Stone facade of the Ruins of St Paul in Macau above its crowded steps
Photo: cattan2011 / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Day trip

Macau Day Trip from Hong Kong: Ferry, Bridge and a One-Day Plan

How to do Macau as a day trip from Hong Kong: TurboJET and Cotai Water Jet ferries, the bridge shuttle, what to see in a day, and which pick suits which traveller.

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The short answer. Macau works as a day trip, and it’s an easy one. Take a high-speed ferry from Sheung Wan, which takes about an hour, spend the morning in the old centre around Senado Square and the Ruins of St. Paul’s, and use the afternoon and evening on the Cotai Strip. Book the last boat back before you leave, because you won’t want to sort it out at midnight.

Roam Hong Kong read 15 guides on this trip, in English, Traditional Chinese, French, Korean, Spanish and Japanese. Every guide names the Ruins of St. Paul’s, and most name Senado Square and the Cotai resorts. Ferry times and the bridge facts come from the operators and the bridge authority, and the entry rules from the Macao Government Tourism Office, all read on 7 November 2026. Check them for your date. For the evening you get back, use the map and the events page.

Getting there

The ferry: recommended by 12 of 15 guides read. The bridge shuttle: 7 of 15.

The ferry is the usual choice, and it’s the one most guides take. TurboJET lists a sailing time of about 60 minutes from Sheung Wan, with day sailings from 07:30 to 18:00 and night sailings at 19:30, 20:30, 21:30 and 22:30 to the Outer Harbour terminal (schedule effective 16 October 2026). From the Outer Harbour back to Sheung Wan, the last day sailing is 18:00 and night sailings run at 19:00, 21:00, 22:00 and 23:00. It tells passengers to board at least 30 minutes before departure, so don’t cut it fine (TurboJET). The Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal is on the third floor of the Shun Tak Centre in Sheung Wan. Only a few sailings a day run to the Taipa terminal.

Macau Ferry Terminal sign and directional arrows at the Hong Kong terminal entrance
Photo: Bee Your Guide / Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Cotai Water Jet is the other operator. It sails between Hong Kong and the Macau Taipa Ferry Terminal, which is the one for the Cotai Strip.

The bridge is the alternative. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is 55 km long and open 24 hours a day, and it takes about 40 minutes to travel between the Hong Kong Port and the Macao Port (HZMB). Guides call the shuttle bus the cheaper way over, but you have to get to the Hong Kong Port first and clear immigration at both ends. One guide advises the ferry on public holidays, when the border queues grow.

Which terminal you land at changes your day. The Outer Harbour is near the historic centre, and guides that start in the old town land there. Taipa is the one for the Cotai Strip, and you’ll find fewer sailings to it.

Entry

Take your passport, because you can’t board without it. Many nationalities enter Macau visa-free, and others can get an entry permit on arrival, which the tourism office lists at MOP100 for an individual and MOP50 for a child under 12 on a page last updated in July 2024. Check the entry requirements for your passport. You also need to meet Hong Kong’s own entry rules to come back. The Immigration Department’s visit visa page lists them by nationality.

The Ruins of St. Paul’s and the old centre

Carved stone facade of the Ruins of St Paul in Macau against blue sky
Photo: Mike Lee / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Ruins of St. Paul’s: recommended by 15 of 15 guides read. Senado Square: 11 of 15.

The Ruins of St. Paul’s are the facade of the Church of Mater Dei, built between 1602 and 1640 and destroyed by fire in 1835. The tourism office lists the ruins as open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. with no admission after 5:30 p.m., and the Museum of Sacred Art and Crypt as open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except Tuesday afternoon, when it closes at 2 p.m. (open as usual on public holidays). The small Na Tcha Temple, built in 1888, is next to the ruins (Macao Government Tourism Office). The tourism office also publishes a World Heritage walking tour of the central district that links the sights.

Most guides walk from Senado Square up to the ruins, which means you pass the shops where bakeries hand out samples. Go early, because the ruins fill up and you’ll want room for photos. Seven guides add St. Dominic’s Church, and eight add Monte Fort and the Museum of Macau.

Senado Square in Macau at dusk with lit colonial buildings and a fountain
Photo: Andrew Moore / Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The Cotai Strip

Recommended by 11 of 15 guides read.

The Cotai Strip is a row of resort-casinos, among them The Venetian, The Parisian and The Londoner, which have indoor canals and replica landmarks. Guides use it for the afternoon and evening, and a few add a dinner and a show. You don’t have to gamble to walk through it. The resorts run free shuttle buses between the ferry terminals and the hotels, according to several guides, which saves a taxi.

Canal with a gondola inside a Cotai resort-casino beneath a painted ceiling
Photo: Tristan Schmurr / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Food

Egg tarts and bakeries: recommended by 7 of 15 guides read. Taipa Village: 6 of 15.

Egg tarts are the snack guides name most, and you’ll see queues for them. Taipa Village and Rua do Cunha are where six guides eat, with pork chop buns, almond cookies and egg tarts. One guide says a wooden footbridge leads from Taipa Village to the casinos.

Portuguese egg tarts in a paper box, a Macau bakery snack
Photo: Matt Spurr / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Less common picks

Macau Tower is named by 4 guides, and its adventure activities are called expensive by one of them. A-Ma Temple, Coloane village and the House of Dancing Water each get 3 votes. Add them only if you have more than a day.

Stone gateway of A-Ma Temple in Macau with its gold plaque and smoke
Photo: Richard Mortel / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

A day, in order

  1. Take a morning sailing from Sheung Wan, ideally the first, to the Outer Harbour.
  2. Walk to Senado Square, then to the Ruins of St. Paul’s and the Museum of Sacred Art.
  3. Eat in Taipa Village, or at a bakery near Senado Square.
  4. Spend the afternoon and early evening on the Cotai Strip.
  5. Take a night sailing back, with the ticket already bought.

Verdicts by trip type

First trip. The old centre and a few hours on Cotai.

Food. Taipa Village and the bakeries.

Families. Cotai, which is indoors, plus a short walk to the ruins.

A short stay. Think twice. The ferry takes an hour each way and the border adds time.

A holiday weekend. Book the ferry ahead. Two guides say seats sell out at weekends.

Overnight. Stay a night to add Coloane and the Taipa food streets.

If you’re planning a longer list of trips, see best day trips from Hong Kong. The Hong Kong travel tips page covers the Octopus card and the weather, and things to do covers the rest of your days.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to get from Hong Kong to Macau?

About an hour by TurboJET from Sheung Wan. The bridge takes about 40 minutes between the two ports, plus getting to the Hong Kong Port and clearing immigration.

Is Macau worth a day trip from Hong Kong?

Seven of 14 day-trip guides name it, and all 15 Macau guides name the Ruins of St. Paul’s. A day is enough for the old centre and the Cotai Strip.

Do you need a passport for Macau?

Yes. You cross a border, so you need your passport and any entry permit your nationality requires.

What is the last ferry back to Hong Kong?

TurboJET’s schedule effective 16 October 2026 lists a 23:00 night sailing from the Outer Harbour to Sheung Wan. The Taipa terminal’s last night sailing in that schedule is at 21:30. Check the page for your date.

Should you take the ferry or the bridge?

The ferry, in 12 of 15 guides, because it leaves from the city. The bridge shuttle, in 7 of 15, is the cheaper option.

Sources: 15 guides in English, Chinese, Spanish, French, Japanese and Korean, and 7 official pages

Guides in English

Guides in Chinese

Guides in Spanish

Guides in French

Guides in Japanese

Guides in Korean

Official pages

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