Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Macau Vacation - 1st Blog of CS3

Hello my dear friends, how are you today?
Well, as your information, I am still going to update this blog as my Communication Skills 3 - Assesment Blogging which is include 20% of it. Beside that, I am so happy that finally is my last DESTINATION of Communication Skills 3 of this semester!
By the way, now I am going to write about MACAU!
Macau is a place that is very near from China that to let the China's people gambling.
Many people thinking that Macau is belongs to China part, but for your information, Hong Kong and Macau is not belongs to China Parts. So please be remember of this.
For the extra information too, if you want going travel to Hong Kong and Macau, it does not need to apply Visa entry BUT if you are going to Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing or other places at China, it need to apply Visa Entry.

Macau, if you are going to travel to Macau~
What is the first things that you will be thinking about Macau ?
a. Canino (Entertainment)
b. Venetian Hotel (Accommodation)
c. Portugis Tart (Food & Beverage)
d. Ruins of St Paul (Attraction Place)
e. Macau Tower (Attraction Place)
And above it is all of the famous things at Macau~
If you want go to Macau, you should try the Portugis Tart at the Senado Square. It is very nice and cheap as well~ (yummy)
Beside that, if you going to Macau, YOU MUST GO TO Ruins of St Paul to take a picture at there and that only consider of you are ever going to Macau, because Ruins of St Paul is the most older place.

Now, lets us go to MACAU!! 
Macau is one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China, the other being Hong Kong. Macau lies on the western side of the Pearl River Delta, bordering Guangdong province in the north and facing the South China Sea in the east and south and until 1999 Macau was an over seas territory of Portugal. The world's most densely populated place to live, Macau is best known as Asia's largest destination for gambling taking in even more revenue than Las Vegas. Macau was geographically divided into three main regions: a peninsula and two islands. However, reclamation of the area between Taipa and Coloane has created a fourth region of Cotai and resulting in one bigger island with the peninsula.
  • The Macau Peninsula is the northernmost region, connecting to the Chinese mainland. It is the center of most tourist activity and is densely crowded.
  • Taipa (氹仔 Tam Chai) is an island to the south of the peninsula, accessible via three bridges. It is a major residential center and is the location of Macau's International Airport.
  • Coloane (路環 Louwan) is an island further to the south. It is considerably less developed than the other regions due to its mountainous terrain, has two beaches, several hiking trails and a resort. It is also the location of Macau's first golf course, a second one is on the Cotai Strip.
  • Cotai (路氹 Loutam) is a strip of reclaimed land between Coloane and Taipa, with vast new casinos rising up.
The Macau's population at 2008 is estimate with 546,200 peoples. The currency of Macau is using the Macaunese Pataca (MOP) , Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) or Ren Min Bi (RMB) at Macau. The time zone at Macau is MST (UTC +8). The calling code of Macau is using the +853, while the Capital city is Macau as well. Beside that, the languages at Macau is using Portugenese, Chinese - Cantonese as the officially language while Mandarin also the language of it. They also using the English with spoken to the foreign tourist. About the religion, most of them are the Buddishism which is include 85%, while Roman Catholic is 5%, and others is 10% which is unknown for it.


Some Photos of Macau

Next, I will talk about the transportation at Macau. In Macau traffic moves on the left. Macau has a well-established public transport network connecting the Macau Peninsula, Cotai, Taipa Island and Coloane Island. Buses and taxis are the major modes of public transport in Macau. Currently two companies, namely Transmac and Transportas Companhia de Macau, operate franchised public bus services in Macau. The trishaw, a hybrid of the tricycle and the rickshaw, is also available, though it is mainly for sightseeing purposes.
The Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal provides cross-border transportation services for passengers travelling between Macau and Hong Kong, while the Yuet Tung Terminal in the Inner Harbour serves those travelling between Macau and cities in mainland China, including Shekou and Shenzhen.
Macau has one active international airport, known as Macau International Airport located at the eastern end of Taipa and neighbouring waters. Since currently there are no regular direct passenger-flights between mainland China and Taiwan, the airport serves as a transient avenue for the passengers travelling between the two regions. It is the primary hub for Viva Macau and Air Macau. In 2006, the airport handled about 5 million passengers.


Trishaw is a major transportation at Macau
From Hong Kong:
Ferries to Macau operate from several points in Hong Kong, including the Hong Kong International Airportwhere you can bypass Hong Kong Immigration and transfer directly into a ferry to Macau.

We can go into Macau by using Ferry, below are some places that can take ferries and go to Macau. First is from Macau to Hong Kong Island: Ferries from Hong Kong's Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan on Hong Kong Island operate 24 hours a day at frequencies of every 15-30 minutes by day and every hour at night. In Macau, they dock at the Macau Maritime Ferry Terminal. The cheapest one-way ticket from Hong Kong is HK$142 (HK$20 extra per bag for luggage) and the trip takes one hour. The price during weekend fares are more expensive. Ferries are operated by TurboJet (Tel: +853-7907039 in Macau, +852-28593333 in Hong Kong). Another frequent ferry service is operated by Cotai Jet which is directly to Taipa from Hong Kong, and there are free shuttle buses to The Venetian from the Ferry Terminal, for quick and easy access to Taipa & Coloane.

Second is from Macau to Kowloon: You can also get ferries from the China (HK) Ferry Terminal on Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Ferries are less frequent compared with services from Hong Kong Island, running every 30 min from 7 AM until 10:30 PM. Fares start at HK$133 and the trip takes about 90 minutes. The ferry operator is New World First Ferries. (Tel: +852-21318181).

While the last is from Macau to Hong Kong International Airport: There are also ferries from Hong Kong International Airport to Macau. These are less frequent but they allow you to bypass Hong Kong immigration and customs by transferring directly to the ferry in the airport's transfers hall. If purchasing a ticket online in advance, your airline may be able to check your luggage all the way to Macau for you. You board the ferry at the airport SkyPier. Fares start at HK$180 and services are operated by TurboJet Sea Express.


Turbojet

From mainland China:
Several ferry companies run to Macau from Chinese mainland ports including, Shekou (in Shenzhen) and Fu Yong Ferry Terminal (next to Shenzhen Airport).
Macau-Fu Yong (Shenzhen Airport): TurboJet (Tel: +853-7907039 in Macau, +86-755-27776818 in Shenzhen) runs several ferries daily between the Macau Ferry Terminal (Outer Harbour) and the Fu Yong Ferry Terminal. Journey time about one hour. Fares start at MOP$171. There are shuttle buses connecting the Fu Yong Ferry Terminal with Shenzhen Airport.

Macau-Shekou (Shenzhen): Yuet Tung Shipping Co (Tel: +853-28574478) runs a ferry service departing from the Macau Inner Harbour Terminal at Pier 14 on Rua das Lorchas (near intersection with Av Almeida Ribeiro) at 10:00, 14:00, 17:30 and 20:15. Tickets cost MOP$129 for adults and MOP$78 for children. From Shekou, boats leave at 08:15, 11:45, 15:45 and 18:30. Journey takes about one hour and twenty minutes.
Macau-Jiangmen: CKS has a daily connection with Jiangmen from the Macau Inner Harbour Terminal at Pier 14 on Rua das Lorchas. Macau-Wanzai (Zhuhai): Yuet Tung Shipping Co runs boats between the Macau Inner Harbour Terminal at Pier 14 on Rua das Lorchas, and the Wanzai Customs Port in Wanzai, Zhuhai. Journey time is about 30 minutes and the fare is MOP$12.50. Boats start a 08:00 and end at about 16:00. You can catch connecting buses to Gongbei and other places in Zhuhai from Wanzai.

A more frequent and cheaper option is to catch a ferry to/from Zhuhai's Jiuzhou Port, which is only a few kilometers from the Macau-Zhuhai border. Take a short taxi ride (10 RMB) or a No. 4 bus from the border crossing to the ferry terminal. The bus ride should be included in your ferry ticket. Ferries from Shenzhen Shekou port to Zhuhai run every 30 minutes and cost 80 RMB.

While when you was on ground, you scared of do not have transportation of going anywhere? Do not be worry, I am sure will provide information to you too. Now, if you at Macau, you can take the Suttle Bus. If you've got more time than money on your hands, you can travel around Macau for free simply by hopping on and off the complimentary shuttle buses operated by all major casinos and hotels. Virtually all serve the Terminal Maritimo, with buses every 10 to 30 minutes, while the big boys (Venetian, Wynn, City of Dreams, etc) also shuttle to the Barrier Gate, the Taipa Ferry Terminal and the airport. The buses to Hotel Lisboa, for example, drop you off just a few blocks from Largo do Senado. Shuttles operate in both directions and absolutely no questions are asked; if anything, the casinos employ a small army of touts to guide you on board!

Beside that, As in Hong Kong, cycle trickshaws are a dying breed, although a few still lurk around tourist haunts like the ferry terminal and Hotel Lisboa. Prices are negotiable, but a few hours of city touring by triciclo might cost around 200 MOP.

Lastly, I am going to talk about the ATTRACTION PLACE at there. Well, as i said just now when intro, the place that you should visit is the Ruins of St Paul, Macau Tower, Senado Square, A-Ma Temple, Fisherman Wraft, and Venetian Hotel.

Ruins of St Pauls - refers to the originally the Cathedral of St. Paul, a 17th century Portuguese cathedral in Macau dedicated to Saint Paul the Apostle. Today, the ruins are one of Macau's most famous landmarks. In 2005, the Ruins of St. Paul were officially enlisted as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Centre of Macau.


Front view of Ruins of St Paul


Side view of Ruins of St Paul


Near view of Ruins of St Paul

Macau Tower - also known as Macau Sky Tower, is a tower located in the former Portuguese colony of Macau, now a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. The tower measures 338 m (1,109 ft) in height from ground level to the highest point. An observation deck with panoramic views, restaurants, theaters, shopping malls and the Skywalk X, a thrilling walking tour around the outer rim.

It offers the best view of Macau and in recent years has been used for a variety of adventurous activities. At 233 meters, the Macau Tower's tethered "skyjump" and Bungee jump by world renowned AJ Hackett from the tower's outer rim, is the highest in the world. The tower was created by the architecture firm of Craig Craig Moller.
The tower is one of the members of the World Federation of Great Towers. Besides being used for observation and entertainment, the tower is also used for telecommunications and broadcasting.


The view of Macau Tower


The nearest view of Macau Tower

Senado Square - or Senate Square, is a paved area in the centre of the former Portuguese colony of Macau (now a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China), enclosed by the buildings of the Leal Senado, the General Post Office, and St. Dominic’s Church. The square is paved in the traditional Portuguese pavement. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Historic Centre of Macau".


The night scene of Senado Square

A - Ma Temple  - situated on the southwest tip of the Macau Peninsula, is one of the oldest and most famous temples in Macau. Built in 1488, the temple is dedicated to the goddess of seafarers and fishermen Matsu.


The name Macau is thought to be derived from the name of the temple. It is said that when the Portuguese sailors landed at the coast just outside the temple and asked the name of the place, the natives replied "A-Ma-Gao" (Bay of A-Ma). The Portuguese then named the peninsula Macau.[1] The temple was well described in ancient Chinese texts, as well as represented in paintings. It is also one of the first scenes photographed in China.
In 2005, the temple became one of the designated sites of the Historic Centre of Macau enlisted on UNESCO World Heritage List.


Boat Model inside A - Ma Temple


Outside view of A-Ma Temple

Fisherman's Wharf - is the first theme park in Macau. It is located in the Macau Peninsula, near the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Pier. The construction took 5 years, before an opening ceremony by the Chief Executive of Macau and trial operation began on December 31, 2005. After one year of trial operation, the wharf was officially opened on December 31, 2006.

The complex includes over 150 stores and restaurants in buildings built in the style of different world seaports such as Cape Town, Amsterdam and Venice, six rides, a slots hall, a 72-room hotel, and a casino.


The front view


A walk place of Theme Park

And lastly is Venetian Hotel - is a luxury hotel and casino resort in Macau owned by the Las Vegas Sands corporation. The Venetian is a 40-story, $2.4 billion anchor for the 7 resort hotels which are under construction on the Cotai Strip in Macau. The 10,500,000-square-foot (980,000 m2) Venetian Macao is modeled on its sister casino resort – the The Venetian in Las Vegas – and is the largest single structure hotel building in Asia and the fourth-largest building in the world by area.


The main hotel tower was finished in July 2007 and the resort officially opened on August 28 2007. The resort has 3000 suites, 1,200,000 sq ft (111,000 m2) of convention space, 1,600,000 sq ft (149,000 m2) of retail, 550,000 square feet (51,000 m2) of casino space – largest in the world – with 3400 slot machines and 800 gambling tables and a 15,000 seat arena for entertainment/sports events.

  • Casino : The casino is currently the largest in the world at 550,000 sq ft (51,000 m2). It is further divided into 4 themed gaming areas namely Golden Fish, Imperial House, Red Dragon and Phoenix. The casino consists of over with 3400 slot machines and 800 gambling tables. The hotel offers a VIP club named Paiza Club to caters high-rollers and premium guests The club comes with its own entrance, lobby, reception, team of butlers and guest lifts to the suites. The gaming area of the Paiza Club is divided into individual private gaming rooms and named after Asian cities such as Yunnan, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.The guests of the club would have the exclusive access to the club dining outlet, the Paiza Club Dining & Lounge, which opens 24 hours a day.

  • Accommodation : The hotel tower offers 3000 suites which include multi-bay suites for high-rollers.The accommodation floors starts from level 7 up to level 38. These floors are served by 250 guest lifts.
  • Paiza suite: This category reserved to high-rollers and VIPs. The largest and most luxurious is the Presidente. It is a 12 bay-suite with 4 bedrooms each with own bathroom, a media room, a spacious living and dining area and butler's pantry. Two of the bedrooms comes with its own massage room.

Venetian Hotel


Casino Place


San Luca Canal

**End**

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