Macau Nightlife

Casinos: Gambling fans can choose between an ever-expanding portfolio of sumptuous gaming palaces. Sands (tel: 2888 3388; website: www.sands.com.mo) casino was the first of the of Las Vegas operators to open in Macau in 2004. The luxurious 600-room hotel and casino Wynn Macau (tel: 2888 9966; website: www.wynnmacau.com) features a giant casino, plus a top-floor VIP Sky Casino; its phase two later this year will add a third casino, plus a theatre and luxury apartments. Across the street, Stanley Ho's eccentric Grand Lisboa hotel and casino creation (tel: 2838 2828) dwarfs its sister hotel, and doyen of Macau's historic gaming industry, The Lisboa (tel: 2837 7666), which is undergoing extensive renovations.

Bars: A crop of bars and music pubs has opened along the waterside Avenida Dr Sun Yat Sen, the most eclectic of which is House Café, which attracts a mixed crowd of foreigners and locals. More traditional is Casablanca, a Portuguese bar located on the same strip. Winner's Circle on the third floor at the Sands casino is a refined spot for gambler-watching, while the Old Taipa Tavern on Taipa Island has English pub-style ambience and atmosphere by the bucket-load.

Clubs: Macau's clubbing culture is still in its infant stages. Sky 21 on the 23rd floor of the AIA Tower offers excellent views and international DJs. Fashion Club at Fisherman's Wharf and Car Club are other late-night dance venues, with more set to open in the city's upcoming hotels and the waterside nightlife district in the block of streets adjacent to Avenida Dr Sun Yat Sen.

Live Music: A live Filipino cover band rocks into the early hours at Moonwalker, a pulsing music bar on Avenida Dr Sun Yat Sen. Next door, the equally lively MP3 offers everything from pole dancing shows to Russian drag queens. Macanese (and visiting Chinese tourists) like their live music karaoke style: over-sung heart-rending ballads and off-key rock classics are the staple of the private rooms at Empilhar and Arco-Iris.