OUR DESTINATIONS
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We offer holidays to the four corners of the globe. If you want specialist advise please phone our travel team and we will be happy to help.
Alternatively, check out some of our holiday offers below.
- Destinations
- Asia
- Hong Kong
- Hong Kong City
- Macau
Macau
The cultural influence of Portuguese life threaded through a
Chinese framework has produced a unique landscape in Macau, fused
with contrast and complexity. Here Baroque churches and colonial
mansions appear from the cobbled pavements interspersed with plazas
and cafes. Visitors are enticed here by the lure of gambling and
the glitz of its promise. Macau's attractions are exemplified in
its architectural heritage. St Paul's Cathedral is one such legacy
that dates back to the early 17th century. It is an
Italian-designed building perched on a hilltop that is most
spectacular when illuminated against a night sky. The vantage point
from the Fortaleza de Monte is a good place to reflect on the
defensive role it played against Dutch assault in 1622 alongside an
exploration of the museum and meteorological observatory.
The classic Chinese temple of A-Ma rests at the base of Penha
Hill. Its name derives from Tin Hau, Queen of Heaven, or the
Honoured Mother. Myth has it that a poor girl saved the fishing
vessel, on which she was travelling, from the ravages of a storm.
In tribute to her this temple was built and is a place of
pilgrimage for Macau's fishing community. Another temple dedicated
to the power of female intervention is the Kun Iam Temple, built in
honour of the Goddess of Mercy, located in the northern reaches of
the peninsula. It was here in 1844 that the first trade and
friendship treaty between USA and China was signed. Macau is 37
miles (60km) west of Hong Kong; ferries take around an hour to get
there and leave every fifteen minutes.
Information & Facts
Language
The official languages in Hong Kong are English and
Cantonese. The other main language is Mandarin.
Money
The unit of currency is the Hong Kong dollar (HKD); HK$1 is
divided into 100 cents. Major banks are open from 9am to 4:30pm
Monday to Friday, and 9am to 12:30pm on Saturday. Banks and
moneychangers charge commission as do hotels that provide exchange
services. All major credit cards are accepted and ATMs are widely
distributed. Some HSBC 'Electronic Money' machines provide 24-hour
cash withdrawal facilities for Visa and MasterCard holders.
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