MO Magazine Tips created by Condé Nast
You can still find remnants of the sleepy, laid-back old Macau among the year-round blooms and babbling brooks of Camões Garden, named after Portugal's epic poet Luis de Camões. The garden, which is adjacent to the old headquarters of the East India Company, offers a snapshot of local culture, where amateur musicians practice their repertoire and neighbours meet for a leisurely stroll. Not far away, you might find an impromptu open-air concert in the lush, classical-style Lou Lim Iok Garden, built in the 19th century as part of the private estate of a wealthy local family. It's the perfect place to catch a quiet moment.
Just a few minutes by taxi, but a world away from the hubbub, you'll find windswept beaches, dense mountain greenery, and one of Asia's most beautiful golf courses on Coloane Island. Life goes on as it has for decades in the narrow streets of Coloane Village, with its little shops, smoky temples, and mosaic-paved village square, complete with a monument to the last battle the villagers fought with pirates in 1910.
Get a taste of Macau Grand Prix driving at the Kart-o-Drome, or cool off on a hot summer's afternoon on the jet skis at Hác Sá beach, and watch the evening sky darken over the sea while sipping sangria at a beachside restaurant.
The most famous icon of the city, the Ruins of St Paul's, is the perfect starting place for a journey into Macau's past.
At the nearby Museum of Macau, step into the hold of an early Portuguese trading ship or wander atop the 17th-century fortress that is the museum's foundation, among the guardhouses, headstones and cannons where sentries once stood watch over the South China Sea.
The narrow cobbled lane leading up to St Paul's is lined with shops stuffed full of Chinese antiques and reproductions. One-of-a-kind curios are yours for the finding in the flea markets around Rua das Estalagens and Rua da Tercena. For fine jewellery and watches try the shops on San Ma Lo, near Largo do Senado. Upscale boutiques dot the city, but you'll find them all in one place in Mandarin Oriental, Macau arcade.
Hop across the bay to picturesque Taipa Village which comes to life on Sundays when Cantonese opera is performed while you browse the stalls and sample the local cuisine.
More gastronomic delights await at NAAM (+ (853) 793 4818), Grand Lapa Hotel's superb Thai restaurant, and for the best international cuisine - Café Bela Vista (+853 793 3871) on the second floor.
Sooner or later, anyone who's anyone here can be found in Vasco at Mandarin Oriental, Macau. Make a night of it and take in the sights and sounds of the city along the waterfront avenue, starting at the massive Kun Iam Statue, which is lined with bistros and bars.
At Moonwalker, partygoers dine on excellent pizza washed down with a glass of wine from the extensive list, before heading for the dance floor.