My Li’l Travel Book | Macau + 1 Day Itinerary

My trip to Hong Kong this year in June was accompanied by a quick getaway to Macau for a day. Believe me, the 24 hours spend in Macau were the best 24 hours of the trip.

I personally feel that a day in Macau is enough to explore the nightlife and the few amazing things this place has to offer. But you can always extend your stay and explore around.

Here are the few travel trips before you pack your bags for Macao:

1. Macao has an on arrival visa. But if you are travelling from Hong Kong, remember to carry your pre-arrival form. You will need it while entering back to Hong Kong.
2. When you enter Macao, you are given some tokens of arrival. Keep them secure.
3. The best time to travel to Macau is from October to December – the time when you can enjoy not-so-hot afternoons and breezy evenings
4. From Hong Kong, you can take a 1.5 hours ferry to Macau. The tickets are readily available on Klook or from the hotel concierges. Klook helps you to save a lot of money. We took the Turbojet.
5. You can also go by bus or private cars(if you have an International Driving Permit) via the Hongkong – Zhuhai – Macau bridge which is one of the finest manmade bridges!
6. At the port, you will get the bus/shuttle services to almost every hotel. The hotel buses are very reliable for hopping from one hotel to other or to/from the port. Taxis are cheap and you can use them for an emergency.
7. Macau accepts both Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) and Macanese Pataca (MOP). The conversion rate is usually 1(or very close to it).
8. If you can spare, try staying in high-end hotels like the Venetian or the Parisian.
9. Casinos are certainly very alluring but do have control over yourself!

Remember how I said that travelling is a great way to know your partner? Travelling is a great way to nurture your new relationships. I had taken this trip with Bae’s sister, and we had a fantastic bonding time here in Macau. 

Before anything else, here is a quick itinerary which you might like. I did not follow it entirely, but yes, if you are on a family trip, you might not want to miss the things mentioned here. 

We took our ferry from Hong Kong Island Terminal to Macau Outer Harbour. The frequency of the boat is pretty good – mostly there is a ferry every half an hour. Try to reach half an hour before your departure time. 

We were staying in at the Grand Hyatt Macau, and as I mentioned, we could quickly locate the bus shuttle service to the hotel. 

The hotel is a perfect place to have a pampering getaway. We chilled out. Talked a lot. Soaked ourselves in the bathtub before getting ready to splurge on the casinos. Why not? After all, we were in the gaming capital of Asia.

Aanchal, my sister-in-law, had already been here, so she was not very keen on exploring Macau again. And I am not thrilled by heights, so I decided to skip the Macau tower. Plus, I am not the sky-walker or bungee-jumper kind of a person! 

Gambling tips in Macau? Sorry I have none!

We went to the Venetian for shopping and spending the rest of the trip allowance on Casinos. I am just interested in the Russian Roulette. Rest of the gamble games, I don’t even understand, and I don’t really wish to know too. 

There is something addictive about gambling, so it’s better to stay away! And that is something I learned on this trip! 

Inside of the hotels is pretty glitzy and all-glam. It is a whole new make-belief world inside! You can not tell the day from the night.

You can shop till you drop.

But the food courts are competent. Okay, I am not a fan of the Hong Kong food otherwise. But in Macau, I actually found some great noodles and chicken. In fact, I couldn’t have really found them. If alone, I would have survived on bread and eggs. But Aanchal remembered the food kiosks which served pretty fantastic food! 

As I said, these 24 hours in Macau were great. We came back to Hong Kong the next day. The Hong Kong port is a great place to have good local food! 

Macau is one trip for me to remember forever! 

Unique things to do in Macau – which I did not do!

1. Macau Tower : Macau’s iconic landmark is the highest bungee point of the world.
2. St. Paul’s Ruins: The ruins of the 17th-century church, St Paul’s, is a treat to the eyes and soul if you have a knack for historical and cultural sites.

It is interesting to note that Macau is UNESCO World Heritage Site is around 20 notable historic locations. You can see a great mix of both western and eastern culture here. The old catholic churches are situated across the ancient Chinese temples – and they both are architectural beauty. You can see them while walking on the street of Macau!