The country has a fabulous blend of Portuguese and Chinese cultures, and has a growing reputation as the Monte Carlo of the East. However, if gambling is not your activity of choice you may be finding it difficult to discover the real Macau, its festivals, shopping, handicrafts, and heritage. Here we look at what you can do in downtown Macau that doesn't involve little colored, dollar-designated chips!



The Ponte 16 complex, comprising the new Sofitel Macau, a obligatory world-class casino, 16 renowned restaurants and entertainment every day is a great place to start. There is a large retail shopping area, and as you wander around the shops you have some beautiful river views, and the ability to see the activity at the pier and docks.

When you need a break from bargain-hunting, make your way to the entertainment and recreation area of the complex. You can enjoy local cuisine with a river view on the promenade for alfresco dining, as well as taking in regular showing by a troupe of all Russian singing, dancing and acrobatic performers.

Ponte 16 also offers a wonderfully convenient central location to take a walking tour, seeing the local sites of Macau. If you have done any research you have probably already read about the ruins of St Paul's Cathedral, and A-Ma Temple, both of which are must-sees for history lovers in Macau.

But what about local sites like Na-Tcha temple, a tiny private UNESCO listed space dedicated to Prince Nata, a Chinese deity. There is also a section of the old city walls listed as a heritage site just next to Na-Tcha temple, one of the only surviving parts of the city's defence structures which were built in 1569.

As the peninsula is so close to China (most of Macau is within walking distance of one of the biggest countries on Earth!), there are also other local sites with a Chinese flavour like Lou Lim Ioc, a garden sanctuary that was once part of an old Chinese mansion.

If you prefer to live in the present, Macau is a very public, community oriented city that loves an excuse for a party! Festivals like Chinese New Year and the Western New Year bring out the revellers, and in Old Macau and downtown Macau there are impressive parades and crowds for these occasions.

However, if you are celebrating these events at your own home, travelling to Macau at another time, you can see events related to the Feast of Tou Tei, the Earth God, in Marchl at Tou Tei temples in the city. A little later, covering March and April, is the Macau Arts Festival.

The program for this normally includes music, dance displays, art exhibitions, Chinese opera and theatre, as well as much more. The Feast of the Drunken Dragon in May relates to local mythology, and consists of activities much as the name suggests!