[Travel/ Food Guide] Itinerary to Macau (澳门) 2019

Following our trip to Macau in 2017, we have gone back for a revisit in early 2019. Macau remains as busy as ever, with tourists flooding the streets and major tourist attractions. One new update on transportation though... Uber is no longer available in Macau. As of now, there is no e-hailing services available, the only way is to hail a cab or walk to the destination. Public buses are available but if you are unfamiliar with the public transportation, it is best to travel with a cab... though it costs a little more, it is safer and more time-efficient. Not much changes since then but we have managed to uncover more hidden gems this round.

A kind reminder: though Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) is widely traded in Macau, it is best to use Macanese Pataca (MOP). You can buy in HKD and sell your HKD for MOP in Macau, the standard rate stands at HKD 1,000 to MOP 1,028 (you might find better rates if you are in luck).

[Travel/ Food Guide] Itinerary to Macau (澳门) 2017

With less than 100 km away from the Asia's Business Hub- Hong Kong, Macau (otherwise known as Special Administrative Regions SARs of the People's Republic of China 澳門特別行政區) is a popular destination for tourists visiting Hong Kong. Macau consists of the peninsular and two islands- Taipa (where the international airport is located) and Coloane but all are easily accessible by cars due to the linked bridges across the peninsula. Flying in from Malaysia is easy, Air Asia offers direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Macau International Airport; otherwise, you may opt to fly in from Penang to Hong Kong International Airport (via Cathay Pacific/ Dragon Air) and take the Turbo Jet from the airport to Macau. Macau was previously colonized by Portugal and hence, the place is full of the Portuguese traces- from architecture, culture to its food. Cantonese is the major population in Macau and generally, people understand Mandarin so there is no language barrier.

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These are some commonly asked questions for tourists visiting Macao:

1) Is Uber legal in Macao?

Ans: Uber is illegal in Macao but due to complications in transportation system, Uber is still one of the preferred mode of transportation. Macao has quite a fair amount of small alleys so catching a cab might not be an easy task, especially when you are out of the tourist areas. Not that taking Uber is a cheaper option but we have had a fairly bad experience with the taxi- the taxi driver refused to send us to our destination due to massive traffic jam and perhaps, not lucrative enough for him; also, most of our taxi drivers were rude and snobbish (though there were a few friendly ones) . Typically, passengers/ customers of Uber are safe but the drivers are not. We were also informed that Uber drivers caught by the authority will be penalized as much as MOP 30,000.

2) The best Casino to gamble visit in Macao?

Ans: It all depends on what you are looking for. Typically, the famous ones (like the Venetian, Parisian, Studio 8 City etc) yield lesser return and the bets are higher. If you are looking for cheaper bets or slot machines to pass time, go for the non mainstream ones. We stayed in Rio Hotel (利澳酒店) and Casa Real Hotel (皇家金堡酒店); both were good and famous to the locals. For cheaper slot machines, Casa Real Hotel right next to the Macao Outer Ferry Terminal is a good option.

3) Is Hong Kong Dollars usable in Macao?

Ans: The official currency in Macao is Macanese Pataca (MOP). Though Hong Kong Dollars (HKD) are widely traded, it is recommended that you change your HKD to MOP; there is still a slight difference between those two. Customers paying in HKD will receive change in MOP and thus, slight lose due to currency values. Also, do note that all casinos in Macao only receive HKD, MOP is only for shopping and dining.