If you want to celebrate a special occasion in style and comfort, you can take a trip in a 9-seat, chauffeur-driven replica 1920s English bus. They operate city tours (2 hours) at MOP$120 per person and MOP$60 per child, at 11:00 and 15:00, under a fixed itinerary. Special tour will be charged at MOP$280 per person. For reservations, please call: (853) 2833 6789 or fax: (853) 2831 4112, or e-mail: avismcu@macau.ctm.net.
Pedicabs
The pedicab, or tricycle rickshaw, is a liesurely and romantic form of transport around the waterfronts of Macau (it is not designed for hill climbing), and offers visitors a chance to see and photograph the sights, while chatting with the drivers. The main locations for hiring a pedicab are outside the Macau Ferry Terminal and opposite the main door of the Lisboa Hotel. They usually charge MOP$150.00 per hour. You should agree on the price before starting your trip.
Cable Car
The Guia Hill dominates the Macau peninsula and its top offers the best landscape views in town, namely the Pearl River and the surrounding islands. If you go in through the Flora Garden Gate (Avenida Sidónio Pais), you will find a Cable car, which will help to go up, besides offering you a panoramic view over the hill. The ticket costs MOP3.00 (one-way trip) or MOP$5.00 (two-way trip). The cable car operates from 7.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.
Cycling
Macau city has too many hills and vehicles for a pleasure cycling, but Taipa and Coloane Islands can be fine for bicycles, which can be rented on Taipa near the Tin Hau Temple.
Sports
At present the Macau Stadium is the prime venue for football, track and field and athletic competitions, however a new stadium is being built in good time for 2005 when Macau hosts the East Asia Games. Already an Olympic swimming pool has opened for the games and other facilities, for indoor and outdoor sports are under construction.For amateur athletes there are plenty of facilities. On Guia Hill there is a jogging track and exercise equipment, and the trails on Taipa and Coloane Islands are very popular with joggers and hikers. On Coloane there is also the Centro de Formação Juvenil D. Bosco (Youth Formation Centre) with indoor and outdoor sport facilities available to the public. For reservation please call: (853) 2888 1836 or visit Website: www.sport.gov.mo .
Trekking
On Guia Hill and the hills of Taipa and Coloane there are trails equipped for trekking, jogging and exercises. These are safe routes, which offer panoramic views over the city, the islands and the Pearl River, providing wonderful opportunities for nature and photography lovers. From time to time in these trails there are belvederes where you may enjoy a rest.
In the southern part of Coloane Island there are two beaches.
In Cheoc Van there are several restaurants with esplanades, a swimming pool, a Portuguese style hostel (which also includes its own swimming pool) and a Nautical Club with equipment for canoeing and windsurfing.
The Hac-Sá beach is longer and is popular for windsurfing and jet-skiing. Near the beach there is a park that contains tennis courts, a swimming pool, picnic area, children's playground and several highly-rated Portuguese and Chinese restaurants. Just up the Hac-Sábeach is the Nautical Entertainment Centre (at the Hac-Sá reservoir park) where different boats and water scooters are available for rent. It also offers a barbecue area, children's playground, nature trails, a jogging track, coffee shop and snack bar.
Golf
The Macau Golf & Country Club, located on the south side of Coloane island and near the Western Resort Complex, is one of the most beautiful golf courses in Asia, and is open to locals and foreigners. With a unique view over the Pearl River and Hac Sá Beach, the course has all the usual international amenities, such as a Pro Shop, spa, restaurant and bar. (For enquiries, contact the club through tel. (853) 2887 1188).
Karting
* Due to repair of track and 2008 Macau International Kart Grand Prix, the Karting Track will be closed from 3rd November to 2nd December.
At the end of the causeway linking Taipa with Coloane is a karting circuit and grandstand, which is visited by locals and foreigners at weekends, either for practising or for watching the races. For enquiries, call (853) 2888 1862, Fax: (853) 2888 1274, HK Toll Free: 800 901256, E-mail: gokart@macau.ctm.net.
Bowling / Skating
Macau East Asian Games Dome
Address: Ave. de COTAI
Bowling alley Opening hours: 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily
Admission: based on different time periods
Telephone enquiries: (853) 2886 5017
Website: www.sport.gov.mo
"Future Bright" Entertainment Centre
There are bowling & skating facilities in the "Future Bright" Entertainment Centre on Rua de Coelho do Amaral, next to the Protestant Cemetry.
Opening hours: Bowling: 10:00 a.m. - 01:00 a.m. daily; Skating: 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 p.m. daily
Address: Rua de Coelho do Amaral
Telephone: (853) 2895 3399
Fax: (853) 2895 0225
Swimming
There are a number of pools in Macau which are ideal for safe and enjoyable swimming: the Estoril Swimming Pool located in Estrada da Vitória; the Sun Yat Sen Swimming Pool inside the Sun Yat Sen Park; Hac Sá Swimming Pool and Cheoc Van Swimming Pool on Coloane Island. Enquiries on opening hours and admission fees: tel:(853) 2831 5566 or visit the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau website.
The swimming pools in the Tamagnini Barbosa Sports Centre (Centro Desportivo Tamagnini Barbosa) and the Bosco College Sports Complex (Complexo Desportivo do Colégio D. Bosco) in Macau; the Carmo Swimming Pool and the one at the Macau Olympic Aquatic Centre on Taipa are also open to public. Enquiries on opening hours and admission fees please call (853) 2823 6363 or visit the Macau Sport Development Board website.
Besides, the Cheoc Van beach and the Hac Sá beach on the Coloane are also popular with swimmers and sunbathers.
Nightlife
Bars and Discos
Macau's Nightlife is famous for its variety, its frantic pace and constant change. For night owls this is a city that never sleeps, with plenty of bars, shops and restaurants, as well as casinos, open all night long. Visitors will have no problem if they wish to get a delicious meal or go dancing in the middle of the night.
If you are looking for bars and pubs, you will find a great number of them along the Avenida Sun Yat Sen close to the Kum Iam Statue and the Cultural Centre. With its picturesque location, facing the Outer Harbour and Pearl River, you can enjoy the music and the wine while watching the boats gliding by. The music is completely cosmopolitan, with bars throbbing to the rhythms of Brazil, Portugal, England, Africa and every part of Asia. Likewise the songs will come in languages from around the world. In some bars there are live bands performing clients' request, for instance in the bars and pubs in hotels like the Landmark, Holiday Inn, Emperor and Westin.
There are also some popular pubs on Taipa Island, opposite the Macau Jockey Club, with a casual ambiance which will make visitors feel at home. On Coloane, you can drink under the stars on the terrace of the Pousada de Coloane or sip a glass of Port in the Westin Resort.
For the most popular trendy discos in town head for NAPE and Avenida do Infante D. Henrique. Here the music is modern with some local touches: international pop sung in Cantonese, Mandarin, Thai or Japanese.
Cabaret-style entertainment is also on offer, with performance of the Crazy Paris Show daily at Restaurant Portas do Sol of Hotel Lisboa, from 10:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., while in the Jai Alai Show Palace, on the 2nd Floor of the Jai Alai Complex there are continuous performances every night from 7:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Karaoke
In Macau there are plenty of karaoke clubs (mainly in the city centre, Rua dos Pescadores, Estrada do Repouso, and in Taipa Island, near the Jockey Club).They are very popular among locals and visitors. These clubs offer reasonable prices and packages (room and drinks/snacks) to customers and the atmosphere is friendly and clean. A nice opportunity to test your singing skills or a different way to spend time with friends.
Cinemas and Theatres
The Macau Tower has some ultra modern cinemas playing the latest international movies. In Cineteatro you can also find international as well as Chinese films in a complex of theatres. The Small Auditorium of the Cultural Centre is used to show special art and classic movies during Film Festivals, between September and December. These include the Portuguese Movies Fortnight and the European movies Festival, both of which have become popular events on Macau's cultural calendar.
Horse Racing
The Macau Jockey Club is equipped with modern facilities and has assembled a cosmopolitan group of trainers, riders and administrators while horses are being imported from several countries in order to provide racing of international standards. With private boxes and air-conditioned grandstand, Club members and public can enjoy the races, whether watching them live, on the Diamond Vision or the closed circuit television monitors. Chinese and European restaurants are available.Summer recess is usually in between late August and early September.For enquiries please call Macau hotline: (853) 2882 0868 or toll free for Hong Kong: 80096 7822. Website: www.macauhorse.com. E-mail: mjcinfor@macau.ctm.net. Public buses to Jockey Club: 11, 15, 22, 28A, 30, 33, 34, 35 & AP1.
Greyhound Racing
Greyhound Racing (Dog Racing) takes place at the Canidrome located at Avenida General Castelo Branco. There are around 15 games on every racing night starting from 7:30 p.m. Admission is MOP$10 for the public stand. Boxes are MOP$80 (weekdays) and MOP$120 (Weekends and Public Holidays) with a minimum charge of MOP$30 per person plus 10% service charge.
For further information, please call Macau hotline: (853) 2833 3399 or toll free for Hong Kong: 800 932 199. Website: www.macauyydog.com.
Public buses to Canidrome: 1, 1A, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 9A, 23, 25, 26, 26A, 32, 33 & 34.
Soccer / Basketball Lottery
SLOT - Sociedade de Loarias e Apostas Mútuas de Macau, Lda. operates soccer and basketball lottery, providing handicap-goal and odds, and accepts bets on selected matches drawn from important League and Cup Matches. For enquiry: (853) 8896 8388, (852) 1836633 (for English enquiry, please press "1", then press "0", when you hear the voice record). Website: www.macau-slot.com
Casinos
There are plenty of casinos in Macau offering probably the widest range of games in the world, including baccarat, blackjack, roulette, boule, "big and small", fan-tan and of course, hundreds of the most glittering array of slot machines anywhere (the locals call them "hungry tigers"). Visitors to the casinos should read the sign at each entrance, urging players to chance only what they can afford. The casinos in Macau operate 24 hours a day. Players are not obliged to tip the croupiers and any request for a tip by casino employees may be ignored.
The "Sociedade de Jogos de Macau"(SJM) and two Las Vegas based gambling companies: Wynn Resorts (Macau) Ltd. and Galaxy Casino Company Ltd. were granted the licence to operate casinos in Macau.
