Macau Guide and 4 days itinerary-All of Macau

This post will help you plan your visit to Macau, a tiny country (technically, a Special Administrative Region) between Hong Kong and China. Macau is a small area that can be explored fully in 3-4 days. This June, I spent 4 nights in Macau. Based on my experience, I am sharing my recommended itinerary for exploring Macau. Most tourists visit Macao with a single purpose of Casino- if you are of that type then this may not be of much use to you- your might as well stay in one of the hotels that has casino (almost every hotel in Macau has casino) and relax

Hotel Planning tips
Book your hotels such that you spend 2 nights in Taipa island and 2 nights in main Macau island. This way you can explore all parts of Macau to the max without having to travel back n forth.

Getting around in Macau:

• Most places can be covered on foot- cheap, healthy option. Download local map for reference.
• City buses connect key attractions and destinations-lot cheaper if you know which one to use and where to get down.
• Taxis are available for hailing, usually 2 km ride costs about 20-25 MOP (5 USD). You can probably walk one way, exploring all the attractions and then take taxi back to hotel from last point, if you are tired.

Day 01: Check-in, Guia Fort and Grand Prix museum
Assuming a day time/mid-day arrival. Depending on your flight timing, adjust this day’s plan. I stayed at Grand Lapa Macau, so I am using the same in this example, there're a dozen other hotels around-select one that suits your taste and budget. Some expensive hotels such as Sands, MGM etc provide airport transport as well.

1. Arrive in Macau
2. Take taxi/bus to your hotel in Macau (bus costs just about 4.2 MOP per person, taxi costs 10-20 times more)
3. Check-in, refresh
4. Visit the Grand Prix Musem to explore old time racing cars and racing history. There is also a wine museum adjacent to it.
5. Visit Fort De Guia (Guia lighthouse and fortress)- Just a few kms but uphill. Walk if you can else take a taxi. Enjoy good views of the town from top of Guia.
6. Kun Iam Temple (Closes by 7 PM) - if you have time. Else skip this for Day 2

Optional: If interested and if time permits, you can visit China border gate and get a glimpse of China. There is also a park nearby. If time constrained or not interested this can be skipped. (There is nothing great to see or to do, but you can claim you have seen China!)

Evening/Night: In the evening, enjoy some food at fishermans wharf, walk around town for some night photography, try the casinos if that interests you, back to hotel and rest.

Map link here

Day 02: Senado square, Ruin of St Pauls, Macau tower

1. Assuming a relaxed wake-up and a walk around the hotel, step out by about 10 AM
2. Begin with Ruins of St Paul's, Monte Fort and museums around it.
3. Try local food for lunch in the surrounding streets
4. Walk further to explore Camoes Garden
5. Walk South to explore St Dominic's Church and Senado Square. 
6. Next pass through Lilau Square to visit A-Ma-Gao temple (if short of time, you can skip these two)
7. Your next destination should be Macau tower, but before that you may wish to relax a bit around Nam Van Lake
8. Plan to reach Macau tower by about 4 PM or so. This way, you can spend about 3-4 hours on top, enjoying both day time and night views of Macau [Check my Photos here]. AJ Hacket operates several adventure activities on top of Macau tower- Bungee jump, Skywalk, tower walk etc- indulge in few of them depending on your interest and budget.
9. Come down from tower by about 7 or 8 PM at your convenience- you can have your dinner in the tower complex itself. If there is still lots of energy left, you can walk to hotel or else hail a cab.

End of Day 2- Back to hotel and rest. Map link here

Day 03- Check out and Go to Taipa

• If interested you can visit Macau Museum, Macau Sceience centre and Kun Iam statue or use the morning half to explore any places of interest left incomplete from previous days.
• Check out from hotel and head to Taipa, check in to your Taipa hotel. I have used Taipa Square as an example, you ma chose anything that suits your budget and comfort levels.
• Visit Taipa Houses Museum
• Visit Giant Panda Pavilion (Not walk-able but city buses are available)
• Head Hac Sa beach if beaches excite you. Sand is a bit blackish and Macau is not really known for its beaches, but Hac Sa beach has some facilities around to relax and recreate. Read my experience here
• On your way back to hotel, depending on your energy level, time left and interest, suggest exploring one or two Casino Resorts- preferably Galaxy Macau and/or Venetian Macau . Dinner can be had in these resort towns.
• Back to Hotel, rest

[Map Link here]

Day 04: Return flight

• Your last day in Macau- plan as per your flight timing.
• Walk around the hotel to get a feel of local life. There will be parks with mechanical exercise devices if you wish to try (if your hotel doesn't have a gym)
• There are more resort cities in Taipa than you can cover in couple of days- Visit Studio City and enjoy a ride in its 8 shaped observation  wheel.
• Visit City of Dreams, Check out the local version of Eiffel tower
• Check out, back to Airport in time for your return flight.

Many visitors to Macau also include Hong Kong in their plan, which is about an hour away by speed boat. Or the other way round- people land in Hong Kong and visit Macau for a day or two. If your plan involves Hong Kong, adjust this itinerary accordingly. Instead of airport you would begin and end at ferry terminal- there are two of them - One connecting Taipa and another the main Macau island. Ferries operate almost throughout the day though frequency drops in the night.

Also read: 20 FAQs for planning your Macau trip * Indian Restaurants in Macau and HK *