Gee

During my trip to HongKong in May, I am thinking about spending a day in Macau. Does anyone have experiences with this place 1)What's the best way to get to Macau? Ferries? 2) Is 1-day enough to visit Macau? or I should spend another day? 3) what are the best places to visit in your opinion? 4) What you can find in Macau, but not in Hong Kong? I don't expect people speak English in Macau. Am I correct? 5) Do I need Visa, or US Passport could get me in and out. Thanks in advance for any good info.

Les

When we went to Macau (before either Hong Kong or Macau reverted back to China), we took a one-day tour, which included hotel pickup and drop off, the ferry ride (about one hour - it wasn't a hydrofoil, but it was a high speed jet boat), and a tour around Macau by bus. Included a very nice lunch at a pleasant hotel with a nice view of the city. <BR>We stopped several places during the tour (the Casino, of course, for about an hour, the "center" of town, near the old church facade, also for about an hour, and on a hill overlooking the town and the Pearl river, and again near the border with China). <BR>The city was fascinating, a unique mix of oriental and European, and very enjoyable to stroll around. Definitely worth seeing, in my opinion. <BR>We didn't need a special visa to go - just our passports - but the lines were long on the Hong Kong end. I don't know how all that has changed, now that both belong to China. <BR>The trip took the entire day, but one of the highlights was returning to Hong Kong at dusk, when the sky was darkening and the city was lighting up. <BR>Hope this helps.

Ricky

Macau is a small place. You can explore it yourself (without tour guide) within one day.

Cara

Macau can easily be explored in one day. We arrived in the morning and took the local bus around town and didn't find a need for a tour guide. While I speak no Chinese, I was able to understand the bus map well enough to get around and was able to find English speaking individuals at both the ferry terminal and the visitor center in the downtown area. I agree that the island is well worth seeing. Macau is known for their custom shoe making though I'm not sure if you could get a pair made in a day. We did find some great herbal teas while we were there.

erin

I loved Macau when I went--a lot more than Hong Kong. I would have liked to stay there longer but my boyfriend didn't want to. Anyway--one day would be enough but we stayed overnight and we didn't run out of things to do. Hotels, etc. are cheaper than Hong Kong, which was nice. Taking the ferry was easy and you only need a passport. <BR>I just want to rave about Macau for a minute--to me, it seemed that I was going back in time when I arrived there. There is one main shopping stree but if you explore on your own, and you venture into the side streets, it's like a whole new world. Little shops with herbs and spices; stores with live chickens and other animals; cute little outside restaurants; the list goes on. Everyone was extremely friendly and although most people speak NO English at all (and why would they, right?, everyone we asked for directions was very helpful. So please go to Macau! I wish I could go back!

Angelo

Most of the advice already given is dead-on. A day or two is just about the right amount of time you should devote to Macau since it's a small, but interesting, place. I found the architecture and the food to be the most interesting of Macau's attractions. These two aspects make you feel like you're in a European city, but it's filled with Chinese! Take a look at the casinos,and there's this one free-standing church facade that's Macau's most famous landmark. I don't remeber the name, but you won't be able to miss it.

Gary

Gee: <BR> <BR>Just got back from Hong Kong, and made a day trip to Macau. It is very simple to get there by ferry, there is a Macau ferry terminal on one end of HK island, and the ferries leave every 30 minutes or so. No need for reservations, at least when I went, and the US cost was about $15 to $20 each way. You do not need visa, but must have your passport, as you go through HK customs, then enter Macau customs. <BR> <BR>One day is MORE than enough. I was actually there for about 3 hours, each way ferry trip was about 45 minutes, and I was happy with that. It was enough. It is really charming, more of a European feel than HK, but as to what's there, there is nothing there that you can't find in HK. I really basically walked around the main streets in town, although I did feel that hiring one of the many cab drivers that accost you as you come out of the terminal for a couple of hour driving and stopping tour would have been better. As to English, it's not as readily spoken as in HK (where I found virtually everyone spoke at least some English), but it is certainly spoken enough for you to get by. <BR> <BR>I am not sorry I went, but it was certainly not the highlight of my trip, and if I were pressed for time, I would have skipped it. <BR> <BR>Have a good trip.

stella

We took the hydrofoil and went for one day. We thought the island was just "ok". However, the Chinese antique furniture shops were excellent! We thought the selections there were better than Hong Kong's Hollywood Blvd. and the prices were great. If you're in the market for Chinese antiques, then it's worth the trip.