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 28.2 sq km (10.9 sq mi) - Hong Kong Island alone measures more than three times its size.

Most of the sights are on the peninsula jutting down from Zhuhai on the mainland. Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro, running from Avenida da Praia Grande to the Inner Harbour, is Macau's main street. Its extension, Avenida do Infante Dom Henrique, runs south to the Outer Harbour. Development is gradually overtaking the peninsula and Taipa, but Coloane remains largely unspoilt.

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 significantly increased Macau's acreage and created the two artificial Nam Van Lakes. Taipa Island is linked to the peninsula by three bridges and, until recently, a causeway linked Taipa with Coloane. This is currently being expanded in a massive land reclamation project: when it's finished, the Cotai Strip, as it will be known, will be home to a series of Las Vegas-owned and styled mega-casinos. The new Lotus Flower Bridge connects Taipa to the Chinese mainland and meets the Guangzhou-Zhuhai highway. This is expected to be the major artery that feeds gamblers into the strip.