Hong Kong & Macau Luxury Experience
Victoria Peak, the Star Ferry, dim sum and night markets in Hong Kong, then 40 minutes across the sea bridge to Macau for Portuguese lanes, egg tarts and the resorts of the Cotai Strip.
- Best time to go
- October to December: clear skies, low humidity and 18 to 26°C. March and April are mild but often hazy; June to September is hot and humid, with a chance of typhoons.
- Flying from India
- About 5 to 6 hours non-stop from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Macau is reached from Hong Kong by road over the sea bridge or by ferry.
- Visa for Indian passports
- Hong Kong: visa-free for 14 days with the free online Pre-arrival Registration, completed before you fly. Macau: visa on arrival at the border for Indian passport holders.
- Currency
- Hong Kong dollar (HKD). Macau uses the pataca (MOP), but Hong Kong dollars are accepted almost everywhere in Macau.
Hong Kong & Macau at a glance
Hong Kong packs a great deal into a small space. Spend a day on Hong Kong Island: the Peak Tram to Victoria Peak, the Man Mo Temple and antique shops of Sheung Wan, then the Star Ferry back to Kowloon for the Symphony of Lights at 8 pm. Another day takes in Lantau Island, where the Ngong Ping 360 cable car climbs over the hills to the 34-metre Tian Tan Buddha.
Macau is an easy 40-minute drive over the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge, or an hour by ferry. Its UNESCO-listed historic centre mixes Portuguese churches and black-and-white cobbled squares with Chinese temples such as A-Ma. Across the water, Cotai has the big resorts, shows and shopping, and the village of Coloane is known for its egg tarts.
Must-see
- Victoria Peak by the Peak Tram
- The Star Ferry across the harbour
- Tian Tan Buddha and the Ngong Ping 360 cable car
- Temple Street Night Market
- Historic Centre of Macau
Food to try
- Dim sum: har gow, siu mai and char siu bao
- Roast goose and wonton noodles
- Egg waffles
- Portuguese egg tarts in Macau
- Macanese African chicken and pork chop buns
Where to shop
- Canton Road and Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui
- Causeway Bay
- Ladies' Market, Mong Kok
- Stanley Market
- The Shoppes at Cotai, Macau
Where to Stay
Areas and styles of stay we book most often. We shortlist specific hotels once we know your dates and budget.
Kowloon, Tsim Sha Tsui harbourfront
Harbour-view hotels
Hotels on the Kowloon waterfront look straight across to Hong Kong Island's skyline. The Star Ferry, the Avenue of Stars promenade and Canton Road's shops are on the doorstep.
Hong Kong Island, Central to Causeway Bay
City hotels on the island
Hotels in Central, Admiralty or Causeway Bay put you near the Peak Tram, the trams and the restaurants of Soho and Wan Chai, with quick MTR links everywhere else.
Macau, Cotai
Integrated resorts
Large resorts on the Cotai Strip with pools, spas, theatres and malls under one roof. The historic centre is 15 minutes away by taxi or free hotel shuttle.
Signature Experiences
Moments we build Hong Kong & Macau journeys around
The Star Ferry
Ten minutes across Victoria Harbour on a ferry service that has run since 1888, still one of the best views of the skyline. Ride it again at night.
Ngong Ping 360 and the Big Buddha
A 25-minute cable car ride over Lantau's hills and bay to the Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery. Book a crystal-floor cabin and go on a weekday morning.
A junk boat on the harbour
An hour on a red-sailed junk around Victoria Harbour, timed for sunset or the 8 pm Symphony of Lights.
Dim sum lunch
A table at a classic Cantonese tea house or a Michelin-listed dim sum restaurant. Arrive before noon on weekends or book ahead.
Temple Street Night Market
Street food, fortune tellers, Cantonese opera singers and stalls of everything from jade to phone covers. Busiest from 8 pm.
Egg tarts and old Macau
Walk from Senado Square up to the Ruins of St Paul's, try the warm egg tarts, then lunch in the village of Coloane or on Taipa's Rua do Cunha.
Planning Your Journey
Timing, routing and what our specialists tell every Hong Kong & Macau traveller
When to visit
October to December
The best weather of the year. Book hotels early around Chinese National Day in early October.
January to April
Cool to mild, with Chinese New Year fireworks and markets in January or February. Spring can be misty.
May to September
Hot and humid with heavy rain and typhoon warnings. Prices are lower and indoor attractions are air-conditioned.
Getting there and around
Arrival
Hong Kong International Airport is 25 minutes from Central on the Airport Express train, or about 35 minutes by car.
To Macau
By car or coach over the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge (about 40 minutes on the bridge itself), or by fast ferry from Sheung Wan in about an hour.
Insider notes
Register before you fly
Hong Kong's Pre-arrival Registration for Indian passports is free and online. Apply a few weeks ahead and carry the printout.
Get an Octopus card
Tap it on the MTR, trams, Star Ferry and buses, and in convenience stores. You can also add it to a phone wallet.
Peak queues
The Peak Tram queue can take an hour at weekends. Go before 10 am, or take a taxi up and the tram down.
Carry your passport to Macau
Macau is a separate immigration zone, so you clear exit and entry checks both ways.
Hong Kong & Macau: Common Questions
Four nights in Hong Kong and two in Macau covers the main sights at an easy pace. Add a night for Disneyland or Ocean Park.
Plan your Hong Kong & Macau journey
Speak to a specialist.
Share a few details and one of our Hong Kong & Macau specialists will get in touch, usually within a working day.
Journeys from here
Itineraries that include Hong Kong & Macau
Ready to plan Hong Kong & Macau?
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We reply with a costed, day-by-day plan you can change as much as you like.