The Cotai strip

This is the casino strip―here, fortunes are made, or lost, in the blink of an eye. The strip stands on reclaimed land that up until two decades ago was an uninhabited part of Macau. Today, this is what draws in the large majority of tourists. Every few metres on the strip, I am greeted by neon boards that invite me to swanky hotel chains complete with casinos. From slot machines to hi-stake games, these casinos come with the works. They lure you in with drinks on the house that are refilled almost magically as you take your last sip.

Even if you don’t gamble, watch the gamblers closely and you’ll notice a few quirks. I find that the Chinese are a superstitious lot―Even in roulette, they never bet on number 13. I also find that most of the gamblers in the hi-stake areas seem to carry around a red handkerchief for luck. “But do people win big?” I ask Winnie who works at the casino within the Venetian. She says, “I once saw this guy come in who played really high stakes. He took home 26 million HKG over two days. Weeks later, he came back again. This time, he lost 30 million.’

Author’s tip: On the Cotai Strip, stay at the JW Marriott Hotel which is set within the Galaxy resort property. With everything from shopping malls, restaurants, bars, and casinos within the multi-acred Galaxy, you never have to step out, and yet you get to experience the best of Cotai.