Described as “the Vegas of the East”, the Island of Macau is the only place in China where gambling is legal, and as such, the biggest names from Vegas including the Wynn, the Venetian and MGM have developed replica resorts to cater for the ever-growing gambling crowds.

A former Portuguese colony and the last remain European colony in Asia, Macau (or Macao) was transferred back to China in 1999, and thanks to its gambling licence, it became one of the world’s richest cities by 2002, and the world’s biggest gambling centre by 2006.

Having been to both Las Vegas and Macau, I would have to say the similarities end with the huge gaming resorts and luxury shopping venues.  Las Vegas offers so much more than casinos and gambling that you wouldn’t need to bet a dollar to enjoy your stay, whereas Macau is all about placing the highest bets – and the only reason the Chinese come is to gamble or shop.

That said, Macau is definitely worth a visit if you are staying in Hong Kong, so why not pop over and have a look…