A 48 hours guide to Macau, China

Macau viewed from Guia Hill, China | Laugh Travel Eat
  1. The Ultimate half day Guide to Forbidden City, Beijing
  2. A 48 hours guide to Macau, China
  3. A weekend spa getaway to St Regis Macau
  4. China travel tips: what to know before traveling to China
  5. Qingyuan China: 7 things to do
  6. Shenzhen from Hong Kong: day trip + weekend guide
  7. Shanghai water town: Zhujiajiao vs Qibao
  8. Shanghai Itinerary 5 days for first time visitors
  9. Best restaurants in Shanghai and what to eat

Macau is only an hour’s ferry ride away from Hong Kong, and despite living in Hong Kong all my life, I had only visited Macau recently. Known as the Las Vegas of Asia, Macau is famous for its casino, but there are also plenty of history and culture in this former Portugal colony.  Since I had never been to Macau before, my friends accommodated the itinerary so that we could cover the most famous sights.

Contents

A brief overview of Macau

Macau viewed from Guia Hill, China | Laugh Travel Eat
Macau viewed from Guia Hill

There are two main parts to Macau: the Macau Peninsula and Taipa + Colane. Taipa and Colane are connected by landfill, with the Cotai strip of casinos located in this region. Most of the historical monuments are on the Macau Peninsula and Taipa.

Colonial style street near A-Ma temple, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
Colonial style street near A-Ma temple

As a former colony of Portugal, there are plenty of colonial architecture such as the Ruins of St Paul, Senado Square and other buildings worth seeing. The other attraction to Macau is the casinos: from the iconic Grand Lisboa building on the Macau Peninsula to the many themed hotels plus casinos on the Cotai strip such as Parisians and Venetians. Given the mix of Portuguese influence as well as those from China and Hong Kong, Macau has some amazing cuisine on offer as well. In short, Macau might be even smaller than Hong Kong, but there are plenty to do.

Where we stayed in Macau

To really experience the Las Vegas of Asia, we decided to splurge and stay at the Venetian Hotel.* Having actually been to Venice, I must say that they do a pretty good job with the decoration. The hotel is built in the same complex as the casino and mall, meaning plenty of amenities is nearby.

We had our ID card ready as we were frequently checked going in and out of casinoes.

How we got around Macau

Taipa Ferry Terminal, Venetian Shuttle, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
All of the casinos offer free shuttles

You can practically go around Macau without spending a dime on public transport. Unlike Hong Kong, there aren’t a lot of public transport on offer in Macau and most people own a vehicle. It’s either bus or taxi. But fear not, because all the casinos offer free transport, usually to and from the ferry terminals or the land border and their hotel. They don’t check that you are a resident of their hotel, but you have to be 18 and above or else you can’t even enter the casino. However, be prepared for long queuing time. We mostly utilize the shuttle service of Venetian and Grand Lisboa.

Taxi are pretty affordable if the need arises – providing you have enough people to split.

While the shuttles of the hotels in Cotai Strip are pretty easy to get on, if you want to take the shuttle from Grand Lisboa, you would need to head to their third floor counter and get a voucher. It’s as simple as asking but knowing you have to beforehand saves you time.

Get a FREE map of my 48 hours Macau Itinerary here!

Day 1 in Macau

https://youtube.com/watch?v=J8YaCtYHdZU%26vq%3Dhd720%26rel%3D0

(A video of mostly day 1 locales!)

Arrival:

Cotai Ferry from China Ferry Terminal, Kowloon, Hong Kong | Laugh Travel Eat
8:15 am ferry to Taipa

We got the 8:15 am ferry from the China Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui to the Taipa Ferry Terminal (not the one on Macau Peninsula as this one is closer to our hotel).

Prebook your tickets here

The ferry ride takes around an hour so we got there at 9:00 am. It took us a while to locate the correct shuttle stop and for the shuttle to take us to the hotel.

Venetian:

St Mark's Column in Venetian Hotel, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
St Mark’s Column has a new position next to the Rialto Bridge!
Venetia Hotel Lobby, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
Venetian Hotel’s lobby – how grand!

Since it wasn’t time to check in, we dropped our bags at the luggage storage and wondered around the hotel, waiting for our friends to arrive.

It was relatively early in the morning, so we had the spots to ourselves. The Venetian has done a remarkable job with the St Mark’s column and Rialto Bridge and we focused on those.

The hotel is really spacious and nice, in particular, their decor imitating Venice are done pretty well. I have a canopy on my bed – making me feel like a princess!

Address: Estrada da Baia de Nossa Senhora da Esperanca, Macau

Taipa

We headed towards Taipa, our nearest town center or so to speak, for food. The town here is relatively small so we did a quick snoop around, walking past their main street: Cunha Street as well as the Taipa House, a colonial Portuguese building in a mint blue colour and Pak Tai Temple. The end of the Avenue Carlos da Maia makes for an excellent photo spot.

Cunha Street

Heading to Cunha Street, Taipa, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
Heading into Cunha Street – thanks sis for this awesome shot

Cunha Street mostly sells food souvenirs such as almond cake, with a colonial style two-storey apartment style. It’s worth a stroll even if you don’t intend to buy anything. We then head east and walked past the Pak Tai Temple.

Pak Tai Temple:

Pak Tai Temple, Taipa, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
The small temple is nestled in a square

The temple is dedicated to Pak Tai and built in 1843, making it the oldest temple in Taipa. Its direct translation in Chinese means “Northern King” and huge celebrations occurs around its birthday on the 3rd of March of the Lunar Calendar.

Address: Pak Tai Temple, Macau

Tai lei Loi Kei

Tai Lei Loi Kei, Taipa, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
Our friend waiting outside for us lol – I think this restaurant is alright, but the reviews aren’t that good

It was around 12 and most of us hadn’t had breakfast, so we headed to Tai lei Loi Kei. One of the more famous Macanese food is their pork chop buns, which is served in this café restaurant. However, they don’t serve it with the typical buns until after 14:00, so we had it with the pineapple buns, which is quite interesting.

Address: G/F, 35 Rua Correia da Silva, Vila de Taipa

Opening times: daily 08:00-18:00

Casino bus to Macau Peninsula

We then headed back to the Venetia and took the bus to the Ferry Terminal of Macau Peninsula. From there, we took the casino bus of Grand Lisboa to their hotel which took us close to the center. The entire trip cost nothing to us, but the waiting time are quite significant.

Grand Lisboa Casino

Grand Lisboa casino, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
Looking out of the window of Grand Lisboa Casino – there is Old Lisboa too!

The Grand Lisboa is one of the most iconic buildings in the Macau Skyline, aside from the Macau Tower, of course. With a gold tone and flower shaped top, it’s hard to not notice it. We spent some time strolling around the casino and my friends gambled (and lost) for around an hour before we all got hungry.

Address: Avenida de Lisboa, no.2-4, Macau

Portuguese tarts at Margaret’s Café e Nata

Margaret cafe e nata, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
Queuing for some Portuguese Tart~

Margaret’s Café e Nata is famous for its Portuguese tarts. There was a long queue when we got there but it moves quite quickly. For those of you who don’t know, Portuguese tarts look similar to egg tarts from Hong Kong but taste more like custard tarts, made of puff pastry and, well, custards. It’s must characterized by the brown spotted surface. It definitely tastes pretty decent!

Portugese Tart from Margaret cafe e nata, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
Nom, Nom, Nom

Although the milk tea is supposedly good, too, the one my friend got was too watery. I got mine from around the corner and despite being kind of on the price end, at least it tasted really good.

Address: G/F, 17A Rua Alm Costa Cabral R/C, Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro

Opening times: Close on Wednesday, weekdays: 8:30 – 16:30; Weekends: 10:00 – 18:00

Senado square

Senado Square, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
The wavy pavement of Senado Square and the surrounding European building

Largo de Senado, which essentially means the Senate Square is one of the most famous sights in Macau with its wavy paved pavement. It used to be the meeting place between the Chinese and the Portuguese and hence the name. Surrounded by gorgeous European buildings, including the Leal Senado, traffic is no longer allowed after the 1990s due to the high number of tourists. Most of the structures around there are protected and it is super busy at all times. There is a fountain in the center, replacing the statue of Mesquita that was pulled down during the Qing Dynasty.

The square reminds me a little of Place de Messina in Nice and I love how well preserved this square is. Did you know that Hong Kong TVB shoots some scenes here as well from time to time?

Ruin of St Paul

Ruin of St Paul view from the side, Macau | Laugh Trave Eat
Ruin of St Paul view from the side

THE most famous spot of Macau, the Ruin of St Paul standing atop a flight of stairs was the number one target of my trip. Though it was a battle to weave through the crowd to get up via Rue de Sao Paulo, but the view is definitely worth it!

The Ruins of St Paul was never a Cathedral, though many referred to it as so. A 17th-century church that was dedicated to St Paul the Apostle, it was burnt down in a fire on 26th January, 1835 during a typhoon. The remaining face is its southern facades and it was restored in the 1990s with buttress and steel reinforcement to make sure it’s safe. The 68 steps that lies in front of it remains one of the most photographed points in Macau – I definitely got a fair share of shots taken, too.

Touristy photo on the steps facing Ruins of St Paul, macau | Laugh Travel Eat
My sister and I twinning on the steps

Address: at the end of Rue de Sao Paulo

Guia Hill

Guia Hill chapel and lighthouse, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
A perfect spot for photo taking up at Guia Hill

I knew that I wouldn’t have enough time to see everything and my mother recommended for me to visit Guia Hill. Because of the distance, we opted to take the taxi there from the Ruin of St Paul’s (and ended up stuck in traffic for a while). We took the cable car up to Guia Hill, the highest point in Macau, and visits this interesting complex of fortress, lighthouse and chapel of white and yellow.

Cable car up to Guia Hill, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
Getting the cable car up!

The fortress area is free to enter, only the cable car costs money. The chapel and the fortress were built around the same time as the Church of St Paul in the early 17th century, after the Netherland’s failed invasion to Macau. The chapel is free to enter and the fresco is an interesting mix of European and Chinese style. The lighthouse was built in the 19th century, standing 91.4 m tall and the first western lighthouse in the region.

Guia Hill view, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
A good view on the short hike up

The hill, being the highest point of Macau, offers a great view of the Macau Peninsula.

Address: Avenida Sidónio Pais
Opening hours: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Closed on Mondays and open on public holidays (if Monday happens to be public holidays, cable car service will be closed next day).
Cable car ticket prices: Adult’s price is MOP2 for one way, MOP3 for return. For children from 2 years old or above, students (up to 18 years old), and seniors over 65 years old, the price will be MOP2 for return.

Admission fee free for Guia Hill

Dinner at Taipa

Cafe Literal, Taipa, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
Colonial style restaurant

We returned to Taipa, via casino shuttles, in time for dinner. We were originally booked at the Café Litoral but we missed our bookings due to disorganization. Though we later got some take out there and they were really good! It serves authentic Macau Portuguese-style cuisine and is one of the most famous restaurants around.

Address: Rua do Regedor, Bloco 4 Wai Chin Ko Nº 53/57 Taipa

Opening times: daily 12–3PM, 6–10PM

Day 2 in Macau

Get my FREE map here with all the spots

Stroll around the Cotai Strip of Macau

venetian Mall, Cotain Strip, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
pseudo Venice

We had breakfast at the Tai Lei Loi Kei again and spent the next morning wandering around the mall, visiting the Parisian and Venetian malls. The interior of the Venetian section are decorated like Venice and aside from the fake sky are uncannily good.

Pizzeria Toscana

Pizzeria Toscana, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
you then go underground!

We took a taxi to the southwest corner of the Macau Peninsula to the Italian restaurant of Pizzeria Toscana. It is a surprisingly amazing restaurant hidden in this far corner of Macau and I recommend their four cheese pizza and ravioli.

Address: G/F, 2A Calcada da Barra, Sao Lourenco

Opening hours: daily 11:30AM–3:30PM, 6:30–11:30PM

A-Ma Temple

A-Ma Temple, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
A-Ma Temple – oldest in Macau!

The restaurant was fairly close to the A-Ma Temple and we headed south to visit it. The oldest temple in Macau that’s dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu, as common with all the seaside towns (Hong Kong has Tin Hau Temple), it was built in 1488. The name Macau was thought to have originated from the temple, where the Portuguese sailors asked the name of the place was.

wishes inside A-Ma temple, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
Wishes inside the temple

A typical Chinese temple, you enter through a gate and there are shrines and incenses inside. The temple reaches up to the hill and you can walk around, however, there isn’t much to see up there. The temple, though big compare to others, isn’t very large and can be visited in under fifteen minutes.

Address: A Ma Temple, Macau

Opening times: daily 7:00 – 18:00

Admission free

Maritime Museum

Square outside the Maritime Museum, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
Square outside the Maritime Museum

The museum is not too far from A-Ma Temple and with a low entrance fee, we visited out of curiousity. Inside, there is a small, recurring show that explains the origin of A-Ma Temple and various maritime histories and artefacts related to Macau and beyond. It’s an interesting stop and there is a toilet inside.

Address: 1 Largo do Pagode da Barra, Macau

Opening times: Daily except Tuesday 10:00 – 18:00 (last entry 17:30)

Admission fee: Adult 10 Macau dollars, 5 for youth, free for elderly and children below 10. Half Price on Sunday.

Chapel of Our Lady of Penha

Our lady of Penha chapel, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
A lone stone chapel on a hill

We decided to pass through this other sight on our way back to the center but in truth, the hill is tougher to hike than expected. This is one of the highest points of Macau aside from Guia Hill, however, the view isn’t as good as there are numerous trees that obstruct it. the church isn’t particularly interesting either, founded in the 17th century by sailors and had been a pilgrimage place for those who are heading out to sea.

View from Penha Hill, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
The view isn’t as good as Guia Hill

Address: Hilltop of Penha Hill, Macau

Admission Free

Gathering drink stop/Terra Coffee House

Gathering drink, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
refreshment needed on a hot day!

Refreshment point for tea or coffee, the former being the cheaper option. It was enroute back to the center and just around the corner from our last two stops.

Gathering Address: Edificio Fong Meng, 19 R. de São Lourenco, Macau

Terra Coffee House address: 20 Rua Central, Macau

Dom Pedro V. Theatre

Dom Pedro V Theater, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
The gorgeous Portuguese Neo-classical architecture

A pretty green and white neo-classical theater that was built in 1860 to commemorate King Peter V of Portugal, it was the first of its kind in East Asia. The theater is still in use and it is free to visit during the day, with its ballroom and study still in good condition. We didn’t stay long inside due to the moldy smell, however, it’s a beautiful building itself and its façade makes for a great photo backdrop.

My sister, our friend Rachel and me!
My sister, our friend Rachel and me!

Address: Largo de Santo Agostinho, Macau

Opening times: 10am-6pm, Wednesday through Monday (closed on Tuesdays)

Admission free ( view its program here)

Sir Robert Ho Tung Library Building

Sir Robert Ho Tung Library Building, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
Entrance to the library

The prettiest library I had ever seen, it looks more like a mansion (because it used to be one) and is still in use today. Built in the late 19th century, Sir Robert Ho Tung brought it in the 1910s and lived there in the 40s. The building was repurposed as a library in the 50s and has an old and new part, both somehow meshing well together. It’s free to visit and makes for another great photo spot.

A courtard inside the Sir Robert Ho Tung Library Building, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
A courtyard inside
Sir Robert Ho Tung Library Building, Macau | Laugh Travel Eat
The newer part of the library

Address: 3 Largo de Sto. Agostinho, Macau

Opening times: Daily 10:00 – 19:00

Admission free

The end of 48 hours in Macau!

Like my itinerary, you can get it for FREE!

Afterwards, we headed back to the hotel via more shuttle waiting near Grand Lisboa to pick up our bags and get in line for the shuttle to the Taipa Ferry Terminal. We were getting an evening ferry, hence it was super busy and it took us a while to get there. The ferry terminal was packed as well, but they have some kind of a queueing system in place so we got on our designated one after some delay. All in all, it was a good trip, but here’s what I would have done differently:

Head straight to Macau Peninsula the first day after arrival, do Guia Hill first, then Ruins of St Paul, then A-Ma temple area (skipping the Penha Chapel) and taxi back.

The next day, spend the morning around the malls then explore Taipa before leaving for ferry terminal. This minimize waiting time for transfer and optimize the day.

48 hours guide to Macau, China | Laugh Travel Eat
Pin me!
48 hours guide to Macau, China | Laugh Travel Eat
Pin me!

*This post contains affiliate links

2 thoughts on “A 48 hours guide to Macau, China

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ad Blocker Detected!

Advertisements fund this website. Please disable your adblocking software or whitelist our website.
Thank You!
Want an off-line guide for Cinque Terre?
Including exclusive photo spots and tips Plus more travel tips in my FREE resource library
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download THE travel planning spreadsheet
Get THE travel planning spreadsheet I use to plan your trip and track your finance!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Get a free travel plan & finance spreadsheet!
And get access to my exclusive resource library with map itineraries, travel checklist and more
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download a one-page price list for reference on your trip to Chiang Mai!
Have it handy so you know what price you should pay when you haggle!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for Ljubljana
Get a copy of the map for your trip to the Slovenia captial! You can probably do everything in 1 day
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for the Lake Bohinj region
Lake Bohinj region is big - so get a map of my favourite spots to make the most of your trip!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for Lake Bled
Get a free map of best viewpoints, sights and restaurants in Bled for your trip!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for Milan
Get your map of what to see in Milan in 48 hours - including tips and tricks
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for Taormina
Know where the best spots in Taormina is with this Google My Map
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for the Lake Bohinj region
Get this comprehensive map with transport stops and routes clearly marked for your trip to Bohinj!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for your trip to the Peak!
Get this comprehensive map with transport stops and routes clearly marked for your trip to The Peak
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for Prague!
Get this all-in-one map for the best viewpoints, top 5 and restaurants pick in Prague!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Get free destination maps for your travels
Join my exclusive resource library with map itineraries, travel checklist and more. Currently most popular: Milan, Lake Bled and Hong Kong maps
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download the free 1 day Itinerary for Hong Kong!
Make it easy to find all the spots and follow with the infographic
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your map for Eze and Monaco
the all-in-one day trip map with bus stops, sights and viewpoints labeled for you
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your 3 day map itinerary for Danang
Enjoy a 3 day trip that you don't need to plan!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Do you want to know all my blogging secret?
Sign up to hear first about my Ultimate blogging beginners course
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for Hoi AN!
Get this all-in-one map for the Hoi An old town and best restaurants
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for Hue!
See Hue in 2-3 days with this guide!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your FREE map for Phong Nha!
Where the caves are, what there's to do and where to eat in Phong Nha!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your map for Padua!
It include my entire day's itinerary, not just the top 5!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your map for Sirmione
This might be a small town, but knowing where to go will still help your day!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your map for Sirmione
This might be a small town, but knowing where to go will still help your day!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your map for Verona!
My all in one guide to Veona including secret spots, restaurants and top sights!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your map for Chiang Mai
Get the exact map hat I prepped for the trip with restaurants, sights and spa locations marked on!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your map for Nara!
Get the itinerary for food, temples and deer spotting in Nara!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your map for Macau!
Get my 48 hours itinerary for Macau
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your map for Macau!
From how to get there to what to eat after in Yuen Long
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your map for Central & Admiralty
get your half day itinerary to the heart of Hong Kong!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Download your Shui Long Wo Hiking Map
It isn't hard - but better safe than sorry ;)
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Get all 9 spots with 1 map!
For the hiking views, you'll need to read their respective articles for transport options!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Let's hike West High Hill!
Let's get you from the Peak to some stunning vista!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Get a map of my favourite restaurants in Hong Kong
This map would be updated as I add more!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Get my Angkor + Siem Reap Itinerary
Restaurants, markets and more
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Get my 7 days Tokyo Itinerary!
Including all the spots in the post and more!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Get your FREE Nusa Penida Map
Including all the spots in the post and more!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.
Get my Singapore map!
Including all the spots in the post!
Your Information will never be shared with any third party.