- Fly to Hong Kong and take the ferry or the bus across the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge
- The historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and best explored on foot
- Try a Portuguese egg tart and Macanese dishes such as minchi
- British citizens can usually visit visa-free
- Airports
- Macau International (MFM); most UK visitors fly into Hong Kong (HKG)
- Flight time
- about 13h from London to Hong Kong, then about 1h by ferry or bus to Macau
- Best time to go
- October-December for sunny, dry and comfortable weather
- Currency
- Macanese pataca (MOP); Hong Kong dollars widely accepted
Macau is often sold as Asia's answer to Las Vegas, but there is much more to it than casinos. For more than four centuries it was a Portuguese trading port, and its historic centre is a blend of pastel churches, tiled squares and incense-filled Chinese temples. Add a distinctive fusion cuisine, quiet villages on Coloane and the spectacle of the Cotai resorts, and it makes a rewarding day trip or two-night stay from Hong Kong.
Macau is eight hours ahead of the UK in winter (seven during British Summer Time). Plugs are mostly the UK-style type G, traffic drives on the left and street signs are in Chinese and Portuguese, with English widely used in hotels. This Asia guide covers where to go, how to get there and what it costs in 2026. See our Hong Kong and China guides to plan a wider trip.
Entry requirements
British citizens can usually visit Macau visa-free, for up to 180 days. Macau has its own immigration controls, separate from both Hong Kong and mainland China, so you will pass through passport checks when travelling between them. Your passport should be valid for at least the length of your stay, and preferably longer. Rules change, so check GOV.UK foreign travel advice before booking.
Where to go in Macau
The historic centre
The Historic Centre of Macau is a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering more than 20 monuments. Start at Senado Square with its wave-patterned cobbles, walk up to the facade of the Ruins of St Paul's, the city's icon, and climb to Monte Fort for views. The A-Ma Temple, older than the city itself, and the hilltop Guia Fortress and lighthouse are also highlights.
Taipa Village
Across the bridges, Taipa's old village has narrow lanes lined with bakeries, Portuguese restaurants and colonial houses. Rua do Cunha is the busy food street, and the Taipa Houses-Museum shows how Macanese families once lived.
Cotai
The reclaimed land between Taipa and Coloane is home to the vast resort hotels, with replicas of Venice and Paris, big-name shows, shopping malls and casinos. Even if you do not gamble, it is worth an evening stroll for the sheer scale.
Coloane
Macau's southern island is green and relaxed, with the pretty Coloane Village, Hac Sa beach, hiking trails and Lord Stow's Bakery, credited with popularising the Macau egg tart.
Macau Tower
The 338 m tower has an observation deck and one of the highest commercial bungee jumps in the world, from 233 m.
Best time to visit Macau
| Season | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Spring (March-May) | Warm, humid and often foggy |
| Summer (June-September) | Hot, wet and humid; typhoon season |
| Autumn (October-December) | Sunny and dry; the Grand Prix runs in November |
| Winter (January-February) | Cool and dry; Chinese New Year brings big crowds |
Getting to Macau from the UK
There are no direct flights from the UK. Most visitors fly to Hong Kong, about 13 hours from Heathrow, and continue by sea or road. TurboJET and Cotai Water Jet ferries run from Hong Kong's Sheung Wan and Kowloon terminals in about an hour, and some ferries leave from Hong Kong airport. Alternatively, shuttle buses cross the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge in around 45 minutes from the Hong Kong port near the airport. Macau International Airport also has flights to other Asian cities.
Getting around
Macau is compact. Walk the historic centre, and use the cheap public buses or the Light Rail Transit, which links Taipa, Cotai and the ferry terminal. The big resorts run free shuttle buses between their hotels, the ferry terminals and the border, which visitors often use to get around. Taxis are metered but can be hard to find at busy times.
Money and costs
The pataca is pegged to the Hong Kong dollar, and Hong Kong dollars are accepted almost everywhere at roughly par, though change usually comes back in patacas. Hotel prices swing wildly; weekdays are much cheaper than weekends and holidays. A mid-range budget is about MOP 1,200-2,000 (roughly £120-200) per person per day including a hotel, while street food is cheap.
Visit the Ruins of St Paul's early in the morning, before the tour groups from Hong Kong and the mainland arrive.
Frequently asked questions
Is Macau worth a day trip from Hong Kong?
Yes. A day is enough for the historic centre and Taipa Village, though staying a night lets you see the old town quietly and Cotai lit up.
Do I need my passport to go to Macau from Hong Kong?
Yes. Macau has its own border controls, so you pass immigration when leaving Hong Kong and arriving in Macau.
What food is Macau famous for?
Portuguese egg tarts, pork chop buns, minchi and African chicken are the classics, along with Portuguese dishes such as bacalhau.
Do they speak English in Macau?
Cantonese and Portuguese are the official languages. English is widely spoken in hotels and resorts but less so in local shops.
Written by
Thomas Ski, mountains & expeditions editor
Thomas is happiest above the tree line or below the Antarctic Circle. He writes our ski, mountain and polar expedition guides.
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