MACAO used to be a humble Portuguese colony and upon independence from Portugal way back in the 90s transformed itself as the Las Vegas of Asia with its numerous casinos thanks largely to the vision of magnate Stanley Ho.

Now reclaimed by China as its own, Macao without doubt is a threat to both the casinos seen in Las Vegas and Atlantic City (New Jersey). Many foreigners come here to simply gamble for the night and they’re not just Asians coming from the Chinese mainland but they come from all over – Israelis, Spaniards, Dutch, Australians, Japanese and even their former colonizers, the Portuguese.

Portuguese descendants of the colonizers can hardly believe that such a humble territory located in China can become the gambling hub of the Asia-Pacific.

The easiest way to reach Macao is through neighboring Hong Kong. You may fly an intercontinental airliner towards Hong Kong and take a ferry from there to Macao. Macao’s ferries are short of luxurious but the cost is definitely inexpensive. And you can gaze the beauty of the South China Sea.

Upon arriving at the Macao port, let the gambling and the shopping begin. Enjoy the rest of the holidays in Macao.

photo credits: Mark Simons