By Lee Kam Ying

Walking under the blazing sun in Macao’s central area during summer can leave you exhausted. As a tourist, you would choose to walk around tourist spots or get a bike taxi ride to experience the uniqueness of Macao in a different way.

You are traveling overseas, whether for business or pleasure, you are probably going to end up taking a taxi at some point. In Macao, you have another choice. You can take a local bike taxi to do sightseeing in a relaxed manner.

Transportation prices can vary dramatically. “It is $200 for a 30 minute ride. If you want an hour ride, the price will be $300," Man Chiu, a 60-year-old bike taxi driver, said. Bike taxi fare for one ride is double or triple of a normal taxi ride.

“I was so surprised that the price would be so expensive, but once I realized that I could go all the way across the city without getting sweaty, I thought it was awesome," said Melissa Chan, a tourist from Hong Kong. “Once I tried it, I loved it."

In the past decades since 1951, bike taxis used to be the most common transportation in Macao. The average bike taxi ride involved nothing more than a quick ride home from a night out or a short hop from one side of the city to the other. As time went by, other transportation vehicles became more popular in Macao. The bike taxi in Macao becomes a landmark more than just a transportation vehicle. According to Chiu, it is normal that the drivers earn nothing a day when no one wants to take a ride. They have to raise the taxi fares to survive.

“The ultimate purpose is to create comfort for passengers to enjoy the first class city trip from one location to another. Customers will end up with the unforgettable memory of the ride," Chiu said. Next time, if you want to experience Macao, you can try out the bike taxi. You will likely get a brand new understanding of Macao.

“You get to see around and feel the wind. You don’t really feel that in taxis," said a smiling six-year-old daughter of Mrs. Chan.