Anybody got the skinny on Macau?

[mardhi]

As the heading says - whats the story with this place - new hotels opening all over the place - no doubt I will have the expense account trailing close behind so not looking for further fun - just some low down on the place.

My gambling extends to $100 on roulette and then walking home - but I do love the buzz of a good casino and sounds like Venetian is starting to deliver in what was once a dump. Pls guys any suggestions or opinions are needed for a weekend away.

Cheers
Mardhi

[Snick]

It is a fun weekend, but don't expect the Las Vegas vibe

I have not been to the venetian, my last trip was a few months before it opened.

I did go to the Casinos on the main island, my observations
The Chinese go to the casino in hordes, gamble gamble gamble then leave
The Vegas atmosphere of shows, entertainment (however cheesy) just hasn't caught on.

There is the new waterfront area, with some shopping and a mock volcano (?)
Historical sites are minimal ( here is the front of a church, that fell apart 500 years ago ); and the shopping is nothing compared to Bangkok or Hong Kong.

It was LB friendly, had no trouble bringing a friend w me.

And don't bother with Taxis, the Casinos all operate fleets of vans which will take you around for free.

If you do go to the Venetian, find out if the have a craps table and a poker room. The last bit is for Thaibound.

[Snick]

ps. Bangkok air starts flying July 4th, but it looks like Air Asia is still cheaper
http://www.bangkokair.com/en/index.php

[eclipse]

Macau is boring unless you are hardcore gambler. There are amazing casinos in Macau like Venetian, Grand Lisboa, Wynn and MGM Grand all opened late last year.

Chinese do not do a lot other than gambling, so you cannot even find bars (or you'll find empty bars) in the casinos. Believe it or not, they drink tea while gambling.

For naughty entertainment there are some clubs/bars in some hotels and there is a stip of bar complex called Lang Kwai Fong (same name like HK). There are rarely any LB action, mostly Pinay girls on their way to China from HK.

The food is cheap, hotel prices are moderate and there are some tourist things to do and see.

BTW almost all hotels (other than newly opened American based ones) have Chinese names as well as their English names. Taxi drivers do not know any English and when you tell them the English name of the hotel they will look at you funny. Get the card of your hotel and carry it with you so you can get back to your hotel easily.

Asia air flies back and forth from BKK daily and it is super cheap, you should bring your own LB.

-eclipse

[thegame925]

Posted on: Jan. 22 2008,21:16

The TRIP REPORTS Forum » Back in the Far East December 2007 €“ January 2008 - Page #1 Post #10       


The next day, instead of departing from Hong Kong early, I delayed my departure until the evening, because I was offered a tour of some of the hotels under construction and already opened on Macau.

We helicoptered over, and I was extremely impressed with that which is being built. I had a snack in the (already opened) Venetian Hotel and whilst my host went off to take a phone-call I had an interesting chat with my waitress.

She was from the Philippines, had done four years of catering college after high school and was now a waitress in a mass-market restaurant. She said there were 17 Filipinas with the same level of education as she had working in that restaurant (in shifts) and she knew of over 1,000 (one thousand!) catering staff in her dormitory complex who had come over on contracts from the Philippines. I found that surprising, given the number of mainland Chinese that one would have thought are available.

When she brought the check she passed me a piece of paper with her name and cell-phone number on it and the wording €œI am available after 8 pm tonight provided you are not staying at this hotel€. I was unable to take advantage of this offer.

From that which I saw in Macau I can understand why the American Operators are over there. It is not just for the Chinese Market. It is obvious that Australians, Malaysians and Japanese are going to find Macau a lot more convenient than Las Vegas as a place to gamble. I have no doubt that in addition to Oriental Stars, the American and British Headline Acts will be adding those Macau Venues to their tour lists in the years to come.

There is (I was told) a great many GG €œMassage Parlours€ (brothels) of varying standards in Macau; ViceSisters lists (today) 14 LB€™s in Macau and Craigslist had some LB€™s advertising as being in Macau.

[Guest]

I be in macau on the 5th june and and the 14th to 16th.

cheaper than flying direct to bkk even with a stay at the holiday inn.

I did see a doco on the vegas of china and it seems for the none gamimg jobs they target philipines and malaysia for the manual labour jobs as they work cheaper.

They touched on the GGS side seems to be plenty of them hanging a round.

[terryw]

I went to Macau last year with my girlfriend as an add on to our Hong Kong trip.

I was last in Macau in 1997 so was interested to see how it had changed. Except for the old Portuguese area there is very little to see. Unlike Las Vegas there is very little entertainment.

The casinos were very busy - I found it a bit strange to be the only westerner in the building with 6 floors of gambling tables. My gf loved it although all common sense went out of the window as she insisted on betting against the bank. I managed to literally drag her out the building before she lost all of her (my) money.

I would regard a weekend in Macau as an interesting experience in studying the Thai mentality to gambling
but make sure you keep your hand in your pocket.

[MARKUK]

I go to Macau at least twice a month, usually every week though. If you are looking for fun you will be disapointed. Casinos there are loads but it caters to the chinese crowd. Some nice hotels to stay in and Macau is a nice enough place as a tourist for a day or two there are some old parts that are quite nice,

As another member says bar scene is limited, Lan Kwai Fong is a shithole IMO nothing like the HK one. Then the Lion Bar at the new MGM Casino is good, the Long Bar at Sands is also ok and the nightclub D2 is best bet for a late night out.

[cojone azul]

I was there last year for a few days. I do not gamble, but stayed amused walking around the small island. Take a long walk or a city bus up to Red Market during the day. Freaky place. Did not see much LB action but the saunas are awesome.... not cheap, but loads of fun and some very pretty girls. There are short time "pensions", older hotels where working girls hang out and have rooms for quick sessions.
Hit the buffets at the big casinos, Sands was outstanding for about $US20 for lunch buffet. Then you can always take the hydrofoil over to Hong Kong, about an hour.

[smoo]

Worth staying at the Venetian for the experience.

[Tomcat]

I think the Roulette has three Zeros in this place ( well at least two anyway). They take the skin off your feet as well as the shirt off your back over there.

The Chinese are all chain smokers and a thick fog of smoke hung in the air the last time i rolled in (1994). I suppose its good for a day out but dont bother with the coach tour to see the rest of the Island.One of the biggest suicide rates in the world, o wonder why..

Plenty o hookers and cheaper than HK but no LB

[Guest]

Hmm macau

What a non event soay philipinos working there surely there should be some ladyboys. Plenty gg espec from prc.
Airport sucks i think is woarse then the old bkk one you have disembark on the tarmac???!!!
nothing on the inside taxi service from the airport is ok but watch the extra charge.

Leave plenty of time for return to the airport taxi at hotels suck as there is no pre booking.

the set out for depatures is like old bkk airport to even who runs the duty free.

in short it sux

[BlueBallz]

Three separte zeros on the roulette wheel?? Say it aint so! If so, thats a fucking ripp off. The house edge with only two zeros is already 5% fucking hell....

BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!!

[SamplerDoc]

Sounds like one night in a cheaper hotel (if there are any) is plenty of time needed to enjoy the place.

[prince39]

All pretty accurate info here, including the fact that the house will take a lot more than they get away with in LV.

No "american poker" at the Venetian yet. Try the Grand Lisboa or the new Pokerstars Macau room at the Grand Waldo. The latter definitely better if you are non-chinese. But bring your gas mask for the smoke and your patience for the beginners. At the GL they even hand out instruction sheets for Texas Holdem, and the pace is a painful 20 hands an hour. you may get lung cancer before you flop the nuts.....

Plenty of hookers at the Venetian though. Just walk into the casino and they will find you.