This was published 9 years ago
Macau: How the Chinese knock-off surpassed the original
By Craig Platt
The Hangover, that worldwide hit about a stag weekend gone wrong in Las Vegas, managed to both celebrate everything about Sin City while still exposing some of the destination's seedy underbelly.
It did no harm to the then-struggling, global financial crisis-hit Las Vegas tourism industry, as guys and girls from around the world hit town in an effort to have their own Hangover experience (with fewer missing babies and rogue tigers).
But on the other side of the Pacific ocean, sits China's answer to Las Vegas, Macau. It is, in many ways, a duplication of its American predecessor. It has its own Venetian, it's own MGM Grand, its own Wynn. But in many respects this Chinese imitation has outgrown the original - literally.
Grand Lisbona, Macau.
Macau generated $US42.5 billion (yes, billion) in gambling revenue last year - almost seven times more than Las Vegas. It is now home to 35 casinos, many filled with luxury stores spruiking the top brands for the well-heeled: Rolex, Armani, Dior, Swarovski.
And the growth of Macau shows no sign of stopping. Having run out of land, they're simply creating more. The Cotai Strip is a section of reclaimed land between Taipa and Coloane islands and features some of the city's largest complexes. New entertainment and hotel complexes from MGM and Wynn are under construction, and in 2017 the $A4.5 billion Lisboa Palace is due for completion.
Despite the recognisable brand names, on my own Hangover-style weekend in Macau - a birthday celebration with one of my oldest friends - I quickly discover that the similarities between Macau and Las Vegas are only skin deep. The casinos may look the same as their American counterparts, but inside the culture is distinctly Chinese.
And beyond the glitz and glamour of the casinos one can find the culture of the Macanese themselves - a blend of Chinese and Portuguese (the territory was under Portuguese administration until 1999) that is apparent in the older architecture, the quiet backstreets and, most importantly, the glorious food.
It's our first night at the tables where the difference becomes apparent. We hit the Grand Lisboa, a gargantuan building, shaped like a lotus leaf, that looms over the city. The unusual architecture has seen it dubbed one of the world's ugliest buildings, but the top of the tower now houses Le Roubechon, a French restaurant rated as one of Asia's best (our attempts to secure a table fail - it is booked out for weeks in advance).
When it comes to gambling, I generally only play one game: blackjack. Call me naive, but it's the only game where I feel I can exert some influence over the outcome. But it seems that the Chinese, with their cultural obsession with luck, are not particularly fond of blackjack. The blackjack tables are quiet compared with those games that are purely driven by chance. Baccarat is the main game in Macau, as we quickly discover when we hit the floor of the Grand Lisboa. The room stretches as far as the eye can see and it is packed. The minimum bets are high - typically about $HK300 ($A41) - and most players seem to be betting far more than that.
It's intimidating and it's enough to make me need a drink. But here lies another difference between Macau and Vegas. Gambling is a serious business here - no one appears to be mixing their betting with alcohol. There is a bar on the gaming floor of the Grand Lisboa, but many other casinos don't have one in the gaming space. And there are certainly no waitresses wandering about taking drink orders in return for tips as they do in Vegas.
After a mildly successful stint at a blackjack table, where I come out $300 up (Hong Kong dollars, that is - about $A40 - but I still feel good about it), we decide to head over to the other side of town and the biggest casino in the city: the Venetian. It is located on the Cotai Strip, a parcel of reclaimed land created in order to house more casinos - the rest of Macau had run out of space.
We don't play the tables out here - instead we just wander through the incredible building, with it's fake Venetian streetscapes, its canals featuring gondolas complete with warbling gondoliers and through to its vast gaming rooms. Eventually we find our way to a dark, hidden whisky bar where we enjoy a few drams before moving on to the equally gargantuan Galaxy casino next door. Here, we again avoid gambling and simply marvel at the size of the whole thing. It's on a scale that makes even Vegas feel, if not small, at least less outlandish.
The next day, we're feeling a little worse for wear and go out seeking sustenance. It's here the differences between Macau and Las Vegas become more stark. We wander through Senado Square, the centre of the city paved with mosaic tiles and surrounded by beautiful neo-classical buildings, offering a feeling that is distinctly Mediterranean rather than Chinese.
Heading down a narrow side street we quickly feel like we're a world away from the opulence of the casinos. Here, ramshackle stores sit beneath cramped apartment buildings, drying clothes are strung from one side of the alley to another and elderly residents sit about play mahjong or simply enjoying some conversation with their neighbours.
Down another alley we spot a small store selling a variety of hot foods. Here we follow one of the key rules of travel - if you see a large queue of locals lining up for food, you should join that queue.
We do and come away with fried chicken and a Macau speciality - the pork chop roll. Lightly seasoned, well-cooked and absolutely delicious. It's exactly what we're after to recover from last night's whisky session.
We follow up with some Macanese egg tarts from a nearby bakery - sweet, flaky delights that top off our morning meal perfectly.
We may have missed out on a meal at Le Roubechon in the Grand Lisboa, but as I bite into my simpler fare and look up at giant, artificial lotus flower that looms above us, I don't feel like I've missed out on too much at all.
The writer travelled as a guest of the Macau Government Tourist Office.
Trip Notes
More information
Visit en.macautourism.gov.mo or phone (02) 9264 1488
Getting there
Qantas and Cathay Pacific fly direct from Australia's major cities to Hong Kong. See www.qantas.com.au or www.cathaypacific.com
Ferries depart from several locations in Hong Kong to Macau, including directly from the Hong Kong International Airport. Airport ferries depart for Macau eight times a day. Adult tickets cost $HK233 ($A28). See www.turbojet.co.hk
Staying there
Macau has a wide range of accommodations available to meet all tastes and budgets.
Rooms at the Venetian start from about $HK1500 ($A210) for a Royal Suite. See www.venetianmacao.com
A deluxe room at the Grand Lisboa starts at $HK2070. See www.grandlisboa.com
A superior room at the Holiday Inn Macau starts from $HK900. See www.holidayinn.com/Macau
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