FAQs

Where is Macau located?
A Special Administrative Region of China. Macau sits at the mouth of the Pear River on China’s south coast. It is 40 miles west of Hong Kong.

Geography
Macau covers an areas of just 11 square miles. It is made up of inter-connecting islands of Taipa and Coloane.

All are linked by a series of road bridges across the Pearl River Estuary. The main city area is on the peninsula, while Coloane offers green countryside, quiet villages and sandy beaches.

Cotai, an area of reclaimed land between the two islands, is home to some of Macau’s newest and biggest hotels.

Population
Most of the 552,000 people living in Macau are Chinese. Other nationalities – mainly Portuguese and other Europeans – account for six percent of the population.

Language
Chinese and Portuguese are the official languages. English is widely spoken in hotels. Restaurants and other areas of the tourism industry.

Climate
Macau enjoys a tropical climate, with high humidity and an average annual temperature of 20C. October – December is the most pleasant time of year. Days are sunny and warm and humidity levels are at their lowest.

Entry requirements
All visitors must hold a passport valid for at least 30 days from the date of arrival in Macau. UK passport holders can stay in Macau for up to six months without having to apply for a visa.

January-March is cool but sunny. Humidity increases in April, with rain common from May – September.

Visitors should be advised to pack light cotton clothes, with a jacket or coat in winter. A cardigan or sweater is useful for cool evenings in spring and autumn.

Getting there
Macau has its own international airport served by regional flights from cities such as Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing and Shanghai. This makes it easy to arrange twin or multi-centre tours with other parts of the Far East.

But most UK visitors arrive via flights to Hong Kong, which offers easy connections to Macau by ferry (45-60 minutes) or helicopter (16 minutes).

A jetfoil service from Hong Kong International Airport allows passengers in transit to Macau to avoid having to go through immigration and customs in Hong Kong. Luggage is also automatically transferred from flight to ferry.

Other ferry services are available from Kowloon and the Outer Harbour in Hong Kong.

Entry requirements
UK passport holders to not need a visa for stays of up to six months.

Getting around
The compact nature of Macau makes getting around easy and cheap. Licensed taxis are plentiful and can be hailed on the streets.

Pedicabs (pedal powered trishaws) can also be flagged down for short journeys. Buses run throughout the City from 06:00 to midnight and from the city to the islands from 06:45 to 23:00.

Car hire is also available. Distances are short, with the longest drive from the border with mainland China in the north to the beaches in the south taking no more than 30 minutes.

Currency
Macau’s official currency is the Pataca but the Hong Kong dollar is also used and has almost identical value. Credit cards are widely accepted.

Time
GMT + 8