Macau Pass

To simplify the ferry ticket purchase and save customers’ precious time for queuing up, First Ferry (Macau) launches the “Macau Pass”. Each “Macau Pass” is valid for exchanging one First Ferry (Macau) ordinary class return ticket between Kowloon (China Ferry Terminal, Tsim Sha Tsui) and Macau on any day or night sailings on weekdays, weekends or public holidays. (except departures on special festivals).
First Ferry (Macau)'s "Macau Pass" is available for sale at a promotional price of HK$280*.

Sales Outlets

• HYFCO Travel Agency Limited
• Wing On Travel
• Hong Thai Travel Services Limited
• Gray Line Tours of Hong Kong Limited

* Actual price may be different as certain travel agencies may impose a handling charge on the transaction, please contact the concerned travel agencies for enquiries.

here's the link

Macau: The Culture and the Casinos

I've always wanted to set my foot on Macau. As a nation I find it rich and bound by unique and conflicting cultures. The Portuguese colonized Macau in the 16th century, hence influencing a lot of Macau's food, culture, even the language. As a Filipino whose country was colonized by the Spaniards, Macau made me curious. I wanted to find out how Macau fared after all these years, how the the eastern and western culture mixed, is it somehow similar here in the Philippines, that sort of thing. Heck, I've always wanted to visit Mexico and Brazil since their history of being colonized by Spaniards/Portuguese is similar like ours.
In this trip, having been to Hong Kong, a day trip to Macau seemed nice, if not refreshing. I was actually raring to see a lot of sights. But nobody prepared me for the adventure that awaited me.

See, apart from the Portuguese inlfuence in Macau the country is also known as the Las Vegas of Asia. And why is that? Since the turn of the millenium casinos had sprouted in Macau, making gambling the main attarction for tourists! High rise hotels and casinos abound and dot the city's night sky! With the opening of Sands Macau which is considered to be the biggest casino in the world, it even beat Las Vegas in gambling revenues in 2006!

Coming from Hong Kong, my friend and I took the free shuttle to The Venetian Hotel. It's a hotel with a huge mall inside where people can actually sight see and window shop. Deeper on is the main entrance to the casino. It was my first time to enter a casino, and my first time to actually play.

 
Okay so the tokens are relatively cheap (only 5 Macau dollars) so I was able to play on and on with the slot machines. But during my second try...I won 100 dollars!!! Thank God for making me set my foot on Macau, and thank God for casinos, hehe.

Macau : Getting There

In my travel to Hong Kong, I got the opportunity to travel to Macau even for just one day.

Philippine passport holders need NO visa to enter Macau for thirty days.

Likewise, you can also get to Macau via ferry. Three ferries ply the HKG-MFM route: from HKG side are Turbojet and Cotaijet (uses the Taipa Temporary Terminal), and from Tsim Sha Tsui side is New World First Ferry.

From Arthur Street in Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, my buddy and I rode the taxi to the Hong Kong China Ferry Terminal near Harbour City along 33 Canton Road in Tsim Sha Tsui and rode the New World First Ferry to Macau.

We bought a round trip ticket from China Ferry Terminal to Macau for 150 HKD or 30 USD.

Once we got there, there already free shuttles to bring us to The Venetian Hotel.

I was so excited and I just cannot hide it! My Day at the Venetian Hotel coming next

Top 30 things about Hong Kong (part 1)

 

a capsule of what I have experienced during my 7 day stay in Hongkong last November 2008. 

It was one fun stressful but fun and adventurous trip! EVENTFUL being an understatement!Here are things I will never forget about this trip:

1. Come prepared whenever traveling abroad. My friend and I opted to stay in Kowloon, Hong Kong. He was the one who arranged the trip - from the Cebu Pacific flight to our residence in Bridal Tea House in Yau Ma Tei even to the itinerary. I know I was a bit of a brat or really busy (I was writing for a TV series during this time) that I was totally unprepared. I was not able to activate the roaming service and I did not have an address or a copy of receipts for the hotel where I was supposed to be staying. Why am I harping on this? It's because I should ...

2. Never be late…at all times, especially during flights. Our flight is seven in the morning and I came from a writing lock-in at Linden Suites in Ortigas Philippines. The writers went home at two am...so naturally, I overslept! I promised my friend that I'll be at our meeting place at four am for the flight but I woke up at exactly seven am, saw my mobile phone which had 40 plus messages and missed calls!

3. The Hong Kong MTR is oh so efficient! People don't care that much about each other so if you're a lone traveler, the MTR and Hong Kong won't put you out of place. 

4.  I loved H and M. I heard of the brand before because of the unique and quirky-cool accessories. Perfect! I made a promise to myself to shop for finds that are cheap and cannot be bought in the Philippines.

5. In Hong Kong, you have wake up early because you'll have time to do a lot of stuff and travel and see more places! Because there are a lot to see in Hong Kong!

6. Be friendly to the locals and to other foreigners. Traveling is about meeting people and knowing each and everyone's background. Traveling is enriching the soul. On our third night we met Mimi, a Cyprus-ian. Here's what happened. It was in Mes a Mes bar in Tsim Sha Tsu. My friend got a pint of beer from the bar and I got a champagne flute...just like what this white girl who is sitting on the bar ordered. So she looked at us and then voila! conversation sparked! My friend and I learned a lot from her. She introduced us and me in particular with the concept of TRAVELING er, BACKPACKING ALONE...which was a scary scary thought at the time (November 2008).  She used to think money over matter until she traveled to Goa, India alone where she was able to soul search...and where she found her center and real purpose...which is to travel!

7. Whatever you feel like, just do it. At the end of the day, whatever your choice it’s your decision, so you couldn't really blame anyone.




8. Take a lot of pictures, every step of the way! Since it's my first time abroad I took a picture of anything and everything! And why not? Traveling is about making memories.

9. Always think: it could get worse.really. This was what i was thinking my first night in HK =) Really. Crappy things happened which made me appreciate good things! keep 'em coming! I realized too that I can survive Hong Kong, even alone, for a day at least .I learned that in Hong Kong, the city feels for you. It will comfort you. Like when I was in New King's Hotel in Yau Ma Tei alone. The place looks familiar yet strange. But somehow, traveling gives one perspective...that it's not so bad, that Hong Kong is not too far from home =)




10. Chinese guys can be cute too! Chinitos (Chinese guys) aren't my type. but there's this one guy at Mc Donald's Admiralty Branch (after our shopping session in H and M) who looked really cute. I bet he was a college dude. I never mustered a breath in trying to talk to him. I just gawked. Damn.




11-20 things about Hong Kong on my next post! 




Click for the top 30 things about Hong Kong (part 2)
Click for the top 30 things about Hong Kong (part 3)