Macau Lifestyle’s lifestyle author and avid foodie, Nisa Reyta, spills the beans on her favorites in Macau and more…
Where are you from originally?
I was born in Macau to Filipino parents.
How long have you been in Macau? And how did you come to live here?
My parents met here and they’ve decided to call this place home. So voila this is home for me too!
Where do you live in Macau?
I live in Taipa.
What are the best things to do in your neighborhood?
Taipa is a great place to live in because everything is accessible by foot. Whenever I’m bored, I can take a stroll to Taipa Village or hike up different hills nearby. For foodies like me, it’s beyond tempting to live here as well. In the last two years, so many restaurants and takeaway places have popped up. There’s Malaysian, Indian, Thai, Korean, and then cafes in every corner. It changed drastically in recent years from a boring residential area to a food haven. So for people like me, diet is out of the question lol.
What would you tell first-time visitors in Macau?
#1: If there’s one thing you must learn how to say, it’s “uhm goi” (pronounced oom goi). You can use it to call people for attention, being polite to excuse yourself, or use it as thank you but for that, you have to add “sai” at the end “uhm goi sai”(pronounced oom goi sai).
#2: Get a Macau Pass to travel around. It’s common in well-developed cities to get a transportation pass to get around and Macau is no different. The pass is not limited to transportation too. A lot of shops also accept the pass as payment, so it can come in handy if you still have a lot of leftover value. You can get one from 7-11 stores around the city.
#3: Take hotel shuttle buses to get around for free.
What makes living in Macau so much fun?
Macau is a beautiful place and honestly, I don’t get tired of exploring it. I think it’s often overlooked but Macau has a lot of stories within its buildings, the walls, its streets, and the people. For example, you walk on Portuguese cobblestones while old Chinese buildings surround you. You see dates from the 17th century engraved on the walls and it just really makes you wonder how people lived here back then. It really has its own unique charm and these simple things captivate me.
What’s your favorite in Macau Lifestyle? Why?
My favorite has got to be What’s On in Macau Lifestyle. I refer to it every time I want to try something new or do something different. It’s a very helpful page that can show you the most interesting things happening in the city.
Why do you love contributing to Macau Lifestyle?
Macau is my home and to be able to share my sentiments about this city in a large platform is such an invaluable opportunity. It’s just the best feeling when friends come up to you after reading your pieces and tell you that they’ve learned or discovered something new. But honestly, I feel that I do the most learning. Contributing to Macau Lifestyle enabled me to really go out there and gave me tremendous chances to meet people no matter where they’re from or what they do. You get to listen to their stories and in turn, you’d develop an admiration for them and eventually serve as your inspiration to get to know more about the people around you.
What is a perfect day in Macau like?
I like going to the beach either in Cheoc Van or Hac Sa in the morning just to relax and enjoy the breeze. Hiking the trails is nice too because it isn’t difficult and it’s perfect for a light morning walk then explore the quaint and laid-back fishing village in Coloane. After that, spend a short time shopping in the malls at the Cotai strip then have dinner with my family or friends in the evening. Perfect!
Top three favorite restaurants:
A Lorcha
It’s my favorite Portuguese restaurant in Macau. It’s an intimate place with a warm, inviting ambiance. I’ve been going there with my family for as long as I can remember. They have a wide variety of dishes and the portions are generous. Everything’s just delicious there.
Cidade Café
This place is one of my recent discoveries (shout out to that friend for showing me), and now my family and I are regulars here. It’s been around for a long time and a sense of nostalgia hits me whenever I visit. The menu is typically what Macau cafes serve and everything here just tastes great. I recommend their club sandwich and their baked cheese seafood rice. Yum!
Top three tourist spots to take friends in Macau:
Coloane Village because if Macau was a Disney film, this place would be the perfect setting. It’s just picture perfect in every nook and cranny. The Saint Lazarus District if you want to travel back in time. Everywhere you turn shows a piece of the Portuguese colonial times in Macau. And I’ll also take them around Cinema Alegria to get a slice of untouched Macau. They can find vintage trinkets at the flea market being sold by the elderly, witness the hustle and bustle of the market and let them try some steaming Cantonese baos, and eat some classic desserts in styrofoam bowls out in the open whilst sitting on plastic stools.
Favorite places to shop in Macau
I love shopping at Zara for dresses and trousers, Marks and Spencer’s for shoes and food, and local boutiques for different styles.
Best advice to tourists and visitors in Macau
Walk as much as you can. Macau is easy to navigate on foot and you’ll never ever get lost. You’ll appreciate and discover more in this city than being in transport every time.
Follow Nisa’s stories on Macau Lifestyle and follow her Instagram stories @sinatayer
