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The facade of the Ruins of St Paul's, Macau

No. 61 Top 100 City Destinations 2025

Macau

China

A blend of Portuguese and Chinese heritage, with a historic centre, temples, egg tarts and resort glamour.

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Photo: Michal Osmenda from Brussels, Belgium, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Macau SAR is No. 61 in Euromonitor International's Top 100 City Destinations Index 2025. The special administrative region on the south coast of China, across the Pearl River estuary from Hong Kong, was for centuries a Portuguese trading post, and its Historic Centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005.

Today it combines Portuguese churches and squares, Chinese temples and Macanese cuisine with the large casino resorts of the Cotai Strip.

The wave-patterned paving of Senado Square, Macau
The wave-patterned paving of Senado Square, Macau. Photo: Rudolph.A.furtado, Public domain, source

Best time to go

October to December is the most pleasant time, with warm, dry and sunny weather.

Summer is hot, humid and rainy, with occasional typhoons. Hotels are expensive during Chinese public holidays.

Top sights

  • 1

    Ruins of St Paul's

    The carved stone facade of a 17th-century church, at the top of a grand flight of steps.

  • 2

    Senado Square

    The heart of the old town, paved with wave-patterned Portuguese tiles and lined with pastel buildings.

  • 3

    A-Ma Temple

    One of the oldest temples in Macau, dedicated to the goddess of seafarers.

  • 4

    Guia Fortress

    A hilltop fort with a 17th-century chapel and a 19th-century lighthouse, with views over the city.

  • 5

    Macau Tower

    A 338-metre tower with observation decks and one of the world's highest bungee jumps.

  • 6

    Taipa Village

    Narrow lanes of food shops and Portuguese-style houses on Taipa island.

  • 7

    Coloane

    A quiet village and beaches in the south; try a Portuguese-style egg tart.

Getting there

From Hong Kong, shuttle buses cross the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge from near Hong Kong Airport, and high-speed ferries sail from Hong Kong.

Macau International Airport (MFM) on Taipa has flights across Asia.

Getting around

Public buses are cheap, and the Macau Light Rapid Transit serves Taipa and Cotai. Many hotels and casinos run free shuttle buses.

The historic centre is best explored on foot.

Practical tips

Currency
Macau pataca (MOP). Hong Kong dollars are widely accepted, usually at par.
Language
Cantonese Chinese and Portuguese are the official languages. English is spoken in hotels and resorts.
Safety
Macau is very safe. The emergency number is 999.
Visa & entry
Macau has its own entry rules, separate from mainland China's and Hong Kong's. Citizens of many countries, including the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and EU countries, can visit visa-free; the permitted stay depends on your passport. Check the Public Security Police Force (fsm.gov.mo) before you travel.
Power
220 V, 50 Hz; plug type G is most common.

Official information: Macao Government Tourism Office (official tourism website). Check opening hours, prices and entry rules there before you go.

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