Macau, Special administrative region in southern China
The territory sits on a peninsula and three small islands at the mouth of the Pearl River in southern China, forming a self-governing area with its own administration. The built-up land is densely packed with apartment blocks, shops, and casinos, while narrow lanes run between buildings and open onto larger squares.
Portuguese traders founded a trading post here in the mid-1500s, paying a yearly fee to local authorities until the late 1900s. Over time, the settlement grew into a center for trade between Europe and East Asia before returning to Chinese administration.
Residents speak a mix of Cantonese and Portuguese in daily life, and you hear both languages side by side on the streets. In the older neighborhoods, neighbors gather on small squares to drink tea together or play mahjong at public tables.
Most visitors arrive via Hong Kong and then take a ferry that crosses the river in about an hour. Inside the territory, distances are short enough to walk or take a taxi between different neighborhoods.
The tower in the center of town holds a bungee platform at a height of 338 meters (1,109 feet), making it one of the highest in the world. Jumpers fall freely through the air for several seconds before the cord catches and slows the descent.
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