Do you think the Portuguese would have dropped anchor in this part of the sea?" asks Chen, smiling, as I gaze out of the clear windows of the Turbojet ferry fast nosing its way over the Pearl River Delta towards Macao. The 48-year-old Australian, who originally hails from this petite peninsula, has my attention as she laughs, "Well, as kids we'd often let our imagination run wild and imagine their fleets of ships gliding towards our shores."

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Well, that's what happened in reality too, when more than 400 years ago, Portuguese sailors sailed around the Cape of Good Hope, into the Indian Ocean basin towards China. In a few years' time, they had made Macao on the southern edge of China, their colony. As they settled here, marrying local girls, a new ethnic group the "Macanese" came up.

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CITY WALK

Macao, we are told, offers quite an interesting mix of Chinese and Portuguese traditions and it's more than evident in its architecture, culture and cuisine. "But that's only if you can tear yourself away from its casinos," adds Chen, laughingly.

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And she may well be right. With more than 40 casinos in its 30 sq km, Macao has for long been happy with its moniker of Las Vegas of the East. But in no mood to sit on the roulette table and let the game of chance play havoc with my wallet, I tell her exploring the other - the 'Macanese side' - will be more my cup of tea.

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"Ah, you shan't be disappointed," said Chen, giving me a thumbs up after we disembark. Taking in the crisp morning air, enjoying the artistic high-rises and the innumerable opulent addresses that open up around the Cotai Strip, one thing seems clear - Macao clearly wants its place high up on the travellers' itinerary. And not as one where you squeeze in a day or two's trip. We checked into the Hotel Royal and soon were on our way to discovering the delights of the city that, was recovered by China in 1999 from the Portuguese after centuries. It has much to give you an adrenaline rush, says our guide Jenny Kou, pointing to the Macao Tower located in the new reclaimed area of West Bay.

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This has become a landmark ever since it was inaugurated in December 2001. With the introduction of the skywalk in 2003 and bungee jumping two years later, it has become a must-visit place for adventure lovers. Despite not having the nerve to indulge in these gravity-defying sports, I still find myself enjoying the experience of zooming up to the 61st floor, to a height of 338m and watching the queue of youngsters waiting to step onto the outer glass rim. I can't help but admire the courage and nonchalance with which they're readying themselves for bungee jumping and skywalking. Of course, songs like You can do it playing and messages such as, "Why live on the edge when you can jump off?" painted on the glass wall egg them on.

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BAKED TREATS

Quaint pastel Portuguese-style houses and narrow cobblestone lanes let you experience the Macao of yore. It's difficult to imagine this serene little place was once a pirates' den. All that remains of that is a monument dedicated to the fight against these sea robbers. After a look at the Chapel of St Francis that boasts of some beautiful paintings including one of Jesus and Mary with Chinese looks and robes, we're at the must-do part of Coloane, Lord Stow's Bakery. Biting into the hot egg tarts, we learn this bakery was launched in the mid 1980s by Andrew Stow, a British pharmacist turned baker. And as he was an Englishman, some locals called him Lord Stow, which stuck. The Macanese avtar of the Portuguese style pasteis de nata made him and his egg tarts the talk of the town. No trip to Macao is complete without a taste of this edible icon.

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TEMPLES AND PANDAS

Panda watching is next on our list as we head to the Macau Giant Panda Pavilion located in Seac Pai Van Park. It's not just the kids who're excited to see the Kai Kai and Xin Xin, two giant pandas - kept in separate areas for the male bear is a bit of a bully - and their offspring Mano and Irmao, but even the grown ups for whom this up, close and personal experience is a treat. Also take a dekko at the ornate temple dedicated to the goddess of seafarers, A-Ma - from whom Macao is believed to have got its name - in the Taipa Village. Not too far from the serene Our Lady of Carmel Church lies the Taipa Houses Museum considered to be a prime example of Portuguese architecture that has influenced much of Taipa Village. Later that evening, as it turns into a twinkling fairyland we stroll in the Senado Square paved with wave-patterned black and white stones. It's fun checking out outlets selling wares - from branded stuff to souvenirs like coins and postcards. As Kou tells us about the cultural activities such as fireworks, lion and dragon dances and the Grand Prix - when some of the major streets are converted into a racetrack - we sit near a fountain admiring the Ruins of St. Paul's church. First built in 1580, this gorgeous structure survived several fires. The last one was the result of a typhoon that hit Macao in 1835. Left with just its façade and a grand stairway, it is nevertheless, impressive and probably one of the most photographed sites of this pretty peninsula.