What do you need to know before traveling to Macau?

Guys, if you're heading to "Little Portugal"—and I can't call Macau anything else—then here's what's important to know: 🟨Prices in Macau aren't the same as in China. Yes, guys, it's more expensive there. Feel free to double the prices in some places and for some things. Good hotels, like those in Coloane, start at $100 a night and go through the roof. Dinner in the same area averages $50 for two (and that's still modest). There's shopping, amazing, but again, it's more expensive than in mainland China. But the tourist buses are free, there are plenty of free shows, the panda park is free, and yes, the food courts are still there. You can easily have a reasonable lunch or dinner there. 🟨Money It's best to travel with Hong Kong dollars—it's cheaper. They're sold at our banks. You can get them in yuan, but they calculate the exchange rate at 1:1 to HKD, which isn't ideal. You can exchange US dollars for local patacas, but again, it's not exactly a good deal, and we only needed patacas for public transportation. We paid in Hong Kong dollars everywhere. Union Pay cards work, particularly at RSHB, but not everywhere. When paying, remember to enter two zeros after the four digits of your PIN at the terminal for the card to work. 🟨Maps and Navigation This is where it's really great – the familiar Google Maps works, and not only does it show all the public transportation, but it also has tons of cafes and restaurants with menus, prices, and reviews. So, just Google Maps and nothing else is needed. 🟨Visa Not needed! Not now, and never has been. 🟨Language There are two official languages: Portuguese and Chinese (Cantonese). We also met quite a few people who spoke English quite well. It's easier than in mainland China. But you should definitely download a translator to your phone. 🟨Communications The easiest way is to get an e-SIM, but generally, Wi-Fi is good in public places. And by the way, WhatsApp, Google, YouTube, and other social amenities that are banned in China work there. Everything works there! 🟨Transportation Taxis are prohibitively expensive, so forget about them. There are buses throughout the city—both tourist buses and regular city buses. Tourist buses allow free travel between hotels, which is convenient if, for example, you need to get from the historic center to Coloane. There's also a skytrain. Regular buses are inexpensive. There are free tourist buses from the airport. But if you want, you can take a taxi—we paid $20 for a 15-minute ride. 🟨Weather The best time to visit is autumn. We first visited Macau in September. But even in winter, you know, it's much warmer than here. You definitely don't need a hat; it's a steady 15-20 degrees Celsius during the day. But in summer, it's incredibly hot and stuffy; being outside was a real challenge. That's all we can think of. If you have any questions, let us know, and we'll try to help. 💛And, as always, travel longer and further. #Macau #China