Macau: good to know
The general-information half of trip planning: how expensive Macau feels, what is considered polite, what is not, and the everyday practicalities - alongside our 41 written places.
Cantonese pace with a Portuguese afterglow - brisk around the casinos, unhurried in the old lanes.
✓ Considered polite
- Carry Hong Kong dollars - they are accepted almost everywhere at par with the pataca
- Ride the free casino shuttles - they link the ferry terminals, airport and big resorts and anyone can board
- Queue for egg tarts and pork chop buns - the famous bakeries earn their lines
- Hand over and receive things with both hands, from money to name cards
✗ Better avoided
- Add a tip on top of the bill - a 10% service charge is already included and extra is not expected
- Photograph on casino gaming floors - cameras stop at the door
- Stick chopsticks upright in a rice bowl - it recalls funeral incense
- Treat Macau as a Hong Kong suburb - separate currency, separate history, and locals notice
Worth knowing
- Pataca change is hard to exchange once you leave - spend it or convert before departure
- You must be 21 to enter casino gaming floors, and ID checks at the door are routine
- Portuguese and Chinese are both official - old-town street signs and menus carry both
- The historic centre is compact - most UNESCO sights sit within a short stroll of Senado Square
Plugs and voltage: Wikipedia, «Mains electricity by country» (after the IEC World Plugs list), read 15 October 2026.
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Keep planning
Customs are living things - regions differ, cities relax, generations shift. Take these notes as a friendly head start, watch what locals do, and when in doubt a smile and a greeting in the local language cover almost everything.