Macau is a unique mix of Portuguese and Chinese cultures and receives millions of visitors each year. If you’re considering a trip to the Las Vegas of the East, we’ve put together some amazing facts about Macau to get you ready for the holidays.
1. A misunderstanding was the reason for the name of Macau
According to historians, the name of the region comes from a misunderstanding between the Portuguese sailors and the local citizens. When the Portuguese sailors first arrived on the island, they asked the locals what its name was. However, the locals misunderstood them and told them the name of the local temple, called “A-Ma-Gau”. Of course, the Portuguese sailors had no idea that they had been told the name of the nearby temple and not the name of the island, they started calling the area “A-Ma-Gau”, hence the current name of Macau.
2. The second richest place in the world
It will not be wrong to say that Macau is the biggest beneficiary of its gaming industry. The International Monetary Fund rated the region as the second richest territory/country in the world in October 2017. The territory’s GDP per capita is $114,430. In addition, the territory has no public debt and its fiscal reserves amount to $55 billion at the beginning of 2016.
3. The most densely populated region
Other places may seem overcrowded, but the key to Macau’s dense population is its small size. According to statistics, 650,834 people are squeezed into 30.5 square kilometers, which makes it the most densely populated territory: there are more than 55,500 people per square mile!
And, believe it or not, Macau received a total of 32.6 million tourists.
4. The government pays the locals
Since there are huge annual revenues from casino taxes, the government grants permanent residents of Macau 9,000 patacas (approximately $1,200) and non-permanent residents 5,400 patacas, or $670. Interestingly, the sum is not going to change, and has remained that way for four years.
5. Macau was the first and only Chinese colony in Europe
Macau, which was leased from Portugal in 1557, remains Europe’s first and last colony in China. China leased their island as a trading post and it became an official Portuguese territory in 1887. China finally got their island back in 1999.
Today, 450 years of Portuguese influence have left a fascinating mark. Both the culture and the architecture are a fusion of the Portuguese and Chinese civilizations. That’s not all: Portuguese is still the official language.
6. The locals speak one of the most endangered languages.
Patuá is a Creole language, a mix of Cantonese and Portuguese, that developed in Macau and became the official language of the indigenous Eurasian (Macanese) community of Macau. As of 2000, an estimated 50 people speak Patua. In 2009, UNESCO classified Patuá as a “critically endangered” language.
In an attempt to preserve the Patuá language and culture of Macau, locals organize a festival every year in which they perform plays in Patuá. The works have subtitles in Chinese, Portuguese and English.
7. Macau cuisine – the world’s first fusion cuisine
Not surprisingly, since the Portuguese have lived on the island for more than 400 years, Macau cuisine is considered the first fusion cuisine in the world. Macau cuisine is a combination of Portuguese and Chinese ingredients and cooking techniques. In a traditional restaurant, visitors can try traditional dishes such as minchi and African chicken.
8. It has a Guinness World Record
Macau is the mecca for all adrenaline junkies. There’s a reason extravagant people go to Macau: the island is home to the Guinness World Record holder for the planet’s tallest commercial Skyjump: the Macau Tower, with a 233m (764ft) platform. By the way, Macau Tower isn’t the world’s tallest Bungee jump location: Royal Gorge Bridge, Colorado, United States, rises 321 meters (1,053 feet) above the ground, making it the world’s tallest Bungee jump. .
Still, Macau attracts more visitors than Colorado9. It is the gaming capital of the world
Another fact about Macau, which is probably not as surprising today as it would have been in 2007, is that Macau generates three times the gambling revenue of Las Vegas. In fact, the casino industry in Macau is flourishing to the point where it accounts for nearly 80% of the island’s economy.
Macau is the only place in China where gambling is legal, making it an attractive location for players from mainland China, Hong Kong, and of course the rest of the world. There’s a reason Macau is known as the gaming capital of the world: the island’s gaming industry generates $33 billion a year, compared to $939.8 million generated by Las Vegas’ gaming industry. More surprisingly, Macau has only 49 casinos, while Las Vegas is home to 135 gaming establishments.
10. No alcohol to relax while playing
Believe it or not, visitors are not served alcohol at gambling establishments in Macau. Instead of offering alcoholic beverages to patrons, casino staff in Macau offer patrons tea. However, the forums say that
there are places that serve free alcoholic beverages to visitors, but they have to ask the manager.
Lounges and VIP sections also offer free alcoholic beverages. However, Macau is not like Las Vegas in this regard and since Chinese culture is not accustomed to tipping, there is no incentive to offer free drinks. Still, visitors can consume unlimited amounts of milk, coffee, coke, or tea.
Another surprising fact is that the table games in Macau casinos do not include so much poker, blackjack and roulette; in fact, the most popular table game in Macau casinos is none other than Baccarat.