Recently, Jackie Chan’s The Shadow’s Edge has taken the spotlight. While many are talking about the perpetual acting Jackie Chan has, what crosses my mind is the location of the filming. Yes, it is Macau, which was selected as the stage for Jackie Chan’s most prominent movie in 2025. As someone who grew up in Asia, I used to watch East Asian movies when I was a kid. And most of the movies at that time were Hong Kong-based, thanks to its dedicated filming industry. I could clearly remember those scenes at the casinos, many of which were located in Hong Kong’s neighboring city, Macau. It is not a secret that this tiny city is regarded as the “Las Vegas of Asia”. The reason behind this label is surely because Macau owns nearly 50 casinos within it! As far as I know, there’s no single Asian city that could match it. Nevertheless, Macau is not about casinos. This former Portuguese colony has its very own charm. It is packed with European-style buildings scattered with modern-style casino buildings, making this island one of my favorite places in Asia. And to enjoy this, the most popular way is either by taking the flight to Macau International Airport or the ferry connecting Hong Kong and Macau. I took the latter, and the ferry was super convenient.
Upon arrival at the Macau harbor, and after I cleared the immigration process, I tried to find the transportation heading to the downtown. The options were public bus or taxi. But, surprisingly, many shuttles connect the harbor with many casinos, and many of them were for free! There were myriad casinos here, and there was more than just casinos. Many casinos there had something than just gambling stuff. My favorite was the Venetian Macau. Built in 2007, this casino had the idea of bringing the Italian town to the Far East. It even had the famous gondola, which could be used to get around the man-made river inside the 10.5 million square feet. This casino also had several shops, most of which were international brands, and restaurants inside it.
Going outside the building, Macau had more to offer! As a former Portuguese colony, this city still had remnants of the Western European city’s influence. At least, many European-style buildings stood still throughout the entire city. Try walking through its old town, and the combination of European classical buildings and Chinese culture would make it a timeless beauty! One of the most notable remnants was St. Paul’s Church. The Catholic church was built by the Portuguese, but it was later destroyed by a fire in 1835, and the only thing left was its ruins. This historical site surely reminded us that there would be sunshine, even after the heaviest rain or devastating fire, in this case.
The lane to the church would be very, very packed. So, you would like to get there early in the morning to have the perfect time. Not really far from the church, there was Monte Fort, or Monte do Forte, to fit in the Portuguese ambiance. Built between 1617 and 1626, this 10,000 square meter area was once a mighty fortress that was intended to protect the surrounding area from pirates. It was located on top of Mount Hill, so technically it’s located at a higher area of the city. Yes, as you can expect, the mighty fortress that was later taken over by the very first Macau’s governor, would serve the scenic view of this Chinese special administrative region from above. To date, this European-style fortress is used as the museum of Macau. Take some time to get to know this East Asian city from this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
At dusk, as the city’s lights were lit, the ambiance of Macau was something to adore. The colonial-style building bathed in city light would make an unforgettable view. Trust me, it was dope! And, the best spot to enjoy this should be at the Senado Square. This was an area of 3,700 square meters that was built on Portuguese-style pavement. It had a fountain which was surrounded by important buildings, such as the Macau General Post Office. As the sun set, this area would be packed with performances and food stalls. Enjoy this UNESCO historic center’s vibes while having Macau’s dishes. Being a Portuguese colony for 442 years, the city’s cuisine gained much influence from its former colonizer. The Portuguese egg tart here was to die for! In a nutshell, I would say behind the portrayal of Asia’s gambling hot spot, Macau conceals its ageless beauty!
No responses yet