Macau is not yet a mature destination for global party-goers. That will change when the new hotels and resorts open and, in the meantime there are a few places that are a lot of fun after the sun goes down.
The Sands Casino is currently the hottest in town, and from the minute you walk into its lobby entrance you can see why. It is a slice of Vegas, but with the Chinese crowds to boot up the volume – and the intensity of the experience. Chinese take their gambling more seriously than Westerners, so visitors should not be surprised if their table seems a bit dour at first. Around midnight, the mood changes somewhat as a rock band takes to the stage. Late in the evening, this has become a popular hangout for expatriates.
The place that is already packing them in for non-gambling evening entertainment is Richard Feldman's Celebrate Macau, down at the end of Fisherman’s Wharf. The Hong Kong-based restaurateur has done a great job with his collection here, including an Al's Diner, Scene (Chinese), and San Lorenzo’s. Three new outlets will open in June: Hemingway's (cigar and retail shop); The Thirsty Gambler (Irish Pub), and Hanoi (Vietnamese restaurant). Also coming is the Chi Club – a member’s club – offering a lush, comfortable and private environment with food, live entertainment and private rooms.
But it is at night that the place really comes alive with a Filipino band playing at the outdoor bar known as the Quay Bar.
This is as close as you can get to a fun evening under the stars in the Pearl River Delta, never mind Macau. Ferries cruising by a few meters away and helicopters swooshing in overhead only improve the ambience.
