Lively, stimulating and fun are three adjectives that can be used to describe both Hong Kong and Macau. Separated by a gulf from the South China Sea, these two special administrative regions are now part of China, but only for the last few decades. Hong Kong was a British territory until 1997, and Macau belonged to Portugal until 1999. As you walk through the old areas of these cities, you’ll easily notice the colonial influences, although it’s the skyscrapers and modern buildings that attract more tourists. Ocean Park, Hong Kong Disneyland and Victoria Harbor are the main attractions in Hong Kong. Macau is known as the Las Vegas of Asia due to its large casinos and shopping malls, as well as the Macau Tower. Read on to find out the best way to travel from Hong Kong to Macau.
Travel options from Hong Kong to Macau
If you only want to travel by land to get from Hong Kong to Macau, until recently your options were very limited. But that changed when the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge opened in 2018, significantly reducing the road distance and providing an alternative to the ferry crossing. This 55-kilometre (34-mile) bridge with its tunnel system is the longest sea crossing in the world and is impressive to see from the bus. Nevertheless, taking the ferry is also a good option, and there are many services to choose from. Finally, if you want to travel exclusively from Hong Kong to Macau and enjoy the different sights, you can also take a helicopter ride.
From Hong Kong to Macau by bus
Passengers must disembark the bus and go through immigration control at the Passenger Clearance Building in Hong Kong © Wang Sing / Shutterstock.com
Traveling by bus from Hong Kong to Macau is an ideal option for those who want to save some money, as the bus ticket is cheaper than the ferry ticket. Moreover, thanks to the new bridge from Hong Kong to Macau, the journey is very fast.
You can book a bus ticket with Chinalink through the website 12Go.asia. Search for Hong Kong to Macau buses and you’ll find that there are multiple departure times and different departure and arrival locations. So you can book the one that suits you best depending on where you are in Hong Kong and where you are going in Macau.
The duration of the trip depends on the selected departure and arrival and varies from 1 hour to 15 minutes and 2 hours. The price is very similar, you will only pay a few euros more if you travel from East Point City in Hong Kong to Galaxy or Venetian Macao.
The buses are modern, comfortable and air-conditioned, making them ideal for such a long journey. Departures run throughout the day, depending on the departure location. Usually, the first bus leaves Hong Kong at 8:15 AM and the last one at 8:15 PM.
From Hong Kong to Macau by ferry
TurboJET ferry in Hong Kong © and X pose / Shutterstock.com
When we talk about a Hong Kong to Macau ferry, we are actually talking about several ferry companies that operate this route. Until the opening of the bridge, the ferry was the most popular option to get from Hong Kong to Macau, as it was the only realistic way to make the trip for almost all travelers, unless one was very wealthy and wanted to go by helicopter. .
Although buses are cheaper than ferries and are also quite flexible, boats are still a good alternative. There is something adventurous about traveling by water, and if you choose one of the services operated by TurboJET, you will enjoy traveling at high speed. You might think the views are better from the boat, but the bridge crosses a similar stretch of water, and the tour doesn’t offer much other scenery. But the truth is that when leaving Hong Kong and approaching Macau, you can enjoy a fabulous panorama of both cities from the ship.
Economy class on the TurboJET ferry © MosayMay / Shutterstock.com
Traveling by ferry from Hong Kong to Macau also offers a variety of class options in which to travel. Economy class is the most popular because it has an affordable price, not much more than a bus ticket. This type of ticket offers seating in the main part of the ship, in rows of comfortable seats that resemble seats in an airplane. The good thing is that you can get up and move around the ship a bit, look out the window and even go to the bathroom, which you can’t do on a bus.
The next ticket is Super Class, which is practically twice the Economy price. For a surcharge you get access to a smaller, more intimate room with slightly more comfortable seats, so you may come to the conclusion that it’s not worth paying extra.
The most expensive Hong Kong to Macau ferry tickets are Premier Grand Class. It’s the equivalent of first class air travel. The seats are wider and more comfortable, and are in a smaller cabin that is shared with very few passengers. But due to the high cost of this option and how short the trip is, you probably think it’s not worth it either.
It is possible to book all types of tickets offered by TurboJET for the journey from Hong Kong to Macau through 12Go. On this page, you can easily compare ticket prices before making a decision. Depending on the place of departure and arrival, the journey by boat will be shorter than by bus, as it can take anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour.
While TurboJET is a good option offering fast boats, there are other companies offering this service with even more frequent sailings. Of course, the services of other companies do not have high-speed ferries such as TurboJET.
By helicopter from Hong Kong to Macau
While this is an option for elite travelers, we wanted to put it on the list. The helicopter ride from Hong Kong to Macau is an amazing experience. It’s the fastest way to travel, taking you from Hong Kong to Macau in just 15-20 minutes. But how could it be otherwise, it is the most expensive alternative. Still, if you want to live the experience and be able to see these two cities from the air, Sky Shuttle Helicopter Ltd. offers this service.
If you want to save money, traveling by bus from Hong Kong to Macau is the most recommended and practical option. Ferries are also a good alternative, and ticket prices are in some cases similar to bus tickets, so it’s worth remembering, especially if you’re traveling by fast ferry. Don’t miss our guide: From Hong Kong to Guangzhou.