Macau’s economy heavily relies on its tourism and gaming industry. Specifically, casinos are its main bread and butter, even bringing in more revenues than the West’s Las Vegas. Even so, the wonders of Macau don’t just stop there. The country has a lot of UNESCO World Heritage Sites that are perfect for you if you prefer to go on a cultural trip.

Ruins of St. Paul’s

Once known as the “Vatican of the Far East,” this 17th-century church was the epitome of the east’s Roman Catholic ministry. It was destroyed by fire in 1835, leaving behind the 27-meter-tall facade. Later on, the original granite facade was reinforced with steel to preserve the entire structure. The ruins now serve as an altar and a museum that you can visit daily at free costs.

The Ruins of St. Paul is about 10 km from the Macau International Airport. You’ll have to drive over the harbor via Pte. da Amizade, and it should take you less than 20 minutes to reach the area.

A-Ma Temple

This 15th-century temple was built in honor of the great sea goddess, Mazu. An annual festival is held here every 23rd day of the third moon in the Chinese Calendar.

Macau Tower

Built in 1998, the Macau Tower Convention & Entertainment Centre was constructed to provide an out-of-this-world experience for its guests. The tower has a total of 63 floors, and daredevils can even climb up to the topmost tip of the tower!

Macau Tower sits along the harbor. On a good day, it will only take you about 12 minutes or less to drive from the Macau International Airport if you take Av. dos Jogos da Asia Oriental.

Giant Panda Pavilion

The Giant Panda Pavilion is a 930m2 park that houses the Macau Giant Pandas. Here, visitors get to learn about their behavior, the issues threatening their survival, and the different protection initiatives that you can actually take part in.

The pavilion is situated in the Seac Pai Van Park. From the airport, it will take you less than 10 minutes to reach the area via Est. do Istmo. If you’re driving straight from the airport, you can secure an International Driving Permit in Macao upon arrival. With us, you can get your digital IDP in as fast as 20 minutes!

Coloane

Suppose you want to experience a more laid back Macau, head on over to Coloane. This area is where you’ll see the most number of colonial structures in the country, and it is a good area to go swimming.

Coloane is located on Taipa Island. It is about 7.4 km south of the Macau International Airport, and it would only take 15 minutes to drive to the area.

Nam Van Lake

Nam Van Lake is a man-made lake in Macau. This is where you’ll witness the infamous dragon boat race and the breathtaking fireworks festival. A portion of the lake is lined with a wide promenade where everyone can do a lot of activities.

Nam Van Lake is right along the harbor, a couple of meters east of the Macau Tower. It is about 8.4km from the airport if you drive via Av. dos Jogos da Asia Oriental.

Are you eager to visit these places? One of the top ways to enjoy Macau is by driving yourself. It's quicker, cheaper, and less tiring. But, you need to know the Macau driving rules before you start your road journey in Macau. Here are a few important ones to keep in mind.

Do not drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs

Drinking and driving is never a good idea. Macau has a vast selection of unique drinks that you can try, but always remember to drink moderately. The government set a BAC limit of 0.5g. If you are caught driving beyond this, you will incur fines of up to 30,000 MOP, imprisonment, and a ban from driving in Macau for up to three(3) years, depending on the gravity of the violation.

Observe the right-of-way

In Macau, vehicles on the left have the right-of-way. However, specific instances also dictate the right-of-way. Vehicles in the following situations and conditions have the right-of-way:

• Vehicles that are not making a turn
• motorized vehicles
• driving away from parking, fuel station, building, or residential area
• priority vehicles, policy convoys, ambulances, and other emergency response vehicles
• those already inside the roundabout

Do not drive 20 km/hr more than the maximum speed limit

There are a lot of streets in Macau. In fact, Macau is one of the top countries with the highest road density. To regulate road traffic more effectively, there isn’t a universal speed limit in the country even if all the areas are basically urbanized. With this, the speed limit in Macao is often specified in streets and roads.

Hence, you should keep an eye out for these speed limit signs and make sure not to go over the maximum speed limit unless it’s a valid emergency. You will incur corresponding fines, especially if you reach more than 20 km/hr or 30 km/hr from the speed limit.