After both seeing and tasting colonial Macau, it’s time to get a feel for modern Macau – and nothing says Macau these days more than Casinos. The city is experiencing an unprecedented boom in both casinos and tourists, and ha already overtaken Las Vegas in gambling revenue.
The Casino that started the boom is the Sands, although it's been eclipsed by bigger and brasher casinos, such as the City of Dreams and The Venetian (the biggest casino in the world), the Sands is the casino that originally brought Las Vegas glammer to the gritty Macau gambling scene. Even if you don’t want to take a punt on Lady Luck, the gargantuan Sands is worth taking a stroll around. Live bands, free drinks and a unique atmosphere, Macau’s new casinos will all follow the Sands model. Find out more about Macau’s casinos in our guide to Macau’s Top Five Casinos.
Just across the road from the Sands is Macau’s largest tourist development, Fishermans Wharf. This 'theme park' is short on both rides and ideas, but it is worth a walk around if only to see the tacky recreations of Old England, Rome and other period architecture. It also has a handful of decent places for bite to eat or a pint.
Once you’ve made your fortune at the Sands, the Hong Kong Ferry Pier is just a ten minute walk away, although the Sands provides shuttle buses. Read our Macau Travel Guide, for more on how to travel between Hong Kong and Macau
