The Contrasts of Hong Kong & Macao Travel Tips - Packages/Deals & Travel Agents Near Me

Hong Kong is a fascinating dichotomy, where the influence of the British crown mixes with ancient Chinese tradition in every corner of the city. Perhaps nothing makes this double-sided culture more apparent than the city’s architecture. And with a history stretching back to the 3rd century BC, including over 400 years of Portuguese settlement, Macao’s architectural landscape is one of fascinating contrast and variety.

From archaeological wonders to exquisite cuisine, the incredible contrast of Hong Kong and Macao are sure to tantalize all the senses.

Hong Kong
In the Central district, the mid-19th-century St. John’s Cathedral, with its soaring tower and Gothic touches, looks right out of a village in Yorkshire, while nearby, a whole other view of the mid 1800s comes into view: the Tai Fu Tai, an opulent mansion built by the Qing Emperor, filled with lavish plaster moldings and ornate Chinese woodcarvings.

The ancient Chinese concept of Feng Shui can be seen all over Hong Kong, in buildings both ancient and modern. The orientation of incredibly ornate and colorful Nine Dragons Wall is meant to mitigate forces of negativity and bring prosperity to the city. Nearby, the same principles of orientation were used in the design of the ultra-modern skyscrapers that soar above, like Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong’s most recognizable high-rise that decorates the skyline like an asymmetrical mirrored prism. Likewise, Feng Shui played a role in the location of Hong Kong’s tallest building, Two International Finance Centre, which soars nearly 1,400 feet and has a lighted top that gleams like a beacon at night.

Macao 
One of the most famous landmarks in Macao is the Ruins of St. Paul, built in the 17th century by Portuguese missionaries. Its front steps and intricate façade are all that remain fully intact, covered in fascinating carvings that blend East and West, such as a depiction of the Holy Mother triumphantly trampling a seven-headed dragon!

In contrast to the Jesuits’ cathedral is the ancient Chinese A-Ma Temple, built in 1488 for the goddess of seafarers believed to be Macao’s namesake: when Portuguese sailors first arrived, the Chinese who greeted them gave the name of their city as A Ma Gao, or “Bay of A Ma”.

Modern Macao is truly China’s playground. “The Monte Carlo of the Orient” is known for its bold Hotel Lisboa, where influences range from 60s-era modernism to traditional Chinese lines and even the designs of Antonio Gaudi. Nearby is the ultra-modern, sleek MGM Grand Macao, with its stack of three colored waveforms. And a themed district, Fisherman’s Wharf, incorporates everything from classic Chinese architecture to sections made to resemble Cape Town, Amsterdam, Venice and Rome.