Trip review of Macau: Old charm of the city

This trip was completed in May 2024.

We are back in Macau once again, this time to explore the local parts of the city. For the glitz and glamor of Macau’s Cotai strip, you can find them in our previous trip review. Despite going into the tropical cyclone season, the weather turned out to be great with little showers when we were there. That said, it can be rather hot on a cloudless day too.

With inbound tourism into Macau recovering, do expect high level of crowd at tourist spots and certainly higher hotel prices during the weekends. To avoid the en masse of weekend visitors at Venetian and Londoner, we decided to do a city walk mainly around Taipa and the main Macau Peninsula this time around.

Below are our reviews of the notable parts of our trip.

Airport Lounge: Plaza Premium lounge at Macau International Airport

Rating 7.3/10

This lounge is located on the airside on the mezzanine level. There are plenty of seats in the lounge, as well as a dining area with tables that can be joined for larger groups. Even with the space, this lounge can get crowded at times given that there are not many lounges available in this airport.

As for the food variety, the spread is limited to some buffet-style hot dishes with rice and fried finger food. However, there is also a cooking station serving some soup-based options which will be made-to-order. The drinks selection is standard, with some alcoholic options, soft drinks and hot beverages like tea.

Overall, we find that this is more of a simple pitstop to refuel before a flight so expectations of the food quality should be managed.

Accommodation: Altira Macau

Rating 8.1/10

As the only luxurious hotel in this residential area of Taipa, it turned out to be quite a hidden gem for us. We decided to stay here because their rooms offer sweeping views of the harbor and the three bridges connecting the Macau Peninsula to the Island of Taipa. The prime location of Altira Hotel offered an unblocked night view of old Macau juxtaposed against the jarring Grand Lisboa casino.

Being on the Taipa side also means that we get to see the entire Praia Grande Outer Harbour together with Macau Tower and the brightly lit casinos dotted along the shore. This also makes the hotel a popular spot during firework displays in Macau due to its front-row seat to the performance.

Even the basic rooms are generously-sized, with both the bed and the lounging area facing the window. The interior design is not too dated and the long work desk is a great addition to the space. The bathroom is worth mentioning due to both its large size and open layout. A circular tub adds some coziness to it. That said, the inconsistency of colors and materials used in the bathroom may make it feel less modern to a certain extent.

For the weekend that we were there (in early May), daily room rate was around 2,800MOP/night. Prices tend to fluctuate, and weekday rates can be substantially cheaper due to the highly-skewed travel demand of Macau as a weekend destination.

Another key highlight of the hotel is also the public spaces. The reception lobby at the top floor and the facilities (swimming pool and gym) have the same fantastic view, providing fantastic backdrop for those customary travel photos.

Dining: Golden Mix Dessert

Rating 7.9/10

We are starting the dining section with a dessert shop because this is a stone’s throw away from the Altira Hotel. Being in a local residential area, one of the main benefits is how there was no snaking tourist queue. Many dining options are available during dinnertime on the two streets flanking the hotel.

This dessert store stands out because of their extensive menu. While the store looks like a specialty dessert shop, it is also a café selling Chinese and Western main courses. They are a popular late-night spot open till 2am and certainly offer an authentic local experience for visitors.

Dining: Sei Kee Café

Rating 7.3/10

There are several Sei Kee Café outlets in Macau. From Altira Macau, we made our way to the nearest branch at Bombeiros Square, which gave us an opportunity to walk across the neighbourhood. As an upscale residential enclave, there is also a nearby Taipa Central Park which housed an outdoor public pool and a basement modern library. The local estate is well-maintained because most areas are developed by the same developer, which can be recognised by the Nova brand attached to many apartments and even the shopping mall.

This Sei Kee outlet is located directly outside the entrance to a local Sunday market known as Taipa Flea Market. It is a small but thoughtfully-decorated shop with no seating area. The crowd favourite is their flavorful porkchop buns and traditional milk tea, although they also serve many other items on their menu.

Dining: O Castico

Rating 7.6/10

As a restaurant situated along the touristy strip of Taipa, it serves local Portuguese cuisine in a humble setting. The interiors kept to an old traditional design with a narrow walkway between two rows of tables. Food may take a while to be prepared but soft bread with olive oil will be served during the wait.

Overall, the food portions are generous and easily shareable. The flavorful stewed pork with clams is a must-try while the seafood rice has a satisfying rich broth. Diners visit this restaurant not for any fancy food presentation but the simple authentic dishes offered in a cosy setting. With its small dine-in seating area, going in the day for lunch may save some queuing time compared to the more crowded dinnertime.

Dining: Restaurant Litoral

Rating 8.3/10

Rather far-flung and away from the touristy areas of Macau Peninsula, you can find mainly locals patronizing the restaurant. This is the original shop close to A-Ma Pier, but they also have a branch in Taipa. The entire restaurant, from the décor to the staff, gives off an old-fashion Macanese atmosphere. It was spacious, with many cozy nooks and corners to choose for seating.

Quality of food was great and we did not have to wait long after ordering since there was not much of a crowd. Compared to O Castico, Restaurant Litoral is more pricey but the menu selection is also wider. It will be ideal to come in a large group to be able to try all the signature dishes.

A special mention to their desserts which pack a punch but probably may also come off as too strong a taste for some. All said, we certainly recommend this restaurant for a Macanese dining experience in the old part of the city.

Activity: Taipa Flea Market

Rating 7.7/10

This weekend market was close to the Sei Kee Café we wrote above. Held every Sunday to attract visitors, this market is a popular spot for both locals and tourists alike. There is one main walking street, branching into more shops in the side alleys. There is also street art in the narrow alleyways and the hilly segment of the area towards Carmo Hall for taking great photographs.

Most of the shops here sell food and beverages, with an extensive variety of local snacks as well as full meals. However, there are no dine-in seating available so it is common for people to stand around at a corner to consume the food.

Another activity here is to explore historical buildings such as the postal office and church around Dra. Laurinda M. Esparteiro Garden. There are also small cafes with mezzanine or rooftop seating, and a cute souvenir shop called Macau 520 with a colorful frontage.

Activity: Ruins of St Paul Church

Rating 8.0/10

No trip to Macau is complete without a visit to the iconic Ruins of St Paul. A standard route is to walk to the attraction via Senado Square, although there are also many surrounding streets which can get you to the same spot. A good sidetrack will be through Rua dos Ervanarios where the streetscape is more artsy and hippy. As one of the oldest streets in Macau, you can find a blend of old trading businesses and trendy cafes occupying this traffic-free area.

While it may be hard to get a good shot of the Ruins from the front due to the tourist crowd, there are numerous hidden spots such as Travessa da Paixao around the attraction for a more unique angle. When the weather is good, certainly try to make the short hike up to the Monte do Forte. The 360 views of old Macau is mesmerizing and offer a far broader perspective of the city apart from the well-trodden tourist paths.

If you still have some pockets of time to spare, do look out for special exhibitions and events held in Macau throughout the year. While not exactly part of the local experience, we also visited the Harry Potter exhibition held at The Londoner and the Illuminarium held at Wynn Palace. These activities took us about an hour or two, so they can be particularly useful as an indoor option when it is raining or to fill the gap on the last day before your flight home.