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Hugh Hefner's Bunnies Return to Asia with The Playboy Club Macau

Forget Dubai. Even forget Las Vegas. The place that all the clubs and hotels and tourists in the mood to spend big money want to be is Macau. We've been and loved it; the former Portuguese colony tucked under China is only a hour's hydrofoil ride from Hong Kong, and since gambling has been legal these since the 1850s, it's got a fully developed reputation as a destination for good times. This continues to today, as the Playboy Club Macao is due to open atop the Sands Resort on Saturday.

It will be 12,000 square-feet of dining, entertainment and gambling, but of course all complimented by the Playboy bunnies who will be outfitted in the usual minimal costume, although specially designed with an "Asian flair" for this club.

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Viva Macau Runs Out Of Gas, Becomes Latest Airline To Fail

What was a distressing albeit kind of funny clusterfark last week: Viva Macau, stranding passengers because their planes ran out of gas, turned into the world's latest airline failure this morning. Late last week the now-defunct LCC announced to waiting passengers that they wouldn't be going to Australia and Japan as planned because, well, the airline couldn't pay for fuel.

The Macau government, which has maintained a large degree of autonomy from Beijing ever since Portugal ceded the municipality to China in 1999, stepped in with a cash infusion. The short-term bailout, which followed a previous one from January, let Viva Macau get many of their passengers to their destinations. But over the weekend the government apparently decided enough was enough, and they pulled the airline's operating license.

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Adventure Girl Eats Her Way Through the Fusion Cuisine of Macau

Have you ever wanted to explore the Las Vegas of the East, Macau? Sit back and count your chips then as we follow Twitter celeb Stefanie Michaels, aka Adventure Girl, as she explores this southern Chinese leisure town. Each day this week, she'll reveal another adventure. Join her 1.5 million followers on Twitter for more Macau conversation @AdventureGirl, and don't forget us @Jaunted!

Macau’s cuisine is varied and offers visitors a bevy of restaurants options to choose from. Foods like Portuguese, French, Asian, Arabian, American, Cantonese, and Macanese are just a few alternatives. From dim sum to burgers, Macau has it all! I find eating my way around a locale to be an excellent way to learn about a place, and tend to enjoy family-run restaurants the most. I feel it gives me a peek into tradition, and helps me to better understand the culture.

Macau does have a specific cuisine—an interesting melding of Chinese and Portuguese flavors called Macanese. Macanese cuisine is considered a kind of fusion cuisine, as many dishes are also influenced by African, Malay, Indian and Brazilian gastronomy. Food has also played an integral role in connecting the Portuguese and Chinese cultures over the centuries, and it has been said that Macanese cuisine is one of the first true fusion cuisines brought to Macau in the 1500’s by international traders bringing a variety of spices and recipes from their homelands.

After the jump, I explore some of Macau's traditional dishes

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From 'Hashing' to Karting, Macau is All Adventure for Adventure Girl

Have you ever wanted to explore the Las Vegas of the East, Macau? Sit back and count your chips then as we follow Twitter celeb Stefanie Michaels, aka Adventure Girl, as she explores this southern Chinese leisure town. Each day this week, she'll reveal another adventure. Join her 1.5 million followers on Twitter for more Macau conversation @AdventureGirl, and don't forget us @Jaunted!

Macau, often called the Vegas of Asia, is the place to drop some serious cash. Mega resorts founded in Las Vegas have set up shop in Macau as well. The Venetian, a favorite among tourists because of its own outdoor canal exactly scaled to the real Venice canals. The Wynn, Sands and MGM Hotels are there too, with their own mega-casinos, also competing with upscale entertainment as well as gaming. Although there are adventures in gambling, there are a few unique adventures to Macau worth experiencing.

Have you ever heard of Hashing? Well, in Macau, there are two groups to hash with. TMH3 is Taipa Macau Hash House Harriers, so if you’re there on a Saturday or Sunday join their hash. The other MMH3 Macau Men's Hash—sorry ladies, meet on the last Monday evening of the month, so if your timing is right, hash along with them as well. What is hashing you ask? A non-competitive group of runners who run, drink and socialize. It’s a great way to meet and hang with locals, and get to know a city.

After the jump, Adventure Girl hits the Grand Prix and more

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Adventure Girl Gets Lost in the Markets of Macau

Have you ever wanted to explore the Las Vegas of the East, Macau? Sit back and count your chips then as we follow Twitter celeb Stefanie Michaels, aka Adventure Girl, as she explores this southern Chinese leisure town. Each day this week, she'll reveal another adventure. Join her 1.5 million followers on Twitter for more Macau conversation @AdventureGirl, and don't forget us @Jaunted!

There are many places to find off the beaten path in Macau. If you’re adventurous and like to “get lost” while traveling, Macau’s local vibrant marketplaces offer a safe haven to explore, along with a culture-filled adventure. I love the idea of “getting lost” in a foreign land and felt totally comfortable doing so in Macau.

The only hitch for some travelers may be the language barrier. Chinese or Portuguese, Macau’s other official language, are primarily spoken by the Macanese. English is spoken in most tourist areas, yet I was hard pressed to find English speakers at any of the local market areas. For travelers who don’t speak either of the nation’s two main languages and find this intimidating, guides can be hired to get around the local’s areas.

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To Macau! Follow Adventure Girl as She Visits 'Vegas of the East'

Have you ever wanted to explore the Las Vegas of the East, Macau? Sit back and count your chips then as we follow Twitter celeb Stefanie Michaels, aka Adventure Girl, as she explores this southern Chinese leisure town. Each day this week, she'll reveal another adventure. Join her 1.5 million followers on Twitter for more Macau conversation @AdventureGirl, and don't forget us @Jaunted!

Macau, now under rule of the People’s Republic of China since it’s handover in December of 1999, has been mostly overlooked as a major tourist destination, with many travelers opting to see it as a day trip from Hong Kong. In fact, like with Hong Kong, the international community thought the handover would mean the demise of Macau’s many freedoms. But for China’s first European colony, Macau seems little changed aside from new expansion and economic initiatives meant to create a bigger and better Macau.

In Macau’s infancy, Portuguese traders settled in a small fishing area in the 16th century. China requested these settlers to run the administration of the area. European traditions, language, food, religion, and architecture infused quickly into all aspects of Macau. Today, it’s one of the only places in the world where two completely diverse cultures have lived peacefully and symbiotically for centuries.

Where is Macau, exactly? Find out after the jump

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Asia's First Gigantic Sample Sale?

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Why oh why didn't we stay in Macau an extra week? It's this miniscule former Portuguese colony that gets the honor of hosting a weekend full of ridiculous discount shopping in what is being billed as "Asia's First Billion Dollar Brand Sale."

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How to Get to Macau in High Roller Style

Although we aren't exactly high rollers, we do a thing or two now about the best ways to reach Macau from Hong Kong without getting stuck in the bilge of a fishing trawler. If you're fortunate enough to have more than a few days in HK, a daytrip to Macau is almost mandatory, as it's over in the former Portuguese territory that blackjack is a religion and duty-free comes cheapest.

The most baller of Macau visitors will opt for the SkyShuttle 15-minute helicopter service, which operates on the roof of the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal in the Sheung Wan district. At a pricey 2400 HKD, or $309 USD each way ($25 less if you go on a weekday), the chopper remains a transportation option only for the low on time and high on cash group.

Since we didn't have a date with lady luck, we opted to take the most popular route on the Turbojet catamaran ferry, which begins and ends in exactly the same place as the helicopter, except that it costs only $18 USD each way ($15 on weekdays) and takes closer to 40 minutes to make the crossing. The snazzy red rocket also has a VIP class, but we can't fathom splurging on it when the trip is less than an hour.

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The Highest Jump On Record Is All Concrete

If you're going to bungee jump, you might as well do it properly and launch yourself off the world's tallest. The Guinness World Record chaps say that Macau Tower is officially the world's highest commercial bungee jump at 233 meters (nearly 765 feet). OK, that's pretty high.

We first heard about this jump when the Amazing Race All-Stars stopped by Macau. They did the Sky-Jump though, which slows you down before you land and isn't quite as spine-jerking as the bungee.

Bored cubicle occupants can get their share of the thrills by switching on the Live Bungee Web Cam. It streams jumps in real time from Macau Tower--time zone dependent, of course.

Related Stories:
· Macau Tower [Official Site]
· Amazing Race All-Stars: The Tyrant Makes Charla Jump [Jaunted]
· Macau Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: creativechasm]

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Asian LCCs: Twin Viva Macau Planes Become Quadruplets

Macau's teeny tiny Viva Macau is doubling its fleet, which means it's adding two planes. With the new pair, Viva will add to its current destinations in Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Australia as well launching routes to India, Russia and the Middle East.

Viva Macau is actually one of the larger airlines in the Chinese SAR. That's because the government grants sole use of the airspace to Air Macau, which then leases the space to other carriers.

Viva Macau is still struggling to remain financially solvent, but executives hope booming tourism to the region--casinos and beaches draw droves of visitors--will help put the company in the black. We've seen the sudden deaths of too many US-based LCCs this year. Hopefully, for its sake, Macau is isolated geographically and financially from the rest of the world.

Related Stories:
· Macau Doubles Fleet, Staff [Macau Hub]
· Viva Macau is a Winner [Jaunted]

[Photo: tango-sierra]

Low Cost Carriers / LCCs / Viva Macau / → All Tags

Viva Macau is a Winner

A relative new-comer to the budget airline market in Asia, Viva Macau is, as you'd expect, based in Macau, one of those it's-China-but-not-really spots on the south coast of the country. Viva Macau comes with the promising slogan "Simply Different" and it must be doing something right: It recently won a New Airline of the Year award from the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation.

Viva Macau flies from Macau to Jakarta, the Maldives and Sydney and has plans to expand to other long haul destinations including North America and Europe. In case you can't stand the thought of sitting in budget economy with no frills for the long haul, they also offer a Premium Class of ticket at a very non-budget price.

Related Stories:
· Viva Macau [Official Site]
· Viva Macau Awarded New Airline of 2007 [Daily News]
· Macau Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Tango-Sierra]

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Amazing Race All-Stars: The Tyrant Makes Charla Jump

Click Here To Go Straight To Chasing Racers Map

Chasing Racers is back, with a brand new Amazing Race All Stars mashup. This map will update the morning after every new episode. Send along tips, rumors, gossip, locations and spoilers to our map editors, become a member and comment on the stories below, and add to the Jaunted-Flickr photo pool to get in on the fray.

Remember to zoom in, out, and around on the map - with so much happening in each episode, it's easy to miss a map point.

Last week, Phil was nice enough to keep Eric and Danielle in the race. But would the lovers be able to make up a huge time deficit to stay in the chase? And after using a yield two weeks ago, would the Beauty Queens get paid back in kind? The karma comes heavy as the teams race out of Hong Kong, ever closer to that $1 million prize. Who's one step closer to claiming it? Let's find out.

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