Pandas in Macau. Giant Panda Pavilion (Macau, China)

P before I write a post on my flight from Macau to the Philippines,
I want to write about the places we planned to visit, but it didn’t work out for various reasons. The post will be useful to those who are planning to go there. I'll start with pandas. Macau Giant Panda Pavilio... it's interesting, it's even sacred... but it doesn't work every day.

Before Macau Giant Panda Pavilion long enough to get there. When planning your time, it is advisable to focus on this particular site, since the fortress and temples in Macau itself are close and you can see them at any time.
We missed the mark with the pandas because in those days that we were there they simply did not work or worked on shortened, shortened days. The downside is that you can walk there for a long time, but you still won’t see the pandas. If they sleep hidden, there will be wasted time and money, no one will wake them up for the sake of tourists. The Chinese are happy if they just turn over on the other side and this is a whole event.

You can watch it for free at pink flamingos, black swans, lemurs and monkeys, but no one would travel far with all this. Please note that they do not give change on the bus. Therefore, you need to collect change in advance. But pandas in China -
this is sacred...

The Macau Science Museum houses a model of the Chinese space station Life-size Shenzhou-5. The first manned flight of this spacecraft made China in 2003 the third country in the world to independently send a man into space.

Next to the pandas is temple complex Kun-Iam

It was built 400 years ago in honor of the Goddess of Mercy. Around the central statue of Kun-Yam there is a whole group of monuments that are dedicated to the sages of China, among which, surprisingly, there is a monument to Marco Polo. It was in this place that China and the United States signed a treaty on cooperation and trade in 1844.

The downside is that it’s a bit far to get there and, apart from a paid bus, you need to walk a lot - 40 minutes through the forest along a path up the hill. But the place is not overrun by tourists (due to its complexity and legs). It makes sense to visit it with pandas, because... they are close. We didn’t go here because we didn’t go to the pandas))))) and in Macau there is a temple complex that is 200 years older than this and you don’t need to walk up the hill (it was relevant because my leg hurt).

Macau Fisherman's Wharf... located near the Sands Casino.

This is the place where the stylization of a classic European fishing shipyard was created. This complex is located in an idyllic location on the Outer Harbour, overlooking the marina. Extensive complex on the territory of which you can immediately visit Holland, Germany, France, Israel (see Golgotha), Babylon, see the Colosseum (rather Verona than Rome), the Forbidden City in Beijing...

We didn’t see all this because it was closed for some unknown planned or not so planned renovation.

Just the enumeration of objects located nearby (buildings, squares, structures built almost life-size) speaks of how curious and unusual it is when you come from the Dutch quarter, find yourself in a German, then Italian, French,

Golden Tower))))

Formula Grand Prix Museum 1 in Macau was opened on December 11, 1993 during the fortieth race.

The museum displays photos, articles, awards and other items related to the most famous competitions in the world of motorsports. The most attractive part of the museum is the 20 cars that took part in the races. One of the most valuable exhibits is the car and suit of the famous racer Aerton Senna. In Macau he won the 1983 Grand Prix.

The first Grand Prix tournament was held in Macau in 1954. Since then it has been held more than fifty times. Every year in November, hundreds of Formula 1 fans gather in Macau during the race.

In a special hall of the museum, slides telling about events in motor sports are shown on a projector. There are also two replicas of racing cars with electric motors installed on them.
A good museum, small, an easy treasure for children, and free. There is an opportunity to drive a simulator for money. We didn’t go here because there were no Formula One fans among us and no one was interested.

Wine Museum area 1400 square meters is divided into a number of sections, where, among other things, maps, texts, photos, films and videos related to the history of winemaking are presented.

The purpose of each section is not only to provide information about wine and vines, but also to recreate the atmosphere of wine production, showing visitors modern and traditional tools and devices involved in wine production.

One of the main objectives of this museum is to familiarize visitors with the social, economic and cultural significance of wine in Portuguese traditions, Everyday life and holiday rituals.
The museum features 1,143 different wine brands (1,115 Portuguese and 28 Chinese). Of the 1,115 Portuguese wine brands, 756 are represented commodity types, and 359 - special collection types, the oldest of which is Port wine from 1815, these brands cover different regions of Portugal, and also represent examples of Chinese winemaking People's Republic. The demonstration of each sample is accompanied by a brief description.
The museum also houses a number of mannequins wearing a variety of local outfits from different regions of Portugal. We didn’t go here because we were already drinking too much...
Address: Rua Luis Gonzaga Gomes 431, ground floor (Tourist Activity Center - CAT).
Opening hours: 10:00 to 21:00. Closed on Tuesday.

Five years and 250 million dollars were spent on the creation and production "House of Dancing Water", the most spectacular extravaganza in the world, which can be seen at the City of Dreams in Macau.
The show “The House of Dancing Water” was created specifically for City of Dreams by one of the world’s most famous directors of various shows, Franco Dragone, whose spectacular shows were visited by more than 65 million viewers in dozens of countries.
Performances are not on Tuesday and Wednesday, the rest of the week 2 times a day at 17 and 20 hours, 1.5 hours. Prices depending on the place from 5000 and above for our hard-earned money. We decided that we would make do)))) no tea Grand Theatre It’s a lot of money to pay, and there’s already so much water around)))

There is also the House of the Mandarin, the Moorish barracks, a lighthouse, a high-mountain fortress, etc. but this is all already in Macau. And if you wish, you can see these objects instead of a casino. The map of Macau will help you)) I don’t even know if there are beaches here, but there is sand under your feet, so there must be.

Once a year, a procession passes through the streets of Macau to drive out the “drunken dragon”: people squirt strong Chinese vodka from their mouths - it is believed that its vapor drives the spirit of an evil dragon out of the city.

During the Portuguese festival in honor of St. John, more than a ton of charcoal-grilled Portuguese sardines are eaten in street tents and kiosks and more than a million liters of the famous Portuguese Super Bock beer are drunk.

And other tips. Three days is enough to explore Macau. One day at Pandas and the surrounding area, casino in the evening. Second day for the old town, TV tower and casino. Third day: fortress, Ferris wheel, etc.

From the casino, I advise you to see Galaxy and mermaids and, of course, Venice, after all - the largest casino in the world.

Take advantage of the free buses. They run between casinos that are marked on tourist maps, which is convenient. A-Mo Temple, the oldest temple in Macau, is only allowed until 6:00 p.m.
Hotels are expensive, especially on weekends. The price of food in a cafe can vary greatly. Two eateries nearby can have almost double the price difference. Take adapters for sockets. They are triple here, Chinese. In Hong Kong there are two types of Chinese with different distances between the forks. In the Philippines, for example, there were European sockets in hotels, but not here. The Chinese come here to play more often than Europeans to relax, because Macau in China is the only gaming area where casinos are allowed.

Information about objects and photos (C) various places on the Internet. Basic information and photos (C) Marum 3 Macao

Macau is not only a casino. This amazing city has many interesting sights. If you're traveling with children, be sure to check out the Macau Giant Panda Pavilion, located on Coloane Island.

Actually the park is Seac Pai V an - this is a whole zoo. There are enclosures with deer, monkeys, lemurs, and flamingos.

But the main stars of the park, for whom everyone comes here, are the Kai-Kai pandas ( Kai Kai) and Xin Xin (Xin Xin).

In the summer of 2016, a joyful event happened in Macau. Two more panda babies were born, who were given the names Jiang-Jiang ( Jian Jian) and Kang Kang (Kang Kang).

When visiting the Giant Panda Pavilion, keep in mind that these animals sleep a lot, so the likelihood of catching them awake is higher in the first half of the day.

Location: Pavilion Big Panda in Macau, Seac Pai Van Park
Working hours:from 10:00 to 13:00, from 14:00 to 17:00 (last session starts at 16:45). Closed on Monday. 6 sessions per day. Closed on Tuesdays unless Monday falls on a public holiday. Due to limited quantity Pre-booking of tickets is recommended.
Entrance fee: MOP10

The giant panda is located on Coloane Island and covers an area of 3 thousand square meters. m. It is intended to demonstrate only one type of animal - giant pandas which have become a symbol of China.

The complex is designed in such a way that the features of the natural landscape are organically integrated into it. It includes two indoor enclosures of 330 sq. m. m each and an open courtyard of 600 sq. m. m. For the convenience of observing animals, two paths are laid here at different heights. The animals are fed in the presence of visitors; during an organized excursion you can even pet them. However, when visiting the Giant Panda Pavilion, you should keep in mind that these animals sleep a lot, so the likelihood of catching them awake is higher in the first half of the day.

The pavilion surrounds big park with enclosures containing deer, monkeys, lemurs, and flamingos. There are also cafes, souvenir shops and information kiosks where you can not only buy a souvenir, but also stamp a postcard with pandas, learn about the history of Macau, the life and development of amazing black and white bears.

Giant Panda Pavilion on the map

Type: Zoos, nature reserves, aquariums Address: Seac Pai Van Park, Coloane, Opening hours: the pavilion is open Tuesday-Sunday 10.00-13.00, 14.00-17.00 (entrance until 16.45). The ticket entitles you to stay in the pavilion for an hour. The day off is Monday; if a public holiday falls on that day, the day off is moved to Tuesday. The park is open daily 8.00-18.00, information Center 10.00-17.00. Cost: 10 MOP, children under 12 years old and people over 65 years old - free. Visiting the surrounding park and viewing other animals is free. How to get there: by buses No. 15, 21A, 25, 26, 26A, 50, N3. Website.

Macau. Pandas. February 12th, 2018

The journey continues! After Hong Kong we move to Macau. And straight to the pandas. Finding it is very easy - on all maps the house is marked as the Big Panda Pavilion. It is located in the south of the island of Coloane, more precisely united with Taipa Cotai, in a practically rural area where there are beaches, resorts and mountain temples. Formally, it is called the Macau Zoo, but it’s difficult to call it a zoo; the only other animals here are little panda, monkeys and parrots. Not much.

- The little pandas just woke up, and that’s why they’re hungry. “You came on time,” the attendant told us at the entrance to the pavilion, looking at the animals with undisguised admiration. In fact, the entire life of pandas in the Pavilion - it is simply huge - is built according to a schedule: 15 minutes of sleep, 45 minutes of food. There are three pandas in the Pavilion, a mother bear with cubs.

The lazy life they lead here with everything ready is somewhat surprising. In fact, they have turned into domestic animals here and moving into the wild is contraindicated for them. You can’t call it a cage either, it’s a real palace, the whole world the size of a small stadium. But in wildlife the animal is forced to get its own food, fight for survival, this trains and hardens it. How this was decided here, I don’t know.

If you notice, pandas are very different from other bears in that they eat like a person, grasping bamboo leaves with the palm of their hand, as if with a hand. The arm, and not the paw, which pandas have, formed separately from other bears when they switched to a plant-based diet. A sixth, or false, finger appeared, spaced from the others, like a person’s thumb. With this they can grab the handles of leaves and eat them while holding them in their fist.

In principle, we didn’t see anything new, but you can look at pandas almost endlessly, marveling at the very fact of these creatures. Unless, of course, they are sleeping. Getting here, as I already wrote, is easy if you understand the bus schedule. Unfortunately, there is no metro in Macau, it is just being built - monorail lines and supports are laid everywhere. But many people are reluctant to solve bus traffic algorithms. Therefore, there were frankly few visitors, although it was a day off. Accordingly, the price here is much cheaper than in Hong Kong - 10 patacas, or Hong Kong dollars. It's pennies.

And on the way out you will definitely be shown panda poop. Probably everyone is interested in knowing how they poop.

Related to different religions. Today we will share a list of the main non-religious attractions that you must see here.

1. Ruins of St. Paul's Church

Destroyed during a fire in 1835, they are the dominant feature of the city and attract the most tourists. Today, only the façade has been more or less preserved, combining oriental elements and Western Baroque traditions.
To some extent, the preserved facade is a symbol of Macau, a territory subject to both Chinese and colonial Portuguese influence. In the former basement of the church there is also a museum of sacred art; The foundation has been preserved, from which one can understand what the construction of the church was.

decorated with stone mosaics, is the main square of Macau, the center of tourist and city life. There are administrative buildings, shops and restaurants here.

At the far end of the square is the Church of St. Dominic, built in Baroque style in the 17th century.

3. Old town

located around the square, it is a kind of fusion of old Chinatowns and European architecture.

The same applies to the local cuisine: you want Portuguese restaurants, but you want very authentic Chinese eateries. We liked the fish restaurants best with hot pot - this is a soup that is cooked in the middle of the table, and into which you yourself put all sorts of ingredients, in this case seafood. The first time we tried hot pot in , although then it was chicken.

You can choose your own ingredients for the soup; by the way, they are so fresh that they are still alive.

Already on the ferry from Hong Kong or on the tourist boats you can look at the city from a completely different point of view.

You can look at the city from above from any of the many hotels.

5. Casino.

Today, Macau attracts most tourists with its casinos. If you have never played before, you should definitely lose your first (and better yet, your last) dollar. The most interesting thing is that everything in the casino is electronic, be it slot machines or poker tables, so they will definitely cheat you. However, there are a huge number of people in the casino; by the way, the largest casino in the world is located here. True, you can’t take pictures inside, so the pictures are only from the outside.

6. Venice.

Tourists also come to Macau for shopping, which, despite the huge number of shopping centers, did not seem so good to us. Everything is quite expensive, the brands are mostly high-end, so we didn’t appreciate it in terms of poverty. But shopping centers- like museums, for example, the Venice complex - a huge fake of the Italian city.

7. Taipa Island.

If you are tired of noisy shops and fake Chinese, go to Taipa Island, which is also part of Macau. Taipa is connected to central Macau by several bridges, making it easily accessible by bus. There is a building museum showcasing buildings from the colonial period, a giant panda zoo, numerous designer shops, a flea market and cute playgrounds.

What struck us most in Taipa was the miracle of engineering - moving pedestrian paths (like at airports, only in the city): you don’t need to walk at all, just stand there and you’ll get there.

8. Market.

For authenticity, you should go to the main food market of Macau (red building). At first, the rows of goods seem quite decent, but the fish department is almost a zoo. Toads, turtles, worms - whatever your heart desires.

9. From Guia Park,

which you can take a cable car to, offers excellent views of the island, and you can also visit a fortress built in the 17th century. Also, unlike main Macau, it is very green here.

10. Museum.

To better experience Macau's unique culture, influenced by the interaction of Chinese and Portuguese cultures, visit the three-story Macau Museum. Here you will learn about the archeology of the area, Chinese wedding, fishing, theater traditions, as well as the colonial architecture of Macau. The exhibitions are very interactive and informative, so we recommend visiting them!

Well, don’t forget, of course, you can walk on them for several days, and they will not be the same. By the way, getting around Macau is not difficult; there are even many free buses running between attractions and hotels.