Travel to Macau

For a nearby excursion from Hong Kong, try Macau. The former Portugese colony has been called the Las Vegas of the Far East and its vibrant gambling and tourism industries have resulted in mammoth casinos, lavish hotels, luxurious shopping malls, theaters and clubs. However, Macao’s heritage can still be seen with its small, traditional Portuguese houses. Two of the stand-out casinos are the Macao Galaxy and the Venetian Macao. Like the Venetian in Las Vegas, you can take a gondola ride through the indoor canal while the ceiling’s paint and lighting gives the illusion of being under a blue sky 24 hours a day.

Macao is an international hub, as can be heard in the languages spoken - an Asian buffet of Cantonese with accents of every part of China, English, and a drizzle of Thai, Vietnamese and Portuguese.

The food is phenomenal. Be sure to try jerk pork, a pork burger, and the wide variety of dim sum.