Macau may be firmly back in China's orbit, but the Portuguese patina on this Sino-Lusitanian Las Vegas makes it a most unusual Asian destination. It has always been overshadowed by its glitzy near-neighbour Hong Kong - which is precisely why it's so attractive.

Macau's pleasures are relaxed and laidback, architectural and atmospheric: narrow cobbled alleys, grand baroque churches, balconied colonial mansions, open plazas and Mediterranean-style cafes filled with palm-readers, caged birds and pipe-smokers.

These days Macau is wooing commerce and tourism like never before, and plans are afoot for all kinds of family-oriented shopping malls, theme parks, towers and bridges, building on the enclave's attraction as a gambling haven. So get yourself to Macau before its unique Latin-Sino flavour is diluted by a heavy dose of development and the Guangdong throngs.

Area: 24 sq km
Population: 438,000
Country: China
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +8
Telephone Area Code: 853

Orientation

Macau is made up of two islands and a compact peninsula dangling off the Guangdong mainland into the South China Sea. Hong Kong is just a 65km (40mi) swim away across the Pearl River delta, and the Guangdong capital, Guangzhou (aka Canton), is on the Pearl River 150km (90mi) or so to the north. Macau is tiny: all up, the mainland peninsula plus its two southerly islands (Taipa and Coloane) add up to a measly 23.5 sq km (9 sq mi) - Hong Kong Island alone measures more than three times its size. Development is gradually overtaking the peninsula and Taipa, but Coloane remains largely unspoilt. Macau international airport is on Taipa's east coast. Airport buses travel between the airport and major hotels on Taipa and the Macau Peninsula (every 15 minutes, US$0.80), and taxis meet all incoming flights (US$5).

Most of Macau's attractions are clustered around the peninsula's centre - it's a hilly but rewarding walk from church to fort and back again. Land reclamation at the foot of the peninsula has increased Macau's acreage by 20% and created the two artificial Nam Van Lakes. Taipa Island is linked to the peninsula by two bridges, and a causeway links Taipa with Coloane - but watch this space, as there are ambitious plans to merge the two islands courtesy of a mega-reclamation business and residential project called Cotai City. The new Lotus Flower Bridge connects Taipa to the Chinese mainland and meets the Guangzhou-Zhuhai highway.

Macau's hotels run the gamut from roach motels to luxury pads, with a sprawling mass of mid-range options in between. For cheapies head to the western side of the peninsula near the Floating Casino; top-end places are clustered near the centre of town and at the foot of the peninsula. Both islands have a smattering of five-star resorts, and there's a hostel on Coloane. Keep in mind that accommodation is both hard to find and expensive on weekends and public holidays. The evening street markets are good for seafood, and there's a wealth of peninsular and Taipa cafes and restaurants offering Cantonese, Macanese, African and Brazilian specialities.