Hong Kong and Macau - Day trip from HKG to Macau - recommendations?

I'll be in HKG later this year and want to take a day trip to Macau. Does anyone have any recommendations of things not to miss and places to enjoy a lunch in Macau????

You will love the Military Club (the restaurant is open), the old building is beautiful. Whatever you do, try to get over to Macau, I have been promising to take everyone for ages, but there is just so much to see in HKG and it is easy to see Macau only for it,s gambling nowadays, shame actually.

Hi,

I was there 3 years ago .

There is a wiki travle guide;

http://wikitravel.org/en/Macau#b

I loved the St pauls cathedral facade and the Lago Sendado( SP?) and the streets around there. The Fort ( in the same area) and the Guia light house are good also.
The Wynn is worth a quick visit ( they have the Tree of life show every hour with a dragon on every half hour)
The Macau tower might offer good views on a clear day.

With a bit longer the Venetian in Cotai is worth a vist just to see how it compares with the Las Vegas Version.

The A-ma temple is good also.

Regards

TBS

I go to Macau for cuisine and to escape Hong Kong's overpriced hotels.

Try Macanese cuisine... you won't find it elsewhere. It's a blend of Chinese, Indian, Portuguese and African flavors. Two places in Macau known for Macanese cuisine are Henry's and Litoral restaurants.

If you want to escape the concrete for a bit, you could go down to Coloane. It's a bit of a drive by Macau standards but worth it if you want some greenery. Down there you'll find Fernando's restaurant -- service can be uneven but the food is good.

For sweets, try Lord Stow's Bakery. They're famous for their egg tarts, but I preferred the chocolate ones. Their Coloane store is on the main square, but they've also got an outlet in the Venetian (or did when I was there) and probably a few other places as well.

Coloane Village is quiet and pretty, a nice place to walk around (though it will take quite a bit of walking to compensate for a chocolate tart).

I spent one night in Macau. Took the ferry directly from HKIA and back. (Incidentally this meant I was refunded KH$120 in cash as I hadn't entered Hong Kong).

Spent first afternoon touring St Pauls/Fort area. Next day took the casino bus to Chinese border and walked around. then took another casino bus to ventian and walked around.

That's about it. It was well worth going once. Probably wouldn't bother again.

Thank you all for these great suggestions! ^

Definitely check out the Venetian if you are going to look at one casino. Even if you are not a gambler, it's a massive eye opener, with resturants, shops, gondola riding as well in the complex. Worth checking out at night if you can, and have some lunch in the old Portugese quarter during the day.

Also try the Portugese egg tarts too ;)

Best tip for the casinos to get there is to use the free casino shuttle buses - there are plenty of them around the Ferry Port.

I go to Macau for cuisine and to escape Hong Kong's overpriced hotels.

^ Indeed. If you don't mind checking out of your Hong Kong hotel, go to Macau late in the evening, spend 2 nights there (which gives you an entire day there), and go back to HK early the next morning. It's like a day trip, but you save money on 2 hotel nights.

If you are interested in history, the Macau Museum (http://www.macaumuseum.gov.mo/w3ENG/Default.aspx) is worth a visit.

Doing this as well during a 5 day HK trip, but will stay overnight. Would be interested in property recommendations as this will be out of pocket. Al; I'm SPG plat but only choice seems to be the Westin, which I've heard is far from stuff. Am I better off staying at one of the large casinos (Venetian, Wynn, Hard Rock in the City of Dreams)? Or the Grand Hyatt (I'm a plat not a diamond).

Hi,

I stayed at the Wynn ( near the Grand Lisboa and near the main sights on the Macau peninsula ( a very nice hotel- smaller than the Wynn las vegas)

The Venetian ( and the Grand Canal shoppes -larger than than the las vegas shops) are in Cotai a bit further sway from the main sights.

The Conrad also opens in May.

Regards

TBS

One of my favorite & most memorable place to enjoy lunch on the terrace or watch the sunset over dinner (or high tea in the afternoon) is at Macau's historic landmark hotel, the charming Pousada de Sao Tiago at the southern tip of the Peninsula, originally a Portugese fortress built in the early 17th century, overlooking the tree-lined Praia rande Bay.

It's 5 minutes from the historic A-Ma Temple, Maritime Museum & Chapel of Our Lady of Penha and a short taxi ride from the Ferry Terminal, away from the casinos rising in the distance.

This area, too, has changed in the past 10 years but is still secluded enough & rich in colonial and 6000 years of human history - away from the gaming action & a place to sit back, relax & enjoy. Overnight stay, with only 12 suites, is about $400 USD mid-week depending on the particulars.

http://www.saotiago.com.mo/home

I spent one night in Macau. Took the ferry directly from HKIA and back. (Incidentally this meant I was refunded KH$120 in cash as I hadn't entered Hong Kong).

Spent first afternoon touring St Pauls/Fort area. Next day took the casino bus to Chinese border and walked around. then took another casino bus to ventian and walked around.

That's about it. It was well worth going once. Probably wouldn't bother again.

So if you take the ferry from HKIA directly you get refunded the immigration fee? I have a 24 hour connection and because its overnight I got charged the 120$. I guess getting it refunded would offset the cost of the ferry OW, and I'd save a bit of money in a hotel by staying in MFM the night.

One of my favorite & most memorable place to enjoy lunch on the terrace or watch the sunset over dinner (or high tea in the afternoon) is at Macau's historic landmark hotel, the charming Pousada de Sao Tiago at the southern tip of the Peninsula, originally a Portugese fortress built in the early 17th century, overlooking the tree-lined Praia rande Bay.

It's 5 minutes from the historic A-Ma Temple, Maritime Museum & Chapel of Our Lady of Penha and a short taxi ride from the Ferry Terminal, away from the casinos rising in the distance.

This area, too, has changed in the past 10 years but is still secluded enough & rich in colonial and 6000 years of human history - away from the gaming action & a place to sit back, relax & enjoy. Overnight stay, with only 12 suites, is about $400 USD mid-week depending on the particulars.

http://www.saotiago.com.mo/home

Have stayed here once, found the Pousada de Sao Tiago to be a good boutique hotel but I didn't care for the location.

I have been to the restaurant a few times. The last time I was there I found the service in the restaurant to be very slow and the meal was a disappointment. Pity, because this was a top notch establishment.

Macau is very small, you can walk around the main area, no problem. It's surreal that the architecture is distinctly Iberian, though it's full of Chinese! It's interesting. Walk around, you'll enjoy it! I wouldn't say there are any specific must-sees though.

Macau is very small, you can walk around the main area, no problem.

I think the plan is to take the ferry over after coffee in the morning and do just as you say - walk around and soak it up, grab lunch and then be back in HK in time for happy hour! :D

Macau is very small, you can walk around the main area, no problem. It's surreal that the architecture is distinctly Iberian, though it's full of Chinese! It's interesting. Walk around, you'll enjoy it! I wouldn't say there are any specific must-sees though.

I agree that a walk is easy and a good way to meet locals. I found myself on a city park with a bunch of retired women who were giggling all over me. Had a great time talking with them and posing for pics.

Definitely check out the Venetian if you are going to look at one casino. Even if you are not a gambler, it's a massive eye opener, with resturants, shops, gondola riding as well in the complex. Worth checking out at night if you can, and have some lunch in the old Portugese quarter during the day.

Also try the Portugese egg tarts too ;)

Best tip for the casinos to get there is to use the free casino shuttle buses - there are plenty of them around the Ferry Port.
One thing on casinos. I tried to go into one at midday a d they wouldn't let in. Apparently because I was wearing shorts. I was otherwise quite presentable.

If you can, try to go right upon arrival at HKG or just before your departure, so that you go from the Macao ferry/hydrofoil directly to your flight. Much more convenient that doing a Macao excursion in the middle of a Hong Kong visit.

Will be arriving late at night at HKIA on 2/25/13. Will be leaving on a cruise in evening of 2/27/13. Would like to see Macau; have been to Hong Kong before. Is it easier to go from HKIA straight to Conrad Macau and spend 2 nights than staying at the Conrad Hong Kong logistically. I would think that staying at the latter is closer to the cruise terminal. Any opinions and advice will be greatly appreciated.

Will be arriving late at night at HKIA on 2/25/13. Will be leaving on a cruise in evening of 2/27/13. Would like to see Macau; have been to Hong Kong before. Is it easier to go from HKIA straight to Conrad Macau and spend 2 nights than staying at the Conrad Hong Kong logistically. I would think that staying at the latter is closer to the cruise terminal. Any opinions and advice will be greatly appreciated.

Getting on the cruise is not an issue. Of course it will take a lot longer to get from the Macau Conrad than the HK one, with immigration, ferry, immigration, an then a transfer, but ferries are frequent and runs around the clock, so you definitely won't miss your cruise.

One issue with your plan is how late you arrive at HKG. Last direct HKG-Macau ferry leaves at 10p; you need to go through HK immigration and go into the city to take the regular ferries if you can't make the 10p one from airport.

Getting on the cruise is not an issue. Of course it will take a lot longer to get from the Macau Conrad than the HK one, with immigration, ferry, immigration, an then a transfer, but ferries are frequent and runs around the clock, so you definitely won't miss your cruise.

One issue with your plan is how late you arrive at HKG. Last direct HKG-Macau ferry leaves at 10p; you need to go through HK immigration and go into the city to take the regular ferries if you can't make the 10p one from airport.

rkkwan: Thanks for your quick reply. The flight arrives supposedly at 11 pm. Based on your observations, my inclination is that after a long transpacific flight, my wife would like to get to a hotel ASAP and that points to staying at the Conrad Hong Kong instead of trekking (with luggage) to Macau; we'll just visit the next day. Thanks again for your input.