Macau is popularly known as the Las Vegas of the East for its spectacular casinos among Portuguese colonial architecture. The fascinating blend of Asian and European cultures is simple to access by way of Hong Kong. Simply take your private jet to Hong Kong’s international airport and take a helicopter ride to your destination in Macau. The best time of year to visit is from October to December, when the weather is cooler and less humid.
Sleep
Grand Lisboa
The Grand Lisboa is the upscale answer to once popular Hotel Lisboa. The 44-story building is shaped like the headdress of a Vegas showgirl and has the modernly elegant décor that you’d expect from an upscale casino hotel. Book one of the suites so you can relax in the Jacuzzi tub or Turkish steam bath after trying your luck in the four-floor casino, which features the largest exterior LED dome in the world. (http://www.grandlisboa.com/en/home/index.html)
Wynn Macau
The Wynn Macau resort is the only accommodation to win the Forbes Five Star award for five consecutive years in a row, from 2009 to 2013. The two-bedroom suites at the Wynn Tower offer 278 square meters of living space with ceiling-to-floor, wall-to-wall windows that give you an unprecedented view over the city and 24-hour personal butler service. When you’re done at the playing in the resort’s casino, head to the Esplanade, which features over 20 boutiques from the world’s most luxurious brands. (http://www.wynnmacau.com/en/)
Mandarin Oriental
The Mandarin Oriental gives you an exclusive waterside retreat on the NAPE waterfront. The room to book is the Presidential Suite with a 270-degree view of the Nam Van Lake and Macau Bay. The 3,627-square-foot space offers two separate bedrooms with their own bathrooms, two sitting rooms and plenty of space for entertaining. If you’re in Macau on retreat, be sure to check out The Spa at Mandarin Oriental. (http://www.mandarinoriental.com/macau/)
Eat
Golden Flower
In 2013, the Golden Flower in the Wynn Macau casino resort received a two-star Michelin rating for its Sichuan and Shandong flavors that offer an authentic taste of Tan cuisine from the Qing Dynasty. The restaurant’s décor blends bright reds and soft oranges with the aesthetics of Venice. Look for the translucent amber teapots on the ceiling that point the way to the dining room. (http://www.wynnmacau.com/en/dining/golden_flower.html)
Wing Lei
The Wing Lei restaurant, also in the Wynn Macau, has had Michelin star status for four years in a row. The two-star rating comes as a result of the restaurant’s Cantonese cuisine with signature and seasonal menus, intriguing dim sum platters and contemporary Chinese décor. (http://www.wynnmacau.com/en/dining/wing_lei.html#0)
Lord Stow’s Bakery
Englishman Andrew Stow introduced the wonder of fine baked breads in the 1980s to an area of the world that wasn’t in the habit of eating European pastries. Lord Stow’s claim to fame, however, is the Pasteis de Nata, a modified Portuguese egg tart. Visitors from around the world flock to Lord Stow’s just for a sample of Andrew’s egg tart, which is now a trademark of Macau. It’s a sin to leave the country without trying one. (http://www.lordstow.com/)
Play
Casinos
When you charter a private jet to Macau, be sure to check out the 33 casinos located on the Macau Peninsula and Taipa Island. You’ll find favorites like the MGM, Wynn, Sands, the Venetian, Casino Crystal Palace and Galaxy, as well as new gaming spaces to try at the City of Dreams, Golden Dragon and the Altira Macau. If slots and table games aren’t your thing, bet on the dogs instead.
Historic Centre of Macau
The history and culture of Macau is interesting as the country served as a center of cultural exchange, assimilation and the co-existence of Eastern and Western cultures. The Historic Centre of Macau is a World Heritage site where you can see how one the first European encounters in China also became one of the friendliest and longest-lasting. The Historic Center is a collection of over 20 sites in two different zones and include A-Ma Temple, Moorish Barracks, Lilau Square, Mandarin’s House, various churches, ruins, the Sam Kai Vui Kun (Kuan Tai Temple) and Senado Square. (http://www.wh.mo/wh/indexE.asp)
Macau Giant Panda Pavilion
Go to the Seac Pai Van Park in Coloane to get a glimpse of one of the world’s favorite endangered species—giant pandas. The Giant Panda Pavilion has two large indoor activity areas and an outdoor yard designed to mimic nature and allows visitors to see pandas at play. Because of the popularity of this attraction and the limited number of guests allowed into the habitats per day, purchase tickets to the Panda Pavilion in advance. (http://www.macaupanda.org.mo/)
About Solairus Aviation:
Solairus is a US-based private aviation services company whose core business is assisting aircraft owners with the safe, reliable, and efficient management and operation of their aircraft. Our services are customized to meet the client’s individual travel and financial requirements, and to support their flight operation with the highest standards of safety and personalized service, regardless of the location of the aircraft.
Solairus was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area. Solairus has over twenty-five base locations across the United States, Europe and Asia, employing more than two hundred flight crew and support personnel to operate a fleet currently numbering over fifty aircraft. Solairus is an Aviation Research Group/US Platinum-Rated and Wyvern Wingman certified charter operator. Solairus has also received the NBAA Commercial Business Flying Safety Award and is an IS-BAO stage two certified company. Solairus offers a full range of services in addition to aircraft management, which includes aircraft charter sales, aviation support services, and consulting. For more information about Solairus Aviation, visit www.solairus.aero or call 800-359-7861.