Macau Travel Tips
Climate and Weather
With an average annual temperature of just over 20° C (68° F) and a yearly mean variation between 16° C (50° F) and 25° C (77° F). The humidity is high with an average range between 75% and 90%. Rainfall is also high with the yearly total between 40 and 80ins. The best season is autumn (October-December) when days are sunny and warm and the humidity low. Winter (January-March) is cold but sunny. In April, the humidity starts to build up and from May to September the climate is hot and humid with rain and occasional tropical storms (typhoons).
Local Festivals and Folk Custom
Spring Festival
Qingming Festival
Dragon Boat Festival
Double Ninth Festival
Mid-Autumn Festival
A-Ma Festival
Other Odds and Ends
Phone Dialing Code
Region Code: 00853
Zip Code: 999078
Security
999 is the emergency number for the police in the city. You can dial 112 toll free for the police's special tourist hotline. For mainland China please dial 110. For the fire department, dial tel. 86-853-572222, a toll call.
Visas
Visas are not required for those holding passports from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Britain, USA, South Korea, Singapore, Luxembourg, Ireland, Brazil, South Africa, India, Mexico and Germany. Visitors from these nations may stay for up to 20 days.
Hong Kong residents with 3-star ID cards may stay for up to 90 days.
Taiwan residents do not require a visa but do however, require a valid passport and entry permission for Hong Kong. Taiwan residents are permitted to stay in Macau for up to 20 days.
Customs
With the exception of routine inspections, customs declaration is not required for entering or leaving Macau. Imported electric appliances should have a 5% tax paid. Duty free articles include gold objects, antiques and cameras. Foreign tourists are permitted to take one liter of spirits and 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars.
Language
Most people in Macau speak Cantonese. Mandarin is becoming more popular and many people speak Portuguese and English too.
Money
The currency unit of Macau is PATACA with denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 Patacas in banknotes and 10, 20, 50 avos and 1, 2, 5 and 10 Patacas in coins. Hong Kong dollars are readily accepted everywhere in Macau. Most hotel rates are generally quoted only in Hong Kong dollars. The rate is fluctuates with the currency market. The exchange rate is about MOP$103 = HK$100 and One Hong Kong dollar is considered the same value of its Macau equivalent in practice. Roughly eight Patacas is equivalent to one US Dollar.
Hotels, banks, casinos, numerous money changers in the city provide money exchange services and travelers' checks are acceptable at hotels. Macau International Airport and the Lisboa Hotel, famous for its casino, provide 24-hour money exchange services.
There is no restriction on the importation of foreign currency
Medical& Hospitals
The hygiene and medical conditions in Macau are quite good. Several public and private hospitals in Macau provide adequate medical care and facilities for residents. On-the-spot payment is expected in hospitals by local custom.
Hospital Centre S. Januario
Address: Estrada do Visconde de S. Januario
Tel: 86-853- 3903610 (Emergency), 86-853-313731 (Operator)
Fax: 86-853- 346818 (Emergency)
Kiang Wu Hospital
Address: Estrada do Repouso, Macau
Tel: 86-853- 2950133 (Emergency) 86-853-371333 (Operator)
Fax: 86-853- 2950133 (Emergency)
Hope Medical Clinic
Fu Wah Court, 1-D
26 Ave de Sidonio Pais, 1/F, Macau
The medical help is available from 9:30 to 17:00
Internet: [email protected]
Telephone
Public telephone kiosks are available throughout the city at one Pataca coin for five minutes. All telephones in hotels or public kiosks have IDD service. The country code for Macau is 853 and you need to dial 001/853 before the number if calling from Hong Kong. When dialing an international number from Macau, you should first dial 00 and then add 853 and the number you want to call.
Mobile phone rental services are provided by Macau telecom companies. Please dial 1000, 1118 or 1628 to for enquiries.
Mail
The main post office is located in an old Euro-style building in the downtown area on the main square, Largo do Senado. Different counters in the lobby provide various language services. Most of them provide Cantonese and English. In front of each counter window, there is a small board indicating the language the counter provides. One thing you should bear in mind is that in this postal office, RMB is not acceptable. The office is open on Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 18:00 and Saturday from 9:00 to 13:00.
Mailboxes in Macau are red.
Media
Macau publishes journal and weekly newspapers in Chinese, Portuguese and English. However, all TV programs are shown in Chinese and Portuguese.
