300 Macau
Macau by John Clemens, an interesting little Hong Kong production.
VISAS
You can get a visa in Hong Kong, but don't bother; they're issued quickly on arrival in Macau and they're cheaper that way. The visa cost has doubled to M$50 but the list of people exempted from visa fees or issued visas for free has been extended. You now enter Macau free if you're a Hong Kong resident or a national of Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Portugal, Thailand, the UK or the USA.
One traveller commented that when arriving in Macau from the Peoples' Republic late at night, the Macau bus which picked him up from the Chinese border post sailed right by the Macau entry post. They frowned when he left Macau for Hong Kong, but didn't do anything about his no-visa entry.
MONEY
A$1
M$5.80
US$1
= M$8.0
£1
HK$1
=
M$8.80 M$1.04
The pataca (M$) is divided into 100 avos and is worth a tiny bit less than the HK$ (there is a permissable variation of up to 10%) so they are quite happy to take HK$, but don't bother taking their M$ back to Hong Kong. Change it back before
your
you depart, the exchange rate in Hong Kong is very poor. Make sure you arrive with some HK$ because there's no place to change money at the ferry terminal o first arrival and you'd be unable to take bus into town. The nearest money ex- change is at the beginning of Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro and it's open 16 hours day.
COSTS
Costs are about the same as Hong Kong cheap places need a bit of hunting out. To really enjoy Macau don't rush in and out- the place is definitely worth a few days' stay and there are places to stay economic ally. Avoid weekends when hotels are full and costs leap up.
CLIMATE
The climate is just like HK - cool and pleasant in the autumn/winter from October to December, hot with occasional typhoons from April to October.
GETTING THERE
To get to Macau you have to take a boat from Macau's airport - better known as Hong Kong. There are a number of ways of crossing the 60 km of sea to Macau - not counting the mooted helicopter service or going via Canton in China.
Fastest and most expensive is the Boeing Jetfoil. Powered by two jumbo jet engines, they fly (almost literally) across in about 45 minutes. Cost is HK$66 on weekdays, HK$70 on weekends, HK$88
China
China
1 Barrier Gate
2 Kun lam Tong
3 Camoen Gardens & Museum
4 Old Protestant Cemetery
5 Floating Casino
6 Grand Hotel
7 Central Hotel
8 Ruins of St Paul
9 Old Monte Fortress
10 Lou Lim leoc Gardens
11 Sun Yat Sen House
12 Guia Lighthouse
13 Ferries & Hydrofoils
14 GP Starting Line
15 Hotel & Casino Lisboa
16 Bike Hire
17 St Dominic Church
18 Estrela do Mar Restaurant
19 Tourist Office
20 Taipa Ferry
21 Temple of A Ma
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21
Chine
Macau
Rua do Almirante Sergio
Taipe
Coloane
5
Avenida do Almirante
Lacerda
Estrada do Repouso
Avenida do Coronel Mesquita
Avenida do Ouvidor Arriaga
Avenida de Horta e Costa
Rua d Belchior Carneiro
Rua das Estalagens
T
Av do Conselheiro
Estrada de S Francisco
Avenida do Dr Oliveira Salazar
Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro
OC
Av do infante
Av da Amizade.
Bridge to Taipa Island
Rua de Praia Grande
Macau
****** Grand Prix Track
Macau 301
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