Macau covers 32.9 square kilometers across Macau Peninsula, Taipa, Coloane, and the Cotai reclaimed strip. Walking handles most movement within districts. Senado Square to the Ruins of St. Paul's measures 600 meters. The peninsula's compact historic center from A-Ma Temple to Guia Hill spans roughly three kilometers north to south.
Public buses operate six routes across all zones. Transmac and TCM run services from 0600 to midnight daily. Fares cost 6 patacas (MOP) for standard routes, paid exact change or via Macau Pass stored-value cards available at 7-Eleven and Circle K stores. The 3A connects Ruins of St. Paul's to Taipa, running every 12 minutes during daytime hours. Route 21A serves Coloane Village and Hac Sa Beach. No metro exists.
Taxis use cream bodywork with black rooftops. Flag fall costs 19 MOP for first 1600 meters, then 2 MOP per 260 meters. Surcharges add 5 MOP for trips starting from Macau International Airport, 5 MOP for trunk use. Phone booking costs 5 MOP extra. Drivers legally refuse destinations under 500 meters. Most speak Cantonese only. Few accept cards.
Three bridge crossings link the peninsula to Taipa: Governor Nobre de Carvalho Bridge opened 1974, Friendship Bridge completed 1994, Sai Van Bridge finished 2005. Public buses cross free. Private vehicles cannot legally drive between Macau and mainland China without dual license plates issued through quota systems.
Free shuttle buses connect major casino resorts to key points. Venetian Macao operates pickups from Border Gate, Taipa Ferry Terminal, and Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal every 15 minutes from 0900 to 2300. MGM, Wynn, and Galaxy maintain similar services. No tickets required, board first-come basis, non-gaming visitors permitted.
Bicycles rent from shops in Coloane Village for 50-80 MOP per day. A dedicated path runs 1.8 kilometers from Seac Pai Van Park to Hac Sa Beach. Peninsula streets lack bike infrastructure. Riding on Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro or near Senado Square presents traffic density challenges. Electric scooters were banned for public road use in 2019.
Light Rail Transit opened the Taipa section in December 2019, running 9.3 kilometers from Ocean station to Cotai East. Eleven stations serve Taipa and Cotai only, not reaching Macau Peninsula or Coloane. Single journey fares range 6-10 MOP. Trains run every five to eight minutes from 0630 to 0100. Extension to peninsula Border Gate station remains under construction with no confirmed completion date.
Cross-border movement to Zhuhai, China occurs at Border Gate (Portas do Cerco), operating 24 hours. TurboJet and Cotai Water Jet ferries connect Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal to Hong Kong Sheung Wan in 55 minutes for 171-296 HKD depending on class and time. Night services depart until 0530. Taipa Ferry Terminal handles routes to Hong Kong International Airport SkyPier and Shenzhen. Macau International Airport on Taipa serves 50 destinations with scheduled service.
Macau's subtropical climate produces hot wet summers and mild dry winters. October through December records average highs of 24-28°C with monthly rainfall under 50mm. January shows 18°C average high, February 19°C. March transitions with 21°C averages and rising humidity. Typhoon season runs June through October, with August and September carrying highest frequency. The Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau issued Signal No. 8 or higher eleven times during 2018, requiring suspension of public transport and outdoor activities.
April and May record 25-29°C with relative humidity above 85 percent. Fog occurs on 15-20 days per month in these periods, occasionally delaying flights and ferry departures. June begins monsoon patterns, averaging 280mm rainfall. July peaks at 316mm average precipitation across 17 rain days. August maintains similar volumes. These months show 31-32°C daytime temperatures with heat index values exceeding 40°C on high humidity days.
Chinese New Year dates shift annually by lunar calendar, typically falling late January to mid-February. Hotels multiply rates by two to four times baseline during this 15-day period. The 2024 celebration ran February 10-24. The Macau Grand Prix occurs the third full weekend of November each year since 1954, with 2024 dates set for November 14-17. Guia Circuit race day closes multiple peninsula roads. Accommodation costs rise 40-60 percent that weekend.