Macau’s gambling revenues for 2007 are poised to come out ahead of its American sister city in Nevada. Maybe it’s time to call Las Vegas the “Macau of the West.” But in the former Portuguese colony’s three islands, it’s not all casinos and Chinese glitz. With or without a trip to the casinos, Macau has a few aces up its sleeves, such as modern art, exotic food and colonial architecture.

Culture

Check out the art scene

Amazingly, there is art in Macau—and it’s really not bad. Get a head start at the Macau Museum of Art (Avenida Xian Xing Hai, 7919-814, www.artmuseum.gov.mo), which is right next to the ferry pier and usually has a mixture of good classical and contemporary art shows. Then there is the Ox Warehouse (Avenida do Coronel Mequita, 2853-0026, oxwarehouse.blogspot.com), a former cattle depot-cum-art space for contemporary art and classes. The Tap Seac Gallery (at Plaza Tap Seac) is a piece of art in and of itself, renovated from an old Portuguese building. It’s small but has great local contemporary art.

Go to Lisbon

Largo do Senado, located at the opening of Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro (also known as Sun Ma Low in Chinese, meaning “new street”), is the best place to experience Macanese architecture. The street is laid with a wave-patterned stone mosaic, and the square has been a cultural hub for centuries. On one side, there is the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau and right opposite is the Santa Casa de Misericordia, which is the oldest European charitable institute in China. At the far end of the square is the cream-yellow St. Dominic’s Church, famous for its mighty altar, its decorated wooden ceiling and an abundance of statues.

Yum cha the traditional way

Head to Casa de Cha Long Wa (3 Rua Norte do Mercado Almirante, 2857-4466), a teahouse that refuses to yield to the steady modernization of the yum cha culture. The décor here is old school and there are windows everywhere, so the ventilation is excellent. Sip your tea and enjoy a steamer of siu mai (or the excellent fried beef noodles). But go early, as it closes at 2pm. Or how about dim sum while listening to Cantonese opera? Casa de Cha Tai Long Fong (129 Rua de Cinco de Outubro, 2892-2459) is a teahouse that still keeps this tradition, and is a big favorite with the locals. Try the big bun, an old-style form of dim sum that almost no one makes anymore.

Tasty Taipa

Galo (45 Rua Do Cunha, Taipa Island, 2827-423), Taipa’s cluttered castle of kitsch, is a bustling, two-story restaurant with surly service and great food. The crowds come for African chicken, giant prawns and crab dishes, as well as rarer items, such as boiled German pig’s trotters. If you’re still hungry (unlikely), hit nearby Cafe Tai Lei Koi Kei (Largo Governor Tamagnini 18, 2882-7150) for its pork chop bun. Get there before 3pm—they are usually sold out one hour later due to the hungry Hong Kong tourists that queue outside for a bite of this delight.

Specialty Chicken

Henri’s Galley (4 G-H Avenida da Republica, 556-251) has been around for almost 30 years and is considered one of the best places in Macau for African chicken. Try the giant spicy prawns and the curry crab. The owner has penned articles for American Gourmet magazine, and if you’re lucky, you’ll get to meet Henri himself.

Roam the streets on an empty stomach

You won’t stay hungry long—flat sweetened pork jerky (hawkers shove little pieces at you so you can choose which one you like best) competes with egg tarts for the prize of the most authentic Macanese delicacy. For egg tarts, hedge your bets and head straight to Lord Stowe’s Bakery (1 Rua da Tassara, Coloane Town Square).

Shopping

Avant-garde fashion

Lines Lab (2A, Beco da Melancia) is a slice of modern European design curiously hidden away among cheap old-school Chinese clothes. Tucked away in a narrow street full of antiques and incense, this multi-disciplinary laboratory offers fashion, furniture and architecture gems.

Cheap, cheap booze

Because alcohol in Thailand is so heavily taxed Macau is a bargain. Loi Loi Supermarket (Loi Loi, Praia Manduco 57, 2896-6608), the supermarket chain in Macau, is the best place to go. A bottle of Baileys is just MOP78, and there are some pretty damn good varieties of Portugese red wine for MOP38.

Buy antiques

Want folding fans, bodhisattvas, Chinese cake molds and old telephones? Get ‘em here before some trendy Thonglor shop snaps them up and flogs them to you for six times the price. Fairly cheap rattan and wooden Chinese furniture that looks good but may not be functional is also available. So Tá Fao (58 Rua da Tercena, 2892-2210) near Beco da Melancia sells really cute, colorful toys from the 50s and 60s. Go and check it out for kitsch/creep factor, depending on your psychological makeup. Rua da Tercena.

Gambling

Hit the casinos, of course!

Stanley Ho’s landmark Lisboa (2-4 Avenida de Lisboa) is one of the older casinos in town, and its elaborate tackiness has earned it a kind of architectural respectability. Just across from it, Ho’s latest megalomaniac project is still under construction but already in full bloom (it looks somewhat like a flower sitting next to a giant ostrich egg). For the ultimate Vegas experience without leaving Asia, though, you must check out the much ballyhooed Venetian Macau, and get to experience Italy (sort of). It’s the second biggest building in the world (and the biggest in Asia) and with all that shopping, dining and gondola-riding, make sure to save time to try your luck at one of the 3,400 slot machines.

Cheer for a greyhound

Not the café, nor the US bus company, this is the real thing—dogs running after fake rabbits as Chinese men, who look like they’ve just stumbled out of a bad 1970s gangster movie, feverishly cheer them on. The Greyhound Racing Complex is located on the Avenida General Castelo Branco (call at 333-399) and is the only one of its kind in Asia.

Sports in Macau

If you like sports, Macau has some world-class events that you can’t miss.

NBA CHINA GAMES 2007. Watch as the Orlando Magic face off against the China Men’s National Team and then the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Venetian Macau’s brand-new arena. Oct 18 and 20. Visit www.venetianmacao.com or call at 2882-8888 for details.

2ND INDOOR ASIAN GAMES. Catch some of Asia’s most talented athletes competing in a variety of indoor sports, from bowling to snooker, and even lion dancing. Oct 26-Nov 11. Contact the organizing committee for ticketing details, 2870-2007.

SAMPRAS VS. FEDERER. The current reigning top tennis player in the world, Roger Federer, takes on former titleholder Pete Sampras in what is set to be one of the most anticipated events of the tennis world. Nov 24. Visit www.venetianmacao.com or call at 2882-8888 for details.

MACAU GRAND PRIX. Perhaps the most internationally known Macau event, the Macau Grand Prix has been entertaining racing fans for five decades. Watch as both cars and motorcycles roar through the city streets. Nov 15-18. Tickets from www.macauticket.com, 2855-5555.