Cotai travel guide

Cotai isn't a neighbourhood to walk around; it's a district of hotel complexes linked by shuttles and the LRT, so choose one hotel and decide which days you'll head out.

The big hotels run free shuttles from the airport, ferry terminals, border gates and the Macao Port of the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge.

The LRT Taipa Line stops at Cotai West and Cotai East stations and runs until 23:15 Monday to Thursday.

Give the peninsula's heritage walk its own day, and in Cotai separate hotel days from going-out days. City buses cost 6 patacas in cash, or 3 patacas on regular routes with a Macau Pass. Taxis from the airport cost a base 21 patacas plus 8 patacas. Check entry requirements for your nationality before you travel.

Visa and entry requirements for Macao

Whether you need a visa, how long you can stay and which pre-arrival forms apply all depend on your nationality and the purpose of your trip. Check the official source below, and your own government's travel advice, before you book.

• Entry requirements (Macao SAR Government Portal) (Macao SAR Government)
• Public Security Police Force of Macao (Macao SAR Government)

Cotai is a hotel district on reclaimed land between Taipa and Coloane. Big hotels such as The Venetian, The Parisian and Galaxy line the roads, and they're far apart, so moving by shuttle or LRT is easier than walking.

Each hotel's free shuttle timetable is different. The Parisian says it runs free shuttles from the airport, ferry terminals, border gates and the bridge's Macao Port, and on weekends from 11:00 to 19:00 it runs a shuttle from Taipa Village to The Parisian every 12 to 15 minutes. Timetables can change, so check the hotel's notice before you arrive.

Based on the Macao Transport Bureau, LRT and hotel information.

With 2 nights: on day one, check in and explore the hotel and malls; on day two, go out to the peninsula for a day of heritage sites. Day three is departure. Keep hotel days and peninsula walking days separate to cut down on walking.

With 4 nights: spend days one and two in Cotai, day three on the peninsula's heritage route and day four in Taipa Village. On peninsula days from Cotai, add taxi or bus time and head out early.

The airport hotel-shuttle stop is in the north car park, with departures every 15 to 20 minutes from 11:00 to 21:00. The LRT Taipa Line runs a short way from Airport Station to Cotai East, which is easy with light luggage; it operates 6:30 to 23:15 Monday to Thursday and until 23:59 Friday to Sunday and on public holidays.

Taxis from the airport cost a base 21 patacas plus 8 patacas, then 2 patacas per 220 m. Bus 26 runs from the airport through the Cotai hotel area for 6 patacas in cash. Coming by sea from Hong Kong, Cotai Water Jet arrives at Taipa Ferry Terminal in about an hour, where free hotel shuttles are waiting.

With a Macau Pass or transport card, a bus transfer within 45 minutes of your first ride is free if the second fare is the same or lower, or you pay only the difference if it's higher. Express X routes cost 4 patacas by card. Use hotel shuttles wherever they go, and fill only the gaps with buses or the LRT to keep costs lowest.

In Cotai you'll often eat inside the hotel malls. Food courts are for a quick bite; some hotel restaurants require bookings or have dress codes; Cantonese-style dim sum makes a good brunch. Mall egg tarts may taste different from the original peninsula shops, so treat them as a snack. We don't pick shops or prices here.

Macau grants visa-free stays to many nationalities, but the permitted length depends on your passport. Check the official Macau government portal before you travel. You may be asked to show a return ticket and sufficient funds for your stay. The local emergency number is 999.

When Typhoon Signal No. 8 is raised, outdoor activities and ferries stop and the bridge may close. According to The Parisian's parking information, self-parking costs 25 patacas per hour or 300 patacas for 24 hours, with 5 free hours a day, so if you're driving over the bridge, check the hotel's notice.

Before you leave Cotai

• Open the hotel's free shuttle timetable before arrival
• Keep peninsula heritage days and hotel days separate
• Choose shuttle, LRT or taxi for the airport
• Check your passport validity
• Check entry requirements on the official sources

• Staying in a big hotel: Cotai links hotels by shuttle; give the peninsula's heritage sites a day.
• Lots of luggage: the airport hotel shuttle is simplest, from 11:00 to 21:00.
• Want meals in one place: food courts and hotel restaurants are together inside the malls.