrace Suites. Photo: The Peninsula/Will Pryce

The entrance to The Peninsula London’s Brooklands restaurant. Photo: The Peninsula/Will Pryce

The dining room at The Peninsula London’s Brooklands restaurant. Photo: The Peninsula/Will Pryce

The terrace of The Peninsula London’s Brooklands restaurant. Photo: The Peninsula/Will Pryce

A hot-air-balloon-themed lift takes guests to The Peninsula London’s Brooklands restaurant. Photo: The Peninsula/Will Pryce

The Peninsula London’s Canton Blue restaurant. Photo: The Peninsula/Will Pryce

Raffles London is located on Whitehall. Photo: Raffles London/John Athimaritis

A corridor at Raffles London. Photo: Raffles London/John Athimaritis

A Junior Suite at Raffles London. Photo: Raffles London/John Athimaritis

Raffles London’s Churchill Suite. Photo: Raffles London/John Athimaritis

Raffles London’s Saison restaurant. Photo: Raffles London/John Athimaritis

Raffles London’s Guards Bar. Photo: Raffles London/John Athimaritis

The pool at Raffles London. Photo: Raffles London/John Athimaritis

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There is more to Macau than a visit to a casino – not least the Light Up Macao festival, which transforms the city’s streets into a swirling psychedelic landscape
Irish boy band Westlife are visiting for two concerts, The House of Dancing Water returns and an indoor water park is making a splash


Two Westlife concerts, revamped neighbourhoods, a food festival – we take a look at some of Macau’s new permanent attractions as well as one-off shows and events coming soon.
