Macau makes a unbelievable day journey from Hong Kong as a result of it’s compact and straightforward to achieve. Simply an hour by ferry or two hours by bus from Hong Kong, you’ll be able to step into a totally totally different world. You possibly can discover Macau’s two sides: the historic Portuguese colonial aspect and its hyper-modern glitzy aspect, even in a single day.
On this article, we’ll share with you our Macau day journey itinerary.
WAIT, WAIT, WAIT! In case your are touring quickly and nonetheless on the starting stage, you can even go to our The Poor Traveler Masterlist. Right here, we compiled journey necessities, together with immigration necessities and all our really useful accommodations and excursions. Simply go to this web page: TPT Masterlist. We have now a compilation for locations world wide.
MACAU DAY TRIP ITINERARY
To maximise the restricted time we’ll be spending in Macau, let’s begin early. Get up at 6:45 AM and provides your self loads of time to prepare. Don’t neglect to deliver your passport as a result of we’ll be crossing borders in the present day!
China Hong Kong Metropolis Terminal
By 8:00 AM, take the MTR from Central Station to Tsim Sha Tsui Station. The fare is HK$ 10.6.
From right here, open your Google Maps and use it to get to the China Hong Kong Metropolis Terminal, the place you’ll be able to catch the bus to Macau. You’ll be strolling for round 10 minutes.
For this itinerary, ebook this bus switch specifically. There are lots of Hong Kong-Macau bus choices on Klook, however you must ebook this one particularly as a result of it has the stops and timings that match our itinerary.
For pickup location, select CHINA HONG KONG CITY, and for drop off, select GALAXY MACAU. The Venetian is OK, too, however Galaxy is nearer to our first cease.
TIP! In case you’re reserving this on Klook, use our promo code THEPOORTRAVELERKLOOK for 3-5% OFF should you’re a brand new consumer.
On our journey, although, we truly booked the one from Prince Edward as a result of it entailed a shorter stroll. However now that I’m their web page, for some motive, the earliest departure time out there on Klook is 11:50 AM, which is simply too late. However from China Hong Kong Metropolis Terminal, there are earlier choices.
In case you actually wish to depart from Prince Edward, I believe you can even ebook on the provider’s official web site.
On the finish of the day, select the pickup level that’s extra accessible from the lodge you’re staying in.
TIP! In case you don’t have a lodge but, ebook with Agoda to get an enormous low cost! As much as P5900 or USD 100 off. Simply go to www.thepoortraveler.internet/agoda to redeem the low cost coupon, or should you favor utilizing the Agoda cellular app, simply faucet on the DEALS web page and enter our promo code AGODATPT, all caps. Then search and choose a lodge, and upon take a look at, enter AGODATPT once more within the coupon area to use the low cost. This will provide you with as much as 10% OFF capped at USD 100 (P5900 primarily based on present trade charge).
Make sure you arrive on the pickup location on time! Board the proper bus and off you go.
By the way in which, we additionally created an in depth article on tips on how to get to Macau from Hong Kong, which you’ll be able to learn right here: HONG KONG to MACAU by Bus & Ferry
HZMB Port
On the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) Port, you’re going to get off the bus, undergo Immigration on foot as you exit Hong Kong, and discover the identical bus on the opposite aspect. So hearken to the directions, bear in mind your bus quantity, and at all times concentrate!
There are many indicators on the port. However when you make it previous Immigration, the indicators it’s best to search for are marked CROSS BOUNDARY COACH. To not be confused with Shuttle Buses. A workers member will examine your ticket to ensure you’re boarding the proper bus.
Then, strap in. You’ll be crossing the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, one of many longest sea bridges on the planet. It ought to take over an hour from right here. You’ll even be clearing immigration on the Macau aspect.
Alight at Galaxy Macao, then stroll for 12-Quarter-hour to our first cease.
Taipa Meals Road
We start our Macau journey with a meals journey right here at Taipa Meals Road! Formally often known as Rua do Cunha, it’s one in every of Macau’s most beloved foodie alleys, tucked into the historic coronary heart of Taipa Village. This slim pedestrian lane has been drawing locals and guests alike for many years!
To be trustworthy with you, these will not be the most affordable choices in Macau. You’ll discover extra reasonably priced variations of this stuff in different components of Macau. However what makes Taipa Meals Road nice is that you simply’ll discover a number of the most iconic eats in only one space, with its mixture of Portuguese-influenced classics and native Macanese flavors. You possibly can pattern snacks and specialties from stall after stall, all inside a couple of blocks.
Café Vong Kei
Whenever you arrive, the very first thing that may steal your consideration is the enormous milk tea bottle on the aspect of the constructing housing Café Vong Kei. So let’s begin our culinary crawl right here. This colourful café has change into a serious landmark right here. Open for the reason that mid-Twentieth century, it’s finest recognized for its iced espresso and milk tea (MOP 26). Each drinks are balanced and daring: the espresso is clean and refreshing, whereas the milk tea has that basic silky sweetness that pairs completely with a stroll down the road.
However wait, don’t drink it but. We’ll be utilizing it to scrub down the stable objects we’re going to stuff our faces with — like pork chop bun (MOP 48)! Café Vong Kei’s pork chop is so massive it seems to be prefer it’s about to leap out of the bread. It’s juicy and peppery, complemented by the crispy pastry.
Our preliminary intention was to purchase one from Café Vong Kei and one other at Sei Kee Café not too far-off. However after ending one, we have been already so full that we skipped the latter. In order that’s the lesson right here. In case you’re doing a meals crawl, simply order one and share! Depart room for the opposite stops.
Sei Kee Café
I’d nonetheless urge you to strive Sei Kee Café. It is among the oldest neighborhood cafés in Macau, courting again to the Nineteen Sixties. It’s additionally earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand designation for its high quality and worth. Too unhealthy we weren’t capable of strive it. Its pork chop bun prices MOP 50.
Lao Day Beef Offal
Just some steps away, the scent of slow-cooked beef fills the air at Lao Day Beef Offal. This spot has risen to fame extra not too long ago, incomes recognition on native foodie lists and drawing lengthy queues for its richly seasoned beef offal (about MOP 58). Tender, hearty, and deeply savory, every bowl presents a style of Macau’s street-food tradition that’s unpretentious, daring, and deeply satisfying.
Lord Stow’s Bakery
No go to to Taipa Meals Road is full with out hitting Lord Stow’s Bakery, the birthplace of Macau’s legendary egg tart. Based by Andrew Stow in Coloane in 1989, this bakery’s tarts are crisp on the skin with a creamy, caramelized custard heart — an ideal mix of Portuguese baking custom and native aptitude, and a signature Macau must-try at round MOP 11 per piece.
Mochi Macau
To complete on one thing candy and chewy, swing by Mochi Macau (typically acknowledged domestically as Cheung Chau Ping Kei) for freshly made mochi (about MOP 18). Whereas fruit-filled variations are well-liked, the purple bean mochi is broadly thought-about the very best right here, and we agree. It’s barely candy, delightfully chewy, and an ideal candy word after savory snacks.
And that wraps up our lunch. Now, let’s head over to Macau’s historic core. And to try this, we have to catch Bus 33 and alight at Almeida Ribeiro/OCBC cease. By the way in which, buses right here in Macau accumulate a flat charge of MOP 6.
We’re now within the Macau peninsula and it’s right here that you simply’ll discover the Previous Macau. And at its heart lies Senado Sq..
Senado Sq.
Senado Sq. is the beating coronary heart of Macau’s historic heart and a UNESCO World Heritage web site. This huge, open plaza is surrounded by colourful pastel colonial buildings and European-style pavement patterns that make it really feel like a small slice of Portugal in the midst of Asia. It’s a pedestrian-friendly hub the place locals and vacationers mingle.
The sq. is house to a number of historic landmarks, together with the Holy Home of Mercy, St. Dominic’s Church, and the Leal Senado Constructing. Throughout festivals, Senado Sq. comes alive with decorations, avenue performances, and vibrant markets, giving guests an actual sense of Macau’s wealthy cultural tapestry.
As you stroll deeper into the internal streets, your senses will likely be bombarded! The alleys main off the sq. are lined with shops promoting Macau delicacies, from Portuguese egg tarts to almond cookies and conventional meat jerky, a lot of which provide free samples to tempt passersby. This makes strolling by way of the world not solely scenic however scrumptious — an ideal method to style native flavors as you discover.
Ruins of St. Paul’s
On the finish of the principle pedestrian avenue, you’ll discover the Ruins of St. Paul’s, Macau’s most iconic landmark. What stays in the present day is the ornate stone façade of a Seventeenth-century Portuguese church, which was destroyed by fireplace in 1835. Regardless of being a damage, the intricate carvings, statues, and Latin inscriptions on the façade nonetheless convey the grandeur of its heyday, making it one of the vital photographed websites in Macau.
Climbing the steps to the ruins offers you a small museum tucked behind the façade, showcasing artifacts from the unique church and monastery, giving context to Macau’s colonial and spiritual historical past. From right here, you can even absorb sweeping views of the encircling streets of the outdated metropolis, mixing Macau’s Portuguese and Chinese language heritage in a single body. And that’s completely captured once you spot the following merchandise on our itinerary.
Na Tcha Temple
Simply subsequent to the Ruins of St. Paul’s is the small, unassuming Na Tcha Temple, creating a strong visible distinction between Chinese language and Portuguese spiritual traditions in a single nook. It was in-built 1888 and is devoted to Na Tcha, a protecting deity in Chinese language people faith. And sure, it’s also a part of Macau’s UNESCO World Heritage–listed Historic Centre.
Architecturally, the temple is small and understated, with a easy stone construction, conventional Chinese language rooflines, and incense coils typically hanging inside. Regardless of its measurement, it performed an essential function for the native Chinese language group, particularly throughout occasions of sickness and hardship, when Na Tcha was worshipped as a guardian towards illness and misfortune.
Visiting the temple presents a quiet, reflective pause amid the crowds, and it completely symbolizes Macau’s distinctive id — a spot the place Jap and Western cultures have coexisted for hundreds of years, typically actually aspect by aspect.
After the temple go to, stroll to Praia De Hac Sa Bus Cease and catch Bus 26A to Est. Do Istmo / Londoner cease. The fare is MOP 6.
Cotai Strip
Welcome to Cotai Strip! That is Macau’s tackle the Las Vegas Strip, a blinding stretch of reclaimed land connecting the islands of Coloane and Taipa, full of mega-resorts, luxurious accommodations, and leisure complexes. Cotai has reworked quickly over the previous decade, evolving into the guts of Macau’s fashionable tourism business.
Past the grand façades, the Cotai Strip is a buying, eating, and leisure paradise. Excessive-end manufacturers line the corridors of resort malls, whereas numerous eating places serve every thing from Cantonese dim sum to European nice eating. Guests also can catch spectacular reveals, gondola rides, and lightweight shows — all a part of the immersive, over-the-top Cotai expertise. However since we solely have very restricted time, we’ll be making solely three stops tonight: London, Paris, and Venice. Nicely, type of.
Let’s begin with London.
The Londoner Macao
The Londoner Macao is clad in basic British structure, mimicking the Palace of Westminster and Homes of Parliament. It additionally has a miniature Massive Ben tower, supplying you with a distinctly London look.
On the foremost foyer, you’ll discover a duplicate of the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain! And from right here, you might get misplaced in mini-London and take unli-selfies on the many UK icons scattered round, together with a double-decker bus and a statue of Sir Winston Churchill greeting everybody at 10 Downing Road. You too can hop right into a taxi for what they name Black Cab Escape, the place you’ll get to take pleasure in a digital drive with David Beckham. These are simply a number of the many sights inside! We have been advised there’s additionally a altering of the guards, however we didn’t get to see it.
All these will be accessed for FREE by the way in which.
There’s additionally the Harry Potter The Exhibition, however this one collects an entrance price and we don’t have time for that on this journey. For now, let’s cross over to Paris.
The Parisian Macao
The Parisian Macao delivers on French magnificence. The centerpiece is a half-scale duplicate of the Eiffel Tower. Each Quarter-hour from 6:15 PM to midnight, each single evening, the enduring landmark is roofed in dazzling lights, creating an superior present that bathes the encircling space in varied colours.
The tower has two remark decks, one on Stage 37, which prices MOP 75 per individual, and the opposite on Stage 7, which is open to everybody FREE OF CHARGE. As for us, we determined to simply keep on the bottom, admire it from afar, and snap numerous images with the colourful construction as backdrop!
And proper subsequent door lies Venice.
The Venetian Macao
The Venetian Macao is among the largest resorts on the planet and brings Italy’s romantic Venice to Cotai. With indoor canals, gondola rides, and replicas of Venetian landmarks, it’s a feast for the senses.
Inside, you’ll discover teamLab SuperNature Macao, top-of-the-line teamLab branches that we now have skilled. However once more, possibly not on this journey, as we don’t have time.
The resort additionally options luxurious buying and over 30 eating places, together with a meals court docket. And sure, that is the place we’ll have dinner. Costs listed here are a lot increased than traditional meals court docket fare, although.
Again to Hong Kong
In case you nonetheless have time to spare, stroll across the mall, possibly store. Simply just be sure you go to the bus choose up level at 8:00 PM. Sure, you’ll be boarding the bus again to Hong Kong right here on the Venetian at 8:30 PM. The bus fare is HK$ 160.
You possibly can ebook this upfront on Klook, particularly this journey, as a result of this has an 8:30 PM pickup on the Venetian, which is ideal for our itinerary.
Within the record of choices, select MACAU VENETIAN HOTEL because the departing level and select HONG KONG PRINCE EDWARD because the vacation spot.
Once more, similar to earlier, you’ll have to cross by way of each the Macao and Hong Kong Immigration inspection, so have your passports helpful.
It’s best to arrive within the Prince Edward space in Kowloon by 11 PM. From right here, stroll and take the MTR to your lodge. The fare from Prince Edward Station to Central Station is HK$ 13.20.
And that’s it! You possibly can simply insert today journey itinerary into your Hong Kong itinerary! However the query is, how a lot funds must you put together?
MACAU DAY TRIP BUDGET BREAKDOWN
Right here’s the funds breakdown for our pattern 1-day Macau itinerary, together with the bus transfers. It assumes you’re a celebration of two, splitting the price of shared bills equally.
TOTAL: HKD 578.5 (USD 74, EUR 62, SGD 94, PHP 4360)
IMPORTANT! These are the minimal budgets to organize. However please word:
- Add a buffer (even as little as HKD 200) to cowl attainable value actions, forex trade changes, and different bills we’d have missed. These don’t embrace private purchases (buying funds) and alcohol.
- These itineraries shouldn’t be taken as official journey recommendation. Simply use these as a information in constructing your personal. Be at liberty to tweak to match your bookings, availability, schedule, and preferences.
And there you will have it! That’s our pattern Macau DIY day journey itinerary if coming from Hong Kong.
Whereas it’s undoubtedly attainable to see Macau’s key sights in a single day, I nonetheless strongly encourage you to return and keep longer. On this pattern day-trip itinerary, we solely barely scratched the floor — we principally simply blitzed by way of town, hitting the highlights and shifting on. Macau is compact, but it surely’s wealthy in tradition, historical past, and distinctive experiences, and a single day doesn’t do it justice. Spending an evening or two right here means that you can discover at a extra relaxed tempo, soak within the ambiance, and actually respect town’s mix of Portuguese and Chinese language heritage.
There’s much more to see past what we’ve shared right here. It additionally has peaceable metropolis gardens like Camoes Sq. and Jardim Lou Lim Ioc; interactive sights like teamLab Supernature, Harry Potter the Exhibition, Martial Arts Area and Grand Prix Museum; and historic websites just like the Ama Temple and Guia Fortress. Or you’ll be able to go meals tripping. There’s additionally a thriving meals scene past the same old vacationer spots, from homegrown household eating places to beautiful fine-dining territory.
Basically, a day-trip will provide you with a style, however staying longer allows you to expertise the complete taste of Macau.
Shield your funds when touring!
Getting a journey insurance coverage is non-obligatory, however we extremely suggest this, particularly when touring overseas. Journey will be unpredictable, and although we hope we’ll by no means use it, having it offers us peace of thoughts in case of surprising delays, cancellations, or emergencies.
For worldwide locations, take into account PGA Sompo’s TravelJOY Plus insurance coverage. You possibly can GET IT HERE. Don’t neglect to make use of WORTHIT for a particular reasonably priced charge.
Be a part of The Poor Traveler Help Group
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2026 2 4 – First uploaded
Edited by: Asta Alvarez
