Macau

Otherwise known as “Oyster Mirror,” Macau is an autonomous region in southwestern China. Since the 1550s, this resort city has been under significant Portuguese influence, before sovereignty over the territory was returned to China in 1999, making it the last remaining European colony in Asia Major.

Separated from Hong Kong by the Delta, Macau was originally the main port for the Pearl River Delta, before it was subsequently surpassed by Hong Kong. Today, Macau considered the less well-known sister of the ex-British colony. Its economy is largely buoyed by the gaming and tourism sector, boasting some of the largest and most luxurious casinos and hotels in the world.

One of Macau’s top attractions is the Ruins of St Paul, originally a Portuguese church dedicated to Saint Paul. It was built in the early 1600s by the Jesuits, and destroyed by a fire in 1835. The The ruins now stand as a memorial to the Japanese Christians who carved the southern stone facade under Carlo Spinola, and as a testament to the region’s complicated Sino-Latin history.

Another must-visit in Macau is the A-Ma temple, built in 1488 for the sacred sea-goddess Mazu, widely believed to be a protector of fishermen who went out to sea. Not too far from the temple is the Moorish Barracks, a Neo-classical building with Moghul elements, originally constructed to reinforce Macao’s police force.

Notable citizens from Macau include Ming-Na Wen, who lent her voice to Disney’s 1998 production of Mulan, and Jenny Tseng, a prominent Cantonese pop singer in the 70s and 80s.