10 things YOU need to know before you go to Macau. A comprehensive travel guide to bring you up to speed on the Language, Food, Casinos, and more! First, some basic knowledge on Macau: Macau was a Colony of Portugal from 1557-1999, and now it’s a Special Administrative Region of China just like Hong Kong. Macau is small — 30 sq km, or 11 sq miles. 640,000 people live there. In 2017 Macau had 30 million visitors… lots of people for such a tiny place. 64km (40 miles) west of Hong Kong. A great day trip from Hong Kong, but easily worth 2 nights
Macau is best known as a gambling and shopping mecca, but it also has a really neat historic portuguese center
Macau is the only place in China where you can gamble legally. It generates more revenue from gambling than anywhere else on the earth including more than about seven times the revenue generated by “The Strip” in La Vegas
4 main parts…
the main part of Macau with the historic Portuguese core. This is called the Macau Peninsula
Taipa
Cotai Strip
Colane
2. Getting In
Ferry from Hong Kong
Takes 40-60 Minutes
2 different operators
Turbojet: The Red One
Cotai Water Jet: The Blue One
4 Ferry Terminal in Hong Kong
2 Ferry Terminals in Macau –
If you’re going to the Cotai Strip, most convenient to take Cotai Water Jet
Going to the Historic Portuguese section, take Turbojet
Macau does have it’s own airport, but not many flights
There’s a new bridge from HKG to Macau, you can take a bus on it
Or cross the border by land from China.
4. Unlucky
This number omitted because it’s unlucky. 4 in Chinese sounds like the word for “Death.” Most buildings typically omit this floor.
5. Getting Around
Free Shuttle Service
Macau’s hotels offer free shuttle service from the airport, ferry terminals, and border gates.
· The Venetian Macao Free Shuttle Schedule
· The Parisian Macao Free Shuttle Schedule
· Sands Cotai Central Free Shuttle Schedule
Bus
Public buses operate frequently throughout Macau, Taipa, and Coloane. Buses have onboard stop notifications in Mandarin, Cantonese, Portuguese and English.
· Price: Within Macau or Taipa: MOP3.2, Macau-Taipa: MOP4.2, Macau-Coloane: MOP5, Airport service: MOP4.2.
Taxi
Macau’s taxis come in two color schemes: one is yellow, the other is black and cream. Both color taxis charge the same fees. Taxis stands are located near hotel lobbies.
Tips:
·Base price (first 1.6 km): MOP17, additional MOP2 for each 260 m afterwards.
Extra fees: Taxi waiting fee is MOP2 for every minute. Taxis have a MOP3 luggage storing fee. There is a MOP2 fee from Taipa to Coloane, and a MOP5 fee from Macau to Coloane. There is an MOP5 fee for taxi trips to and from the airport.
Uber operates in Macau
6. Money
Macanese Pataca (MOP)
Most shops and restaurants will accept HKG to pay, with a 1:1 exchange rate to MOP
The exchange rate is fixed at HK$1 = MOP$1.03
But you’ll typically get change back in MOP
7. Language
Portuguese (but its own dialect)
And Chinese (Cantonese)
A little less english than Hong Kong, but enough to get by
8. Shopping
In every hotel on the Cotai Strip
9. The rest of Macau outside the Casinos and Historic Districts
10. Food:
Macanese cuisine’ is a mix of southern Chinese and Portuguese ingredients and cooking techniques. With a history dating back over 400 years, the cuisine is often regarded as the world’s first fusion cuisine.
Egg Tart that is so popular in Dim Sum restaurants originated here.. Lord Stows cafe is the original located in Taipa. Most convenient location is the one in the Venetian
Bifanas – Thin breaded pork Sandwich
Really good high end Chinese food cheaper than Hong Kong. The Wynn hotel has some really good options.
11. I’ve got more videos!
