How to Spend 9 Hours in Macau on a Budget (With Free Shuttle Guide)

Macau is just a small city you may even visit in a day. Being previously colonized by Portugal (now a Special Administrative Region of China), Macau has so much to offer from culture rooting back in 1500s to casinos being it known as the Las Vegas of Asia.

So whether you're having a stop over flight in Macau or just going side trip from Hong Kong, here's a 9-hour guide in Macau with almost zero expense on the city tour (Almost...). 

Macau can be reached in several entries: Macau International Airport, Zhuhai Boundary and Ferry Terminals from Hong Kong. On a recent trip to Hong Kong, we rode a 9:35am trip of Turbojet ferry from Hong Kong Island going to Macau Outer Harbour. Please take note that, Macau has 2 ferry terminals (Macau Outer Harbour and Taipa). In our case, we took the former route. Sailing time from Hong Kong usually takes an hour to reach Macau.

10:30AM to 11:30AM | IMMIGRATION; MONEY CHANGER; CHECKED RETURN

                     FERRY TRIPS

Upon arrival at Macau Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal, we passed by the usual immigration process. Sometimes, the queue could go longer depending on the number of tourist during that hour.

We exchanged HKD200 to Patacas because most merchants do not accept Hong Kong dollars. If you plan on commuting in public transportation, be sure to have Patacas as well since they usually require exact amount. But you really don’t have to pay for transportation since you could ride buses for free, I’ll tell you how. Since Macau has a lot of casinos (in every area of the city), most big hotel and casinos have shuttle which you could ride for free (No questions asked!). All you have to do is plot out your itinerary and plan which hotel you’ll ride/get off the shuttle! But you don’t have to worry, you may follow our itinerary below and we’ll tell you which shuttle you’ll ride.

Since we’re heading back to Hong Kong on the same day, we already checked the available return time of ferries so we’re sure that we will be back in time for dinner.

11:30AM to 1:30PM | MACAU FISHERMAN’S WHARF; SANDS MACAO

From the exit of the ferry terminal, just walk to the left going to the Fisherman’s Wharf for about 5-10 minutes. I honestly didn’t know which way to go, but when the ferry approached the coast, you can see this European-themed entertainment complex.

Macau Fisherman’s Wharf is the largest leisure and entertainment complex in Macau Peninsula featuring casinos, hotels, shopping, and dining facilities. It also features different architectural structures like the Roman Coliseum.

We ate our lunch here in a Japanese restaurant. Each set you see below costs about MOP 48  (HKD 48; Php 308). We originally planned to head on next to the Senado Square since it's just near and most people advise to visit it in the morning since it gets crowded in the afternoon but it was quite raining that time and it was impossible to go there.

From Macau Fisherman’s wharf, we ran through the rain going to Sands Macao which is just nearby. It was where we rode the free shuttle going to Venetian.

I enjoy the free shuttle ride because it seems like going through a free city tour. You’ll pass by different casinos, the iconic bridge of Macau and even the Macau Tower.

1:30PM to 3:00PM | VENETIAN MACAO

We spent probably an hour and a half picture taking and familiarizing the place. Venetian Macao is taking pride as it is the largest casino in the world.

We discovered a connecting bridge just within the Venetian to its newest sister hotel and casino, Parisian Macao.

3:00PM to 4:00PM |  PARISIAN MACAO

Parisian Macao opened last August 2016 and has the half-scale Eiffel Tower as one of its landmarks. Every detail inside the hotel, shops and casino has been intricately designed to depict the European city.

The rain already stopped in the afternoon and since the last trip of the ferry is still 11pm (but we were planning to go back to Hong Kong by 7pm), we decided to see Senado Square and Ruins of St. Paul first.

From Parisian Macao, we went back to The Venetian, then we rode the free shuttle bus of Grand Lisboa Hotel and Casino. Take note to get off at Grand Lisboa and not Lisboa Hotel. Those two are different hotels.

4:00PM to 6:00PM | GRAND LISBOA; SINTRA HOTEL; SENADO SQUARE;

                                  RUINS OF ST. PAUL; FAMOUS EGG TARTS

From Grand Lisboa Hotel you just have to walk straight for about 15 to 20 minutes going to Senado Square. Roads could get confusing since there are different roads surrounding Grand Lisboa but you just have to look where the Sintra Hotel is since that would be one of your landmark. If you see Sintra Hotel across the road where you're standing, you should be walking straight. If you are unsure which direction, you may ask someone from the hotel where Senado Square is. Mostly, locals don't speak in English unlike in Hong Kong. You just have to say the tourist spot and they'll know that you're asking for directions.

If you already see a glimpse of old Macao from architectures, you are already near Senado Square. Follow the crowd and once you see the yellow Portuguese buildings and the wave-patterned mosaic it means you’re already there.

The food at Senado Square going to the Ruins of St. Paul completed my Macau experience. Free taste of beef jerkey in different flavors, cookies, rice cakes, etc. in every stalls. You will find different bakeries here selling the famous Portuguese egg tarts. It was so delicious! It’s like melting in my mouth. It’s the best egg tart I ever tasted.

We just had a quick souvenir picture taking at the Ruins, bought some goodies and tasted almost every kind of food available for free tasting that you don’t even have to pay for your afternoon snacks (haha!).

6:00PM to 7:00PM | BACK TO GRAND LISBOA; FERRY TERMINAL

From Senado Square, we walked again for 15 mins - 20 mins to Grand Lisboa Hotel where we will ride in their free shuttle bus going to Macau Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal. We just had a little problem in here since we were asked for a ticket before riding the shuttle. Our problem wasn’t really them asking for the ticket since you can always get that for free in a counter in their casino but because there’s no person in the counter available that time. They just require it to make sure that you went there for casino and not mainly to ride for free.

But because we couldn’t wait for their personnel anymore, we decided to commute and ride in their public bus. We asked the security guard in the hotel which Bus No. do we ride going back to the terminal and she willingly assisted us.

In the event that you are unable to ride a free shuttle bus going back, public bus is your next cheapest and safest option. It costs us MOP 3.20 going back to the terminal. Be sure to prepare exact amount since you’ll be just dropping it in the box when you go up the bus and they wont give you change.

7:00PM to 7:35PM | BOUGHT RETURN TICKETS; MONEY CHANGER; BACK TO

HONG KONG

We finally arrived on time for the 7:35pm trip back to Hong Kong. Exchanged our remaining MOP to HKD.

BREAKDOWN OF EXPENSES

I spent around Php 3,261.00 including meals and goodies I brought home. If you still find this still expensive, you skip snacks and omit buying goodies so it will only cost you Php 2,631.16 about 80% of it from the Turbojet ferry ticket and almost-zero expense on your tour around the city.

MACAU EXPENSES (1 HKD = 1 MOP & 1 HKD = PHP 6.43)	HKD	PHP
Hong Kong to Macau Ferry Ticket	169.00	1,086.67
Macau to Kowloon Ferry Ticket	189.00	1,215.27
Lunch at Macau Fisherman's Village	48.00	308.64
Snacks at Parisian Macau	48.00	308.64
Transportation (Public Bus from Grand Lisboa to Ferry Terminal)	3.20	20.58
Goodies bought from Senado Square shops	50.00	321.5
TOTAL EXPENSES	507.20	3,261.30

Hope this helps!