Getting there: ferry or the longest sea bridge on Earth
Macau sits just an hour away from Hong Kong, and two very different roads lead there. The classic option is the ferry: TurboJET boats leave from the Sheung Wan ferry terminal and Cotai Water Jet from Tsim Sha Tsui, crossings take about an hour and a single ticket costs roughly 160-200 HK$ depending on class and time of day. The second option is the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, a 55-kilometre chain of viaducts and an undersea tunnel, the longest sea crossing in the world. Shuttle buses run around the clock and cost clearly less than the ferry; the ride is a sight in itself, though the bridge port lies further from the old town than the ferry terminal. Whichever way you choose, take your passport: Macau is a separate territory with full border control, and citizens of Poland and most EU countries enter visa-free.
A Portuguese old town on the China coast
Macau was a Portuguese colony until 1999, and its historic centre is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Start at the Ruins of St Paul: the stone facade of a cathedral completed around 1640, whose wooden body burned down long ago. The surviving wall, carved with saints, dragons and Portuguese ships, became the symbol of the city; climb the steps early, because by noon the crowds are serious. A few minutes downhill lies Senado Square, paved with black-and-white Portuguese calcada waves and framed by pastel colonial arcades. Above the square rises Monte Fort with old cannons and wide views, and on the far side of the peninsula stands the A-Ma Temple, older than the colony itself; according to the popular story, the name Macau was born when Portuguese sailors asked about the place and heard the name of the goddess A-Ma in reply.
Eat like a Macanese: nata, minchi and african chicken
Food alone justifies the trip. The famous pastel de nata, a caramelised egg tart, has two temples here: Lord Stow bakery in the sleepy village of Coloane and Margaret's cafe near the ferry terminal; eat the tart warm, straight from the oven. Beyond pastries, Macau claims the first fusion cuisine in the world: Macanese cooking, born of Portuguese, Chinese, African and Indian ingredients over four centuries. Order minchi, minced meat with soy, potatoes and a fried egg, or african chicken baked in a spicy peanut-coconut sauce. Taipa Village is the best hunting ground, with Portuguese wine, grilled sardines and seafood filling the narrow streets around Rua do Cunha.
Cotai: gondolas under a painted sky
Between the islands of Taipa and Coloane, on reclaimed land, glitters Cotai, the Las Vegas of Asia. Its flagship is the Venetian Macao, the largest casino in the world, where canals with singing gondoliers flow through shopping arcades beneath a ceiling painted as an eternally blue sky. Entry to the casino floors is free and the dress code is relaxed; even if you never place a bet, walk through in the evening when the fountains, light shows and facades of neighbouring mega-resorts turn the strip into pure theatre.
Macau Tower: the highest commercial bungee jump in the world
Adrenaline fans should head for Macau Tower, 338 metres of concrete and glass overlooking the Pearl River delta. From a platform at 233 metres, AJ Hackett runs the highest commercial bungee jump on the planet; the less brave can try the Skywalk around the outer rim, the mast climb or simply coffee behind the glass of the observation deck.
Money and formalities
The local currency is the Macanese pataca, MOP, but Hong Kong dollars are accepted practically everywhere at a one-to-one rate, so for a single day there is no need to change money; just note that change often comes back in patacas, which are hard to spend outside Macau. Prices in casinos are quoted in HKD anyway. Border control is quick, but allow time in the evening queues on weekends.
A ready-made one-day plan
- Morning: ferry from Sheung Wan, then bus or taxi to the Ruins of St Paul, Monte Fort and Senado Square.
- Lunch: Taipa Village, minchi or african chicken with Portuguese wine.
- Afternoon: Coloane for a warm pastel de nata at Lord Stow, plus a look at the sleepy Portuguese-style square.
- Evening: lights of Cotai and the Venetian canals, optionally the Macau Tower viewing deck.
- Night: shuttle bus or ferry back to Hong Kong; keep the passport handy for the border.