Macau
Why visit Macau?
As we were passing through Hong Kong, its "cousin" to the east, we didn't want to leave the region without visiting Macau. After the former British colony in Hong Kong, it was now the turn of the former Portuguese colony.
Macau is formed by a peninsula in the north, and originally, 2 islands in the south, Taipa and Coloane. The latter are now connected by land reclaimed from the sea. This new district, whose name COTAI, takes the first syllables of these original islands (COloane-TAIpa), is a mix between oversized casinos and small, typical villages that contrast enormously.
Portuguese for over 400 years (!!), Macau was the last European colony in China and Asia since it was returned to China “recently” in 1999. We also find everything still subtitled in Portuguese, which has remained an official language along with Cantonese. (although today it is said to be spoken by only 2% of the population).
Just like Hong Kong, about 60 km away by ferry, Macau is one of the richest cities in the world. This is thanks to its rapid development in gambling and its flourishing tourism. Casinos have been springing up like mushrooms there in recent years. For comparison, their turnover is 4 times higher than in Las Vegas !
“The city aspect in the heart of Taipa”
"Macau is surrounded by water, but there are only two beaches."
Macau has a long history with the Portuguese, but remains Chinese nonetheless. We therefore come across almost as many Chinese temples recalling the roots, sometimes Buddhist, sometimes Taoist, as Catholic churches.
We find ourselves wandering through villages with an air of yesteryear, with their colorful alleys, their small market, their small public square. (yes, because outside of casinos, everything is relatively small at Macau).
The historic centre of Macau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has beautiful cultural buildings with Asian and European influences.
Despite being surrounded by the sea, there are only two beaches to be found Macau, all the way south towards Columns, the small beach of Cheoc Van, and the larger beach of Hac Sa and its blackish sand.
In absolute terms, and despite the gloomy weather, I really have a soft spot for Macau. Too bad my photos with this boring grey sky don't show the place more, but I hope this page could help convince you to take a trip there.
WE love
- Interesting story
- Experience luxury and casinos
- Quick to visit
- Tasty food mixing Portuguese and Chinese specialties
We are less of a fan
- Quite touristy in iconic places
- A “Disneyland” / Asian Las Vegas side that may displease
- Expensive
Preparing your trip: advice before you leave
Here is a summary of some essential information to know before any stay in Macao.
Do I need a visa for Macau?
If you are a French national, the answer is NO, just like for Hong Kong, it is not necessary to obtain a visa for Macau (unlike mainland China).
However, this exemption is valid for a stay of less than 90 days.
For a trip of less than 90 days
A visa is therefore not necessary if you hold a passport from one of the 76 countries listed on the Macau immigration official website, a site which also indicates the possible entry points (because there is not only the airport but also the ferries, notably those coming from Hong Kong).
If you are Canadian, or have a Thai partner, the limit will then be 30 days and not 90 (which is still more than enough anyway).
In any case, it remains mandatory to present a passport valid for at least 6 months after the exit date. It is necessary to have a ticket (train, boat, plane, whatever) proving your exit from the territory before the expiry of the time available to you. Finally, although in practice it will not always be requested, it is normally necessary to show sufficient resources for a stay in Macau, i.e. 5 MOP (around €000).
Don't forget to fill out the Departure Card and Entry Card (as in Thailand, these are departure and entry cards).
Please note: if you go to China then to Macau then return to China, a Chinese visa double entries is required. If you come or go to Hong Kong, the entry/exit passage of the territory remains mandatory. These 2 regions function as countries in their own right.
Small peculiarity: if you are heading to Macau and your flight includes a stopover in mainland China (France > China > Macau), you should benefit from the 72-hour visa-free rule, in which case you do not need a visa to enter and stay on Chinese soil for up to 72 hours during your stopover (allowing you an express visit) and can continue your flight to Macau without obtaining a visa.
Stay of more than 3 months:
To stay more than 90 days in Macau (work, internship, studies …) you need a visa, see the different types and conditions on the website of the Consulate of France in Hong Kong (which also manages Macau).
Transportation in Macau
Coming to Macau
Macau International Airport is smaller than its neighbor Hong Kong. There will be more choice in terms of airlines to land first in Hong Kong. After fare level, it remains similar to come directly to Macau rather than Hong Kong but it will be necessary to go mainly through Chinese airlines as Air China, with a Paris – Macao at €600.
The cheapest being Xiamen Airlines, with flights from €450, otherwise China Eastern, offering similar prices starting at €460.
Search for a flight to Macau
Getting around Macau
Macau Being small, a good part of the old town can be visited on foot, especially centered around the square locally called "largo do senate" There is otherwise a rather efficient bus network, navigating between each island.
And if that is already quite sufficient, Macau still plans to build a metro network, the first line of which (Phase 1) expected to open in 2019. As it is small, it is also possible, if the weather is good, to rent a bicycle or even tricycles to travel around the islands.
See more on the site of Macau Tourism Office for more information.
Road transport
The buses : The bus network is well developed and practical for covering longer distances. This is the option we took to visit Coloane and Taipa. It's not expensive, 6 MOP per trip, and not too badly indicated. The only downside is knowing your direction of travel on the bus. Since the latter have loop circuits, it happens that they pass at the same stop but have an opposite final direction. We got caught out once or twice because of this...
To find out which bus numbers to take in advance, you can use the official site. Otherwise the directions are quite detailed at the bus stops.
A bus stop towards Barra Square.
Note that there is also a pass system, the MACAUpass. It is an electronic payment system installed in all public transport vehicles of Macau. Passengers then do not need change. The pass can also be used to make purchases in local shops and in certain bakeries that accept this method of payment, and can also be used at vending machines.
The pass remains practical in the sense that you have to pay the exact amount when you pay for the bus and the bus does not give change. (box system where you throw money into a box, the driver only validates the payment but is not intended to give change). In addition, each trip is cheaper since instead of 6 MOP you will pay 3 MOP if it is a normal bus and 4 MOP if it is an express bus.
If you are going directly from the airport to one of the big casinos (The Venetian, Wynn Hotel, City Of Dream) they have their own free shuttle bus.
There is also a hop on hop off bus system with a HK$125 per day pass that you can book here via Klook: Macau Open Top Bus Tour
In summary, to help you:
- Download the application Macau Bus Guide & Offline Map, on Android or MacauMap for iOS. Practical for finding your bus and your route thanks to the map accessible without internet.
- You can also simply use Google Maps to locate the nearest bus stop. and the bus line should be displayed by clicking on the stop icon then on the line number.
- The MacauPass allows discounts on every journey, to be validated on each journey via the appropriate terminal on the bus.
- If you pay in cash, have the exact amount ready. The operating policy of the buses is "NO EXCHANGE". To pay in cash, throw the coins in the box next to the driver's seat (at least it is rounded to 6 MOP, before it was 4.2 MOP)
- Boarding is always done in front, getting off is done through the back door.
Screenshot of a bus line spotted with Google Maps (tested just now)
Taxis : on only tested the taxi once to make it easier to get to Macau, between the ferry terminal and our hotel, a journey of just 3,5 km. Which cost us 41 MOP. The calculation being a support of 19 MOP then 2 MOP all 240 m. Finally, something new for us, a supplement is payable for any baggage placed in the trunk, 3 MOP by suitcase (or bag whatever).
Another peculiarity is that there is a surcharge of 5 MOP if you are arriving from the international airport of Macau (whatever your destination). The same surcharge applies from a pick-up to rammed earth Ferry Terminal, the campus of theUniversity of Macau, the border crossing at Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Frontier Post or any journey between Macau et Columns.
Finally, for the journeys of rammed earth toward Columns, a small surcharge of 2 MOP applies. No surcharge on the other hand, if you go from Macau toward rammed earth or in the sense Taipa/Coloane towards the peninsula of Macau.
Rail transport
A light rail transit system called LTR is under construction in Macau. The first The line to be opened is to connect the Macau peninsula from Barra Square, next to the A-Ma Temple, passing through Taipa to the west, running along the main road of Cotai where casinos like the Venetian are located, and the terminus will be at Macau International Airport.
The future metro plan in Macau.
In the meantime, the only train available is not in Macau itself but the nearby Chinese city of Zuhai.
Shipping
There are 2 ferry terminals in Macau. One is on the peninsula, to the north, so closer to the old town: Macau Outer Harbor Ferry Terminal. This is the terminal through which we arrived from Hong Kong. This means that it is an "international" terminal and allows you to enter/exit Macau by going through immigration.
With the same functionality and also serving Hong Kong, there is a second terminal north of Taipa, Macau Taipa Ferry Terminal (sometimes called Cotai terminal). This one is attached to the international airport, so closer to the big hotels and casinos.
On the Turbo Jet ferry between Hong Kong and Macau.
The view upon arriving at the Macau Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal dock.
There are 2 main companies making round trips to Hong Kong:
In both cases, the fare will be HK$2 in the Hong Kong – Macau direction and HK$171 in the other direction Macau – Hong Kong, in economy class.
During our trip from Hong Kong to Macau, we chose Turbo Jet since no one was queuing in front and it was on sale at HK$150.
Nobody is queuing…
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Book a hotel in Macau
Si Macau were a country, it would be the densest in the world. That being said, it remains the territory with the highest density in the world with 18 inhabitants per km², no less. But strangely and unlike Hong Kong, the rooms are generally of a size correct, gender 20 sq.
What doesn't change much, however, are the prices. Basically, this will be minimum € 55 for a single room in a hotel 2*.
In our case, we were there to treat ourselves and were testing a beautiful 5* establishment for the first time. And like any big hotel in Macau, Sofitel has its own casino, which we will go and have a look at and play just once, just to de.
Health and Safety in Macau
Do I need travel insurance?
Travel insurance can often make a difference in the outcome of an unexpected mishap while traveling abroad. And especially if you are going on a trip of several months in Asia, good insurance can be more than welcome, because credit card insurance is limited.
The maximum amount for healthcare costs covered by traditional credit cards may prove insufficient (around €10 compared to €000 for dedicated travel insurance) and does not cover civil liability.
I advise you ACS Travel & Expatriation Insurance Solutions.
I would like to point out that if you subscribe to the insurance via the link, I will receive a small commission. This is a simple way to help keep the site running, because insurance is preferable anyway and it will therefore be beneficial for both you and me.
What vaccines and what do I need to know for my health?
No vaccinations are required for nationals of European countries. As always, it is best to be up to date on universal vaccinations (DTP, whooping cough, hepatitis B). Hepatitis A and typhoid fever may be useful if staying for a long time.
Normally, tap water is drinkable. However, to avoid the inconveniences of acclimatization and diet, you can always take bottled water as a precaution, especially if you have a sensitive stomach.
Street Foods (street food) do not normally pose any particular hygiene problems, but here too, if you have a sensitive stomach, prefer dishes prepared in indoor restaurants.
An address to remember in case of problems:
- University Hospital: +853 28 82 18 38
For your safety
Si Macau suffered from the presence of Triads, the Chinese authorities fought hard after the handover and only a few years later, from the beginning of the 2000s, violent crimes dropped drastically. This opened the voie to a safer area, allowing tourists to visit safely Macau.
DAnd today, while the Triads are still there, crime is much lower and there is little particular danger for women traveling alone.
Practical information
– Emergency numbers –
Emergencies: 112 (numbers for tourists but the call is normally redirected to the general call center below)
Police, fire, ambulance: 999
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs website on China (there is none specific to Macau)
What to see and do in Macau?
Let's summarize here the main attractions in Macau.
The Macau Peninsula. This is the area that includes all the main ancient monuments, the old town, centered around the place Senate. Then, following respectively the street Sao Domingos, da Straw and finally Sao Paulo, you will arrive at the famous Ruins of St. Paul's Cathedral, a true symbol of Macau of which only the facade remains.
Don't miss the Saint Dominique church and the rich merchant's house, Lou Kau Mansion, a richly decorated mansion from the end of the 19th century.
Saint Dominic Church at the end of Senado Square.
In Lou Kau's house.
You will then be able to admire the view from the Mont fort, a fortification dating from the 17th century and dominating all of old Macau. If you want a complete visit, then head to Tap Seac Square. Then go up to the Guia lighthouse to have a view of the fort this time.
If you want some greenery, it's at Camoes garden that you will have to go to, north of the ruins of Saint-Paul. On the other side of the Senado square, you can stroll in Felicidade Alley, one of the only ones bringing together a row of old houses, typical with their red shutters.
Finally, heading towards the south of the peninsula, you will surely come across one of the city's many churches such as St. Joseph or St. Laurence. Arrived near the barra alley, you will pass in front of the Mandarin's house (Mandarin's house) and the charming small park of Lilac.
A view from the fort of Mt.
After the captaincy (Moorish Barracks), you will come out further down onto Barra Square, where the Macao Maritime Museum is located and, above all, A-Ma Chinese Temple. It is the oldest in Macau since the latter already existed when the Portuguese landed in the bay for the first time around 1557.
As a bonus, you can climb the hill where the chapel of our lady of Penha, you will then have a view of the bay, facing the tower of Macau and in the distance, connected by the various bridges, the island of rammed earth.
In the square of Barra.
At the A-Ma temple.
The view from the square in front of the Penha chapel.
Taipa. The main interests of rammed earth are centered around the square of the church of Our Lady of Carmel. Next to it are the gardens and at the foot of the hill, a group of colonial houses. (soberly called rammed earth Houses) which serve as a museum. Today, they face a marshy expanse of water, once it was the seaside.
To get there, we walked along the charming Fernão Mendes Pinto Street, past a small local Chinese temple, the Sam Po Temple. But the main attraction of Taipa remains its village. From the square of the old meat market, Carmo Fair, look for the small shopping street “rua do Cunha”.
You will then have a whole series of restaurants and shops.
The little street Fernao Mendes Pinto.
One of the colonial houses forming the Taipa Museum.
Next to Feira do Carmo square in Taipa.
Columns. Its charm lies in its old-world village appearance. Or failing that, a village pure and simple, contrasting with the more mixed and modern aspect of Taipa or even the peninsula. The village of Columns is famous for its colorful alleys and its small market. Be sure to visit the Saint Francis Chapel, where you can relax on the small square in front. You will find a few Chinese temples here and there like the temple of Only Lam
And it's all by the sea. While there are no beaches in Coloane itself, you'll find one less than 3 km away, Cheoc Van. Further still is Hac Sa Beach, the largest and main beach in all of Macau.
Eduardo Marques Square with the monument dedicated to the victory against the pirates, and in the background, the chapel of Saint Francis Xavier.
In an alley in Coloane.
Cotai. Although there are several on the peninsula (such as the famous Wynn Hotel and its sound and light show with its fountains), it is mainly on Cotai that the craziest themed casinos are concentrated, earning Macau the nickname of the Las Vegas of Asia.
Being French, I wasn't going to be particularly interested in the Parisian. (even if, out of curiosity, we took a look) but we set our sights on The venetian, with the theme of course, Venice. And everything is done to give the impression of being there. The facades of the shops, the artificial canal with its gondolas moving around, including the singing gondolier, even the ceiling is illuminated with a blue sky giving the impression, even at night, of strolling in broad daylight.
Next door is the complex of City of Dreams, one of the most expensive buildings in the world with its staggering cost of 2,4 billion dollars!
The exterior of The Venitian casino.
The interior of The Venitian casino.
The interior of The Parisian casino.
Destinations
Macau Peninsula
rammed earth
Columns
Cotai
Things to see / things to do
Senado Square, Saint Paul Ruins, Mont Fort, A Ma Temple
Gardens and Church of Our Lady of Carmel, rua do Cunha
Colorful Village, Saint Francis Chapel, Kun Iam Temple
The Venitian and other casinos
Route suggestions
We had 2 full days to visit Macau, as such, it is enough to see the essentials, but for a slightly more in-depth visit and if your budget allows it, a minimum of 3 days would not be too much.
2-day itineraries:
Basically, we had divided our visits as follows, a day in the historic center et a day to visit Taipa and ColoaneWe took advantage of an evening to go to a casino, just to see all the aspects of Macao.
- Day 1 – Old Macau: Starting from Senado Square, head to the Fort Mount and then go to see the ruins of St. Paul. You can go to see the Guia Lighthouse before reaching the Rua do Felicidade. Finally, continue south via Rua da Barra and end at the Temple of A-Ma.
- Day 2 – Taipa and Coloane: start from the furthest by taking a bus to the village of Coloane (bus 26 from the place da Barra), walk around the village. Before returning to the village of Taipa, you can go see the beach of Hac Sa (bus 21A).
3-day itineraries:
Over 3 days, in concrete terms, you will be able to wander around for longer during the first 2 days and you will be able to spend a day in Cotai, to see the giant casinos which are still an attraction in themselves. Whether the venetian where we were going, where the neighboring casino, The parisian whose theme I'll let you imagine, with its giant Eiffel Tower standing in front, there's plenty to choose from.
Weather / When to go to Macau?
Climate:
The climate of Macau is similar to that of Hong Kong, namely a subtropical climate, humid and hot in summer and dry in winter.
- From October to March: cIt is the cool and dry season. This corresponds to winter. Although clouds are common, it is usually without rain. The weather remains good and the temperatures, cool at night, remain pleasant during the day.
- From April to September: cIt is the rainy season, and hot. It is generally covered but warm, even heavy, because humid. The weather is rainy and storms (typhoons) are possible between June and September.
When is the best time to visit Macau?
The best time to discover Macau is at the end of the year. Indeed, the months of October, November and December Macau enjoys sunshine optimum.
Pleasant temperatures are around 20°C. Of course, it will also be the peak tourist season. If you want a little less crowds, while still enjoying pleasant weather, prefer a visit in the months of January and February.
In my case, hence the sad photos, it was in March. The temperatures were generally pleasant, practically not eu of rain, but just a flat light due to this almost permanently overcast sky.
| Jan. | Feb. | Mars | Apr. | Mai | June | Jul. | August | Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | |
| Macau |
| Jan. | Feb. | Mars | Apr. | Mai | June | Jul. | August | Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | |
| T°C Max | 18 | 18 | 21 | 25 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 28 | 24 | 20 |
| T°C Min | 12 | 14 | 16 | 20 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 18 | 14 |
| Jan. | Feb. | Mars | Apr. | Mai | June | Jul. | August | Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | |
| Rain* | 5 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Sun** | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
* Average number of rainy days
** Average daily sunshine (in hours)
Average precipitation per month (in mm)
| Jan. | Feb. | Mars | Apr. | Mai | June | Jul. | August | Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | |
| Hong Kong |
| Jan. | Feb. | Mars | Apr. | Mai | June | Jul. | August | Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | |
| T°C Max | 18 | 18 | 20 | 24 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 27 | 24 | 20 |
| T°C Min | 13 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 22 | 18 | 15 |
| Jan. | Feb. | Mars | Apr. | Mai | June | Jul. | August | Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | |
| Rain* | 5 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 7 | 5 | 4 |
| Sun** | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
* Average number of rainy days
** Average daily sunshine (in hours)
Average precipitation per month (in mm)
What budget for Macao?
Hotel - Macau just as Hong Kong is not particularly renowned for being cheap in terms of accommodation. If you are backpacker, you would have just as much to gain by taking an excursion to Macau from Hong Kong without sleeping there. Afterwards you could make an exception in your budget for a dream night in a grand hotel (but I can understand that it doesn't make you dream of it certains).
For luxury, prices are in the range around €140, with occasional exceptions. I saw an exceptional rate of €85 for a 5* in Lisboa Hotel, for the month of January (so an interesting season!).
- For rooms in basic hotels, a priori, no less than 50 €
- For The decent and mid-range hotels, from €60-80
- For the highest end, expect to pay at least €100
Meals – food - The food at Macau is a mix between Chinese specialties since we find there as much the famous dim sum, a type of steamed doughnut, but also the famous egg tarts, typical of Portugal. It is a varied cuisine where you can find restaurants specializing in Portuguese dishes as well as Chinese or a mix of the two. Overall, there are as many small shops with prices allowing for a cheap meal as restaurants where prices are close to what you can find in Europe.
SOME POINTS OF REFERENCE:
- A bottle of water costs on average 7 MOP (less than one euro)
- A basic meal costs on average 50 MOP per person (5 €), for a more elaborate meal, expect to pay around 100-150 MOP (10-15 €)
- A local beer 30 MOP (3,5 €)
Transport - Transportation is quite easy and affordable regarding public buses. Opt for the MacauPass, which makes travel easier by avoiding having to take out cash, in addition to offering a discount on the normal rate.
SOME POINTS OF REFERENCE:
- Bus ride: 6 MOP
- International Airport Bus: Free if you are going to a ferry terminal or one of the casinos served
- For taxi journeys, expect on average 8,5 MOP per kilometer plus 19 MOP for pick-up
- Small budget
-
€
35-40
day
- Medium budget
-
€
75
day
- Comfortable budget
-
€
130+
day
Suggestion of daily budget / person – €75 (Note: budget for a comfortable budget holiday, with 4 or even 5* hotel, meals in simple restaurants and use of public transport mainly plus a few paid visits)
Articles about Macau
My articles about my stay in Macau.
Macao: what to do in 1 and a half days in its historic center?
From its colonial alleyways to its casinos, Macau is full of surprises. Here's my itinerary for discovering the essentials of its historic center in 1
The villages of Taipa and Coloane, another vision of Macao
When people think of visiting Macau, they usually think of casinos and luxury. If you have actually
Any opinions, suggestions? Leave me a comment!
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02/07/2019
