Macau: The City of Dreams

Macau is known as the Sin City of the East, or as Macau's tourism board like to call it, The City of Dreams. Now, unless your dream is to be in the smoky casinos trying to earn lose a few thousand bucks for 15 hours a day, there's nothing that is very dreamy about Macau, except for the food maybe.

We went from 15-16 May 2014 for a short two day, one night visit. As this was not my first time in Macau, I knew what I wanted to eat, do and see. Just to note, the reason why we flew to Hong Kong/Macau was to mainly visit our friends who were working in Hong Kong & Tiger Airways was having 1-for-1 tickets. We didn't really consider much, and just booked immediately when I received the email

Please click the following for my itinerary and costings:

• Dim Sum Heaven Itinerary 
• Dim Sum Heaven Costs

Grand Lapa Hotel

Grand Lapa Macau

Address: 956-1110 Avenida da Amizade, PO Box 3016, Macau SAR
Tel: +853 2856 7888
Website: http://www.mandarinoriental.com/grandlapa/

We stayed at Grand Lapa Hotel. It is located just 5-10 mins away from the ferry terminal. There is also complimentary shuttle bus to pick guests up from the ferry terminal. Once you've alighted from the ferry and collected your luggages (among the mess of humans and baggage), follow the general human traffic to the exit, down the escalator, across the underpass and to the bus terminal. There will be signages for the major hotels along the bus terminal, but not one for Grand Lapa. Once you've come up from the underpass, turn right and wait along the shelter, where the other hotel buses are waiting at. Just wait patiently for the shuttle bus and it will pull up.

Photos of the room

It is quite an old building and the exterior was not really maintained properly. I mean as compared to other hotels like Wynn or Sands down the street, it does look rather tired. We stayed in the Grand Deluxe Room with Balcony, and it partially overlooks the harbour.

I would like to mention that the Room Attendant who did turndown for our room is really attentive! Before we went out, I wore my contact lens and placed my contact lens casing, spectacles and solution on some tissue paper. When I returned, it was actually tidied up and placed on a piece of cloth. I was really impressed with that small detail.

Just a little tip for travelers visiting Macau: As you know Macau is made up of mainly 2 separate islands, and since there's no trains in Macau, you either walk, take a bus or taxi. Walking to the other island is just crazy, taking a bus is too complicated, and taking a taxi can be quite expensive especially when you cross the bridge to the other island. One way to save money is to actually take the shuttle buses that interconnects all the sister properties across the country. For example, we stayed just next to Sands Macau. We just went there to take the free shuttle to Venetian Macau as it was across the sea, on the other island. Money saving methods!!

Senodo Square/Ruins of St Paul/Museum of Macau

Senodo Square

Now, I will just touch and go on these 3 places, because it is very touristy and everything they sold there was expensive!

Senodo Square is basically an area with a lot of old architecturally beautiful buildings. There's a lot of free art museums along the street and they mainly portray a lot of Catholic statues and paintings. There's also this famous bakery where they sell the best almond biscuits I have ever eaten. Just so you know, I hate all things almond, but this biscuit does not really have a lot of almond taste. The biscuit is so flaky and buttery, I might have a heart attack and I wouldn't know.

Ruins of St Paul

If you walk towards the end of Senodo Square, you will eventually reach the many steps of the St Paul Church. Or what's left of it. I can imagine it being so beautiful and majestic if the hurricane/typhoon didn't destroy it. Likewise, there's nothing much here, just a picturesque background for selfie addicts.

Museum of Macau

I am not sure if it's usually free, but we entered for free as the guard mumbled something about it being a holiday or some sort. There's a mix of Chinese and Western art inside ranging from terracotta warriors to Statues of Mother Mary.

Lord Stow Egg Tarts

Address: Unit 2119a, Level 3, the Grand Canal Shoppes Venetian, Macau  

Tel: +853 2886 6889  

Website: http://www.lordstow.com/ 

There are several outlets scattered around Macau, with the most convenient one being located inside Venetian itself. I prefer the buttery, flaky crusts which Macau offers and not the tart like crusts which Hong Kong usually sells. The custards are super milky and oh-so-soft!

Canton Restaurant

Dining at Canton Restaurant!

Location: The Venetian Macau, Casino Level, 1018.

Opening Hours: Lunch: 11:00am - 3:00pm, Dinner: 6:00pm - 11:00pm

Tel: +853 8118 9930

Website: http://www.venetianmacao.com/macau-dining/chinese-food/canton.html

So it was our first night for our trip, and my cousin asked us if we wanted to have steak or Canto food. Of course we choose Canto food! Duh! Canton Restaurant is located in a quiet corner on the Casino Level. The whole restaurant's decorations and ambiance is very modern with a hint of tradition. There's also a small little teapot holder to keep your tea hot. Gilbert always said that if a Chinese Restaurant in China provides you with 2 pairs of chopsticks (one serving, one personal), it is a really high class restaurant. 

Well, the restaurant does indeed feel luxurious with the level of service and food quality. The whole bill amounted to HK$735 (S$118) for 3 persons. That price included a 20% discount (my cousin has a Bank of China Card) and 10% service charge. I feel its pretty affordable for 3 persons and 4 dishes! The most expensive would be the Scallops with Black Truffle (HK$300) and if you're on a tighter budget, than order something else!

Super yummy food!

From top left: Canton Signature Crispy Chicken (HK$168), Sautéed Scallops with Black Truffle and Green Vegetables (HK$300), Claypot Groupa Belly & Ginger (HK$180), Sweet and Sour Pork (HK$98), Fluffy coconut desserts (FOC).

I think my favorite dishes would be the Crispy Chicken and Claypot Groupa. The chicken is so tender and juicy, and the skin is so crispy! The claypot fish is just so flavorful, the fish although fried, it is so soft and falls apart when you bite it.

The Plaza Restaurant

The Plaza Restaurant

Address: Freguesia da Sé > Porto Exterior 2/F,Edf. Xin Hua , Rua de Nagasaki, Porto Exterior
Opening Hours: 09:00-15:00 Mon - Sun, 18:00-24:00 Mon - Sun
Tel: +853 28706623

We wouldn't have known of this place, if my cousin didn't tell us about it. It is located opposite Grand Lapa, in a Police Station/Building, and you need to enter from the side, up 2 escalators, and you'll see a big ballroom. It is also on the side of Macau where the Ferry Terminal is. So if you're staying where Venetian is, you're too far away.

But the food is worth it. Trust me.

Dim Sum!

We had dim sum for breakfast and we ordered quite a lot for two people! The dim sum ranges from 20-40MOP/HKD, and of course there are items which are more expensive which we didn't order. The Dim Sum is so fresh and so different from what we have in Singapore.

Spending less than S$2,000 for a 12 day trip to South Korea!

I am compiling a guide on how to experience South Korea on a budget. In May 2013, I visited Shanghai, Busan, Jeju, and Seoul for a total of 12 days on the road. I spent a total of about S$2,000. The only reason why I spent so much is because we ate luxuriously and shopped for make-up like CRAZY! If I were truly on a budget, I would have spent a total of only $1,500. But that is not me, I am pampered and spoilt & I needed my Black Pork Korean BBQ!!

Check out my elaborate blog posts about South Korea & Shanghai here:

• China: Shanghai
• South Korea: Busan
• South Korea: Jeju Part 1
• South Korea: Jeju Part 2
• South Korea: Seoul Part 1
• South Korea: Seoul Part 2

For further information regarding my itinerary, please click here:

• Discovering South Korea Itinerary!

I spent about $1088 for flights, housing, car rentals, major attractions like going to the DMZ and Lotte World and this is how I did it.

South Korea Costs

International Flights

Airfare is always one of the biggest bulk in your expenditure. I always check Zuji & Skyscanner for good deals first and than try to book directly. My dates are always flexible and I will always try to fly a mid-night flight if the flight will take 7 hours or more. As you know, I work shifts and in the hotel industry, and it is really difficult for me to take leave and I want to maximize it to the fullest. We booked multi-city tickets (it may add on extra charges, but for $460, we didn't really care) and flew to Busan straight, after transiting in Shanghai for 1 night, and than flew out from Seoul to Singapore.

Food served on China Eastern, not too shabby right?

Furthermore, flying at night not only save you 1 Annual Leave, it also saves you 1 night of accommodation and 1 whole day to explore the city. We flew at about 1am, and landed in Shanghai at about 5.30am. We had breakfast and than we took the first train out to the city! I know it sounds tiring, but if you're young and on a budget, this is the way to go!

Sunrise!

Also, we didn't fly with any budget airlines because it is about the same price, NOT including meals, baggage allowance, and the entertainment system (I was too tired after my shift and so knocked out all the way though). China Eastern is fine, the only problem I had was some China Auntie pretending that she was booked for my window seat. We had that sorted out in no time after my dear gung-ho of a boyfriend confronted her. Hahaha.

Domestic Flights

Now, I visited 3 cities in South Korea and the cities are not exactly near where you can just take an hour's train and you're there (like Japan). From Busan to Jeju, I flew with Busan Air and from Jeju to Seoul I flew with Eastar Jet. Do your research properly! There are plenty of affordable Korean domestic airlines that can get you to places! Sign up for their free membership and you also get additional discounts! Always use trial and error to find those flights!

Accommodation

My friends and I always stayed in a hostel/motel/guesthouse. You'd be surprised at how beautiful and cosy the hostels are! Of course we splurged a little and got the 4 pax bunk with ensuite for our stay in Jeju. To be honest, I felt the accommodation could be cheaper, but I just wanted a nice little house/room to go back to after a long day. I never regretted it!

Rainbow in Jeju Hostel!

Look at how beautiful those hostels are! They even provide basic groceries for you to cook your own breakfast every morning. Look out for hostels with laundry facilities, because if you only brought a limited set of underwear, you're gonna have a bad time if you don't wash it.

Doo Guesthouse (traditional housing)

Always look out for past reviews from other guests who have stayed there previously, location, and of course the pricing. It is always cheaper to get a family room of four, as compared to a room for 2. Of course if you don't mind, you can always bunk in with other (random) people to lower the cost.

Lee & No Guesthouse (MY FAVORITE OF ALL)

Like I said, I am spoilt, I wanted my own room. Besides, there were four of us, and we saved a lot when we got the family rooms.

Car Rental in Jeju

I always advice my friends who are visiting Jeju, has a SG licence, and above 21 to ALWAYS rent a car in Jeju. There are no trains in Jeju, only taxis and buses. We rented the Hyundai Sonata for about 3 days with full insurance, and each of us paid only S$42! (Total is about $165.)

Of course if you have people to split it with, that's good for you, if not, rent a smaller car with partial immunity, that will lower down the costs for you.

Our ride: Hyundai Sonata

By the way, I loved the boot space of the Sonata! I can fit 3 dead bodies inside. HAHAHA.

I've read and heard of people who was lost and didn't have any transport back after sunset, and how they had to beg/hitchhike the locals to drive them out to the main road where they waited for 30mins for a taxi. Or how people have walked so much and spent so much time trying to get to the attraction, they were tired already before they even reached the attraction.

Every rental car comes with a GPS system

If you can't rent a car due to the legal age limit, try searching for taxi drivers who are willing to drive you around for the whole day! I am not sure how much it will cost, but it is def better than walking 45 mins to the museume.

To me, time is money. I hate wasting time walking to places. Ok, I hate walking.

Every rental car comes with a GPS system. I rented the car through KT Kumho Car Rental (of course after signing up as a member and getting 70% off), and requested for an English GPS system. Bear in mind the local addresses are still in Korean, so you need to keep the telephone numbers of the attractions you want to go to and you can just punch in the telephone number into the GPS system.

WiFi

THERE IS FREE WIFI EVERYWHERE!

I can't stress this enough. Do not buy/rent those egg Wifi thing you see at Changi Airport. It will be a waste of money! You walk into the shopping mall, there's Wifi, you walk into the cafe, there's Wifi, you take the TRAIN, there's also Wifi. It is everywhere and it's free! Even at the airport!

Besides, I can't stress this enough. You're on a holiday! Turn off your Facebook, Instagram & Twitter! You can brag about the places you've been when you rest at the nearby cafe...

Food & Shopping

I will not and do not want to touch on food and shopping because i'm embarrassed by how much we ate. It was almost Korean BBQ almost every night until I fell terribly ill with high fever. I had no budget when it came to food. My BF and I splurged on it and ate luxuriously. So it really depends on how you eat and shop as that's something we're all different.

My only tip is to go for all the street food! There's plenty of yummy street food that can fill you up, and even Korean BBQ along the streets in Seoul. Jeju was more or less restaurants and it was more expensive than in Seoul.

By the way, I did not shop too much for clothes, but I went crazy with make up stuff.

Getting Around

Taking the buses and trains are of course the cheapest way to get around. Not only do you save, you get to experience what the locals experience. Download this app "Jihachul". It is an app for the Korean Subway system and it is available in Korean, Japanese and English!

Awesome Korean Subway App

This app has the train system of all the major cities in South Korea like Seoul, Busan, Daegu, etc. It tells you the rough time estimate it takes from your current train station to your destination, the time the next train arrives & even which exit to take to change lines. What is so awesome about this app is that it doesn't require any internet connection because the trains run on a strict schedule (very much like Japan) which is also available on their Subway website.

Of course, planning your route and attractions plays a big part, you want to visit all the attractions in the East, for example, before visiting the West. It saves on time and transport fees!

Weather

I know you must be thinking, "What does the weather got to do with budget?". Well it does! You're saving S$2,000 for your Korea trip to pay for all the expenses, but have you forgotten the budget you're forking out to prepare for your trip?

Rainy & cold in Shanghai!

I visited in May, and the weather was JUST NICE. Nice and chilly when I was in Busan & Jeju, yet I didn't need more than my sweater and windbreaker! I did my research and after weeks of monitoring the weather and temperature, I decided to bring along 2 pair of jeans and 2 pairs of leggings. I wore the 2 pair of jeans when I was in Shanghai & Busan (because it was Mother cold), and the leggings with shorts when I was in Jeju (when it was NOT foggy, and it was nice and sunny). I learnt my mistake when I went to USA in 2012 thinking it was summer (all shorts and tank tops) and upon arriving in LA, it was 12-15C. I nearly died.

Foggy & cold in Busan, as it is a port city

Now, if I went in WINTER. I had to buy heatec leggings and inner wear, boots, wool socks, heat packets, jackets, the list goes on! We live in Sunny Singapore, where the weather is always HOT or RAINY. We do not have winter clothes, and travelling to winter countries means spending about a good $300 on all these items.

In a lava cave in Jeju where it was cold & Kenneth was all garang.

IF you intend to invest in such items as you travel to winter countries every year, than yes, good for you. If not... Beg, Steal or Borrow. The only way to save on such items.

Winter Wonderland in Hokkaido, Japan!

Trust me, you'd want to invest in a good pair of socks and boots (even a hat or a scarf) because you're gonna be so miserable you cannot enjoy your vacation thoroughly. I've been to Hokkaido dead in their winter. I know what it is like when you wear 2 pairs of heatec under your jeans in -20C weather, AND it doesn't work.

Remember to always do your research and be prepared for the worst! Hope you'll enjoy Korea as much as I did!

Taken on beautiful U-do Island!