The Cotai Strip

The Cotai Strip, built on reclaimed land between the islands of Taipa and Coloane, is the glittering, spectacular heart of modern Macau, the reason the territory has overtaken Las Vegas to become the gambling capital of the world. Here rise colossal, fantastical casino resorts of staggering scale and theatricality: the Venetian, with its indoor canals, gondolas and replica St Mark's Square, the Parisian with its half-size Eiffel Tower, and many more, packed with vast casino floors, luxury shopping malls, hotels, restaurants and lavish shows. Whether one gambles or not, the sheer, over-the-top spectacle of Cotai's neon world is an experience in itself.

What you actually see

• The Venetian - the vast resort with indoor canals and gondolas.
• The replica landmarks - the Eiffel Tower and fantastical architecture.
• The shows and malls - the lavish shows and luxury shopping.
• The neon spectacle - the glittering resorts by night.

When to go

October to December, the cool, dry autumn, for the most comfortable weather, though the resorts are climate-controlled and an all-weather, all-year destination; the strip is at its most spectacular after dark, when the resorts blaze with light. It is busiest at weekends and holidays with visitors from Hong Kong and mainland China.

Honest expectations

Cotai is, above all, about gambling and lavish consumption, an over-the-top world of casinos, malls and replicas that some find dazzling and others garish or soulless, and its resorts are designed to keep visitors spending; gambling carries real risks and is best approached with caution or simply admired as spectacle. As the glittering Las Vegas of Asia and the gambling capital of the world, though, with its fantastical mega-resorts and shows, Cotai is a spectacle unlike any other and a defining side of modern Macau.

Nearby

Taipa and Coloane villages, the Macau Tower and the historic centre are close.