Brief History

Fishermen from Fujian and farmers from Guangdong were the first known settlers in Macau, when it was known as Ou Mun, or ‘trading gate’.

In the early 1550s the Portuguese reached Ou Mun, which the locals also called A Ma Gao, ‘place of A Ma’, in honour of the Goddess of Seafarers, whose temple stood at the entrance to the sheltered Inner Harbour. The Portuguese adopted the name, which gradually change into the name Macau.

Today Macau is a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, and, like Hong Kong, benefits from the principle of “one country, two systems”. The tiny SAR is growing in size – with more building on reclaimed land – and in the number and diversity of its attractions. The greatest of these continues to be Macau’s unique society, with communities from the East and West complementing each other, and the many people who came to visit.

Location

Macau is located in Guangdong province, on the western bank of the Pearl River Delta, at latitude 22°14’ North, longitude 113°35’ East and connected to the Gongbei District by the Border Gate (Portas do Cerco) isthmus.

The Macau Special Administrative Region has an area of 25.8 sq. km, comprised of the Macau Peninsula, the islands of Taipa and Coloane and the reclaimed area COTAI. Three bridges connect Macau to Taipa. The Friendship Bridge leads directly to Macau International Airport located on the Island of Taipa. The islands are connected by a causeway which is 2.2 km long.

Besides the Border Gate (Portas do Cerco) – the visitor can access Mainland China through the COTAI Frontier Post

Population

The total population is estimated at around 450,000, about 95% are ethnic Chinese. The remaining 5% includes Portuguese, Europeans and other regions.

Language

Chinese and Portuguese are the official languages, Cantonese being most widely spoken. English is generally used in trade, tourism and commerce.

Currency

The Pataca is Macau's official currency. There are banknotes and coins. The exchange rate is MOP$103.20 equal to HK$100 whereas 8 Patacas is equivalent to 1 US Dollar.

Transport to and from Macau

Tourists have an option traveling to Macau with helicopter, airplane, jetfoil, catamaran & road.

Land Transport

In Macau visitors will find an efficient bus service, not only in the city but also in the islands. Visitors can look for the destinations, itineraries and stops in the information panels located at every bus stop.

For journeys on Macau peninsula there is a flat fare at MOP$2.50. If you travel to Taipa, it costs MOP$3.30 and if your destination is Coloane village MOP$4.00. If you go to Hac-Sa you will pay MOP$5.00. Bus service operates from 6:00 am & 6:25 am to 12:00 midnight.

There are plenty of taxis, the flagfall charge is MOP$13.00. Besides normal taxis (black with cream roof) there is also radio-taxi-service – tel. 8398 8800 or 2851 9519 (yellow taxis). There is no surcharge between Macau and Taipa island, but between Taipa and Coloane, a MOP$2.00 surcharge applies. Between Macau and Coloane there is a MOP$5.00 surcharge. Moreover there is a MOP$3.00 surcharge for each piece of luggage carried in the boot.

If you like to go around by yourself with a map and Guide, you can hire a car.

Climate and clothing

The climate is fairly warm tropical climates. Annual average temperature is about 20℃ and ranges from 16℃ to 25℃. Humidity levels are high and average values vary between 73% and 90%. Annual rainfall is 1.778mm, mostly during Summer months.

Autumn (October – December) is the most pleasant season. Days are sunny and warm and humidity levels are low. Winter (January – March) is cold but sunny. In April humidity increases and from May to September the climate becomes hot, humid and rainy with occasional tropical storms (typhoons).

Macau Tourist Hotline

Tourist Hotline 2833 3000 is launched by Macau Government Tourist Office, with a wide range of information available in Cantonese, Mandarin, Portuguese, English and Japanese, including: Dining-out, Hotel accommodation, Major tourist attractions, Museums, Shopping, Transportation, Entertainment, Traveling information to entry procedure and much more. All calls can be made from any local telephone machine or using the special Kiosk