I/4 How to find us

You can get to Macao by ferry from Hong Kong to the Macao ferry terminal, or through the Chinese border gate in Zhuhai, or by flying to Macao airport.

Passports and visas

A. Visas are required by all visitors except:

a) Residents of Macau;

b) Nationals of Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cape Verde, Croatia, Czech, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominica, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mali, Malta, Mongolia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Tanzania and the United Kingdom(6 months) for a stay up to 90 days;

c) Nationals of Australia, Canada, Chile, India, Indonesia, Kiribati, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Namibia, New Zealand, Philippines, Samoa, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, the United States of America and Uruguay for a stay up to 30 days;

d) Nationals of China with valid Macao entry/depart documents, including residents of Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and overseas Chinese for a stay of up to 30 days;

e) The "Hong Kong Identity Card" (with symbol "*", "***" or "R"), "Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card" or "Hong Kong Reentry Permit" holders may stay in Macau for a maximum period of one year.

f) Holders of Diplomatic Passport or "Laissez Passer" issued by the United Nations.

g) Holders of Consulate/Diplomatic documents issued by the Macau SAR or Hong Kong SAR.

B. Visas can be obtained from the Immigration Services through Embassies/Consulates of the PRC and should be used within the validity. The visa is expired after the valid date.

C. Visas are also available on arrival in Macau at the Immigration Services for a period of 30 days.

There are three types:

Individual - MOP$100, for individual traveller for a single stay of up to 30 days in Macau, children under 12 years of age pay MOP$50.

Family - MOP$200 for couples, husband travelling with wife and or children (under 12 years of age) of same surname or on proof of their relationship.

Group - MOP$50 per person for bonafide groups of 10 or more and children aged 12 or under.

For further information, please call the Macau Immigration Services of Public Security Police Force: (Macau Area code)853 - 2872 5488 or visit the website of Macau Government Tourist Office: http://www.macautourism.gov.mo/en/info/get2macau.php

If you are from another country or staying longer you should arrange a visa in advance through UNU-IIST. Send us your name as shown in your passport, date of birth, nationality, passport number and dates of issue and expiry, and a fax number. We will fax you a visa attestation a few days after receipt of the information.

Please also check if you need a visa to transit Hong Kong. Most passport-holders do not require a visa for stays of less than 14 days, however, please note that some passport-holders are required to hold a valid visa for Hong Kong for whatever purpose (including those who are in transit and remain on the airside). So I kindly remind you to obtain the information of the most updated visa requirements from the Hong Kong Immigration Department's Web Site: http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/hkvisas_4.htm If you are confused with this, please contact us for clarification.

Visa applications for Hong Kong are processed through the Chinese Embassy in your country of residence.

Getting to Macao from Hong Kong

You will probably arrive at Hong Kong's new airport, Chek Lap Kok.

Direct Ferry to Macao

A new possibility is to get a ferry directly to Macao from the airport. To do this you need to find the ticket desk for Sky Pier BEFORE you go through passport control. It is not very well marked, so ask staff to direct you to Sky Pier or Macao Ferry. The boats are not very frequent, and you need to be there one hour before a sailing as they have to go and find your luggage. So you will probably have to wait a while before you will leave the airport this way. The ferry from the airport takes 45 minutes to reach Macao. You need to compare with getting to Macao through Hong Kong, which will take you at least 2 hours, probably 2.5, and involves carrying your luggage on and off a bus or train and into the Macao ferry terminal. An economy ticket to Macao costs 200 HK$, so this direct route is also the cheapest, but not by very much.

You can check the sailing times at the Sky Pier website.

This direct route means that you do not have to enter Hong Kong, i.e. you do not pass Hong Kong passport control. So if you come from one of the few countries where you need a visa to enter Hong Kong, this route would be useful for you. But make sure your flight arrives in plenty of time for the last ferry! You must be at the ticket desk an hour before the ferry leaves, and not a minute less, so don't rely on this unless your flight is due to arrive at least 1.5 hours before the last ferry.

If you intend to use the direct airport ferry, I kindly remind you to double check whether you need a transit visa because some passport-holders are required to hold a valid visa for Hong Kong for whatever purpose (including those who are in transit and remain on the airside). If this requirement has been inadvertently overlooked, you get the chance to be stuck in the airport and may be repatriated to the place where you come from. Additionally, the regulations say that you can only take a ferry on the same day. For instance, you are not allowed to take the last airport ferry at 20:15 from Macau to Hong Kong, intend to stay overnight in the airport in order to take the flight in the following day. Please contact us if you have any question about this.

You may also wish to inform us about your arrival time, so that we may meet in Macao. If so please phone us: In our office hours (9:30-13:00, 14:30-18:00) you can call us from the airport on 001 853 2871-2930. Outside working hours, phone Chris George, Dang Van Hung, Liu Zhiming, Mike Reed or Tomasz Janowski. See telephone numbers below.

Macao via Hong Kong

You will be taking a bus to the Macao Ferry Terminal on Hong Kong Island (about 40 minutes), and then a ferry to Macao (1 hour).

1. Once you have gone through passport control, fetch your luggage, and clear customs. (Take a trolley, which is free and can be wheeled all the way to a bus or taxi.)

2. After customs you can:

   1. Exchange money - at least 400 HK$ per person. One US$ is 7.73 HK$. You will probably need change for the bus fare (40 HK$ per person) and for phone calls (1-2-5 HK$). Macao Patacas (MOP) are worth 3% less than HK$. HK$ are freely used in Macao, but MOP cannot be used in Hong Kong. You may obtain MOP after arriving in Macao.

   2. Obtain Hong Kong Tourist Information

   3. Obtain Macao Tourist Information from separate counters.

3. The next step is to get a bus, taxi or train to the Shun Tak ferry terminal, also called the Macao Ferry Terminal. Follow signs to Taxi/Bus in the "Ground Transportation Centre", across from the Arrival Hall.

4. The airport bus is much cheaper than a taxi and takes about the same time (typically 40-50 minutes, depending on traffic), has plenty of space for luggage, and runs frequently. Airport Bus A11 goes from the airport to the Shun Tak ferry terminal - there is often one waiting at the airport. They are intended to be used by tourists, and have automatic announcements about stops in English as well as Chinese. The A11 runs every 12-20 minutes.

   The fare is 40 HK$ per person. No change is given. If you do not have change, you can buy tickets at the travel information desk in the Arrivals Hall.

5. A taxi usually costs about 350-400HK$. Ask for "Macao Ferry" or "Shun Tak" (and preferably both, to be sure the driver understands). Or show the driver our address written in Chinese - see the end of this page.

6. Airport bus A11 stops at the entrance to the Shun Tak Ferry Terminal. Note that the Ferry terminal bus stop is the first stop after going through the Western Harbour Tunnel, which is the second tunnel the bus goes through.

7. Taxis stop at the foot of the escalator and elevator.

8. The Airport Express train travels between the airport and Hong Kong Station. The journey takes 25 minutes and the fare is 100 HK$. Trains are frequent (every 8 minutes). Tickets can be bought at the Customer Service Centres in the Arrivals Hall or the Ground Transportation Centre. Hong Kong Station is about a 10 minute walk from the Shun Tak Centre, so if you have luggage it is better to get a taxi (15-20 HK$).

9. At Shun Tak ferry terminal proceed to 3rd floor. Buy single (one-way) ticket to Macao on the "TurboJet" (24 hours a day, every 15-30 minutes). Price varies with time of day from around 130-170 HKWe recommend economy class. Entrance and ticket check for the economy class is to the right of the ticket office (facing it), and the first class is to the left.

   There are actually two kinds of ferries operated by TurboJet: Jetfoil and Turbocat. On both the journey takes 1 hour. The Turbocat seating is a little more comfortable, but the Jetfoil ride is smoother, so prefer it if you are very prone to seasickness, or it is windy. Before you purchase the ticket, you can ask the ticket office which kind of ferry is being used and choose the next ferry if necessary. They typically use Jetfoil and Turbocat alternately.

   If you are coming to Macao only for a day or so then you can buy return tickets in Hong Kong - but you need to know exactly when you will be leaving Macao, as tickets are for particular sailings. It is generally quite safe to buy a single ticket for each journey, unless you are returning from Macao at a busy time, particularly late Sunday or public holiday evening.

   You can also buy standby returns but you will not save much and you take the risk of having to wait in Macao for a boat with standby space available.

10. At certain times you may experience 1-2 hours delay, usually on Friday evenings and during the week-end, when many people go to Macao for the casinos. If you have to wait you can either take a meal in the Shun Tak Centre or go for a walk across the street to the nicely restored Western Market Building. There are left luggage lockers on the 2nd floor (1 floor below the ticket office).

11. At the entrance to the ferry terminal, at the foot of the escalator and elevator, there is a bell and interphone on the left of the elevator. If you need help with your luggage, press the bell and ask for the porter service. The porter will come within a few minutes and deliver your luggage to the luggage counter behind the ticket check. It costs 30-40 HK$ per item, depending on weight. When you reach the luggage counter you go with your luggage a few steps to the custom desk, and then your luggage is taken away to be put on the ferry, while you proceed back to the luggage counter and then down the escalator to passport control.

    If you take your own luggage, then after you have bought your ferry ticket and passed through the ticket check, you reach the luggage counter and may be charged for large luggage items at 20-30 HK$ per item. This charge includes porterage of the luggage to Macao. As with any luggage delivered to the porter service at the entrance, they will take it with you a few steps to the customs desk, then put it on board while you go down the escalator to passport control.

    Luggage taken on for you in Hong Kong will also be carried off for you in Macao. The luggage usually goes on the same ferry as you, but it is not unknown (especially if you only just catch the ferry) for it to be put on the next one, usually 15 minutes later. You have the option of carrying your luggage on and off the ferry yourself, but you still have to pay the charge if asked at the luggage counter.

    At the Macao ferry terminal, you collect your luggage after passport control and before customs from a counter on the right. You may again ask for porter service to the taxi rank. It costs MOP10 (or HK$10) per item.

12. After checking your ticket go down the escalator to passport control, which is often time-consuming, so be in good time, 20 minutes before departure. But don't panic if you are sold a ticket for a boat leaving in 10 minutes. Just check in immediately; the queues tend to move miraculously quicker just then. And at worst, once they have let you past the ticket check they will put you on the next boat.

13. After passport control proceed down to the main waiting lounge.

14. You may wish to inform us about your arrival time, so that we may meet in Macao. If so please phone us: In our office hours (9:30-13:00, 14:30-18:00) you can call us from Hong Kong on 001 853 2871-2930. Outside working hours, phone Mike Reed, Chris George, Dang Van Hung, Liu Zhiming or Tomasz Janowski. See telephone numbers below.

    There are coin phones in the Shun Tak terminal main waiting lounge. 1-2-5 HK$s are accepted. 2 HK$ should be enough.

15. About 15 minutes before departure, get a seat assignment sticker put on to your ticket from the desk beside your departure door, and then wait for boarding.

16. Upon arrival at the Macao Ferry Terminal, if you need help to carry your luggage -- and did not check it in in Hong Kong -- then ask ferry and/or pier attendants. They will call for a man to come. He will come after a few minutes, and you will pay him 25 MOP (or HK$ 25).

17. If you have a visa attestation letter from us, please go to the "Visa" window at Immigration Control. Otherwise, go to one of the booths marked "Visitors".

18. Checked-in luggage is collected just after Immigration Control, from a counter on the right near the "Visa" window.

From arrival in Macao

If you have informed us of your arrival time then there should be someone to meet you. If not, take a taxi. Most taxi drivers speak Cantonese only. Therefore make sure that we have sent you your destination address written in Chinese. The address of UNU-IIST itself is written below. The taxi fare will be some 20-40 MOP (the same amount can be paid in HK$).

Telephone numbers

UNU-IIST               : +853-2871.2930

Academic Staff
Mike REED              : +853-2884.4316
                         +853-6663.8283
Chris GEORGE           : +853-2881.0423   
                         +853-6632.1712    
DANG Van Hung          : +853-2883.6916      
Tomasz JANOWSKI        : +853-2881.0095     
                       : +853-6665.2305    
LIU Zhiming            : +853-2883.3245
OJO Adegboyega         : +853-2852.5362
                       : +853-6684.5995
WANG Xu                : +853-2852.5362  

Admin Staff
Wendy HOI              : +853-2852.6579
                         +853-6682.7731 
Kitty CHAN             : +853-6681.0095
Coffee DAS DORES       : +853-2883.1238 
Michelle HO            : +853-6688.5909
Sandy LEE              : +853-6683.6561
LEI Sao Chi            : +853-2834.3632
Alice PUN              : +853-2835.2564
                         +853-6663.0828
                                         
Address of UNU-IIST    : Casa Silva Mendes,
                         Est. do Engenheiro Trigo No. 4, Macao

Chinese address of UNU-IIST