Backpacking in Macau: 5 Famous Casinos

We have mentioned Macau on here before and it’s one of those special administrative regions of China, similar to Hong Kong in terms of governmental system. Macau’s history stretches back as far as 6,000 years ago (you know how old China is!), and includes many different and diverse civilizations through the ages. However, not only is the city of Macau historically rich, but it also offers unique casinos which operate under a government franchise and give this mini country an extra bit of charm.

Portuguese influenced Macau

We’ve compiled a list of our 5 most famous Casinos in Macau here and we hope you can sample some of these when you hit up Macau.

1. The Venetian Macao
The Venetian is quite simply exquisite! It is owned by the Las Vegas Sands guys and it is a $2.4 billion anchor for the seven hotels on the Cotai Strip in Macau. To put it simply – The Venetian in Macau is the largest casino in the world!! The largest single structure hotel building in Asia, with a whopping 2,905 suites (at a price), and floors which reach 38 levels. The downstairs Casino can get competitive but with a swanky hotel room you always have the option to play roulettes games online over a glass of Chinese rice wine ;-).

The Venetian in Macau

2. Casino Lisboa
Named after the Portuguese city and known for being one of the most famous hotel casinos in Macau, Casino Lisboa is a three-story complex that was built back in late 1960s. The casino is an iconic building set in the heart of Macau, and is a testament to extraordinary elegance with its distinctive location and architectural design. What’s cool is that there are two parts to it – the old style older part and the dazzling new building. This is a fab place to gamble the night away or just enjoy the cocktails!

The Casino Lisboa – old meets new in Macau!

3. Altira Macau
You might not be aware of the Altira Macau due to the name change, but here goes. Formerly known as Crown Macau, Altira Macau, Altira is a casino located in the district of Taipa, Macau, China. This place is also massive, boasting 220 gaming tables, around 500 gaming machines, and 216 guest rooms in the hotel. The casino at Altira Macau has 38 floors at a crazy height of 160 meters, and it is also the highest building in Taipa.

4. Sands Macao
Located on the Macau Peninsula, the Sands Macao is owned and operated by the dudes at Las Vegas Sands Corporation. The Sands offers top class restaurants, luxurious suites and a wide range of entertainment including strip shows and ballroom dancing. The Sands Macao casino opened on May 18, 2004 at a cost of $240 million. This remains a hit with those wanting to avoid the obvious Venetian and Casino Lisboa.

Best Casinos in Macau

5. Galaxy Macau
On a personal level for us at Backpacking in China, the Galaxy Macau is my number one. I just love the design and atmosphere of it. It’s an elaborate building and boasts an exciting gaming experience like no other and without the die hard blackjack kings of the Lisboa and Venetian. People here are seen knocking back Guinness and Bushmills. Spanning over 420,000 square feet and across a few floors in a building which also houses a hotel, the Galaxy Macau offers many gaming options and entertainment, which gives you more ways to win.