19/10/2026
DAY 1/8 🇲🇴 Our First Day in Macau! From Hong Kong Airport to the Historic Streets of Macau
1. ✈️ And our adventure begins! We boarded Cambodia Airways for a 2-hour-and-15-minute flight. Macau and Hong Kong, here we come! After all the planning, it was finally time to explore these two exciting destinations as a family!
2. 🚌 Our next stop: Macau by bus FOR FREE!!! After arriving in Hong Kong, we headed to the transfer area (Transfer Area E2) and followed the signs for the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge ticketing counter.
3. ⏰ A little waiting time before our Macau adventure! We found the counter and checked in for our bus. Buses depart in 30-minute intervals, but ours was scheduled for 1 PM, more than an hour after we arrived, because we had luggage to check in. So, instead of just waiting around, we decided to grab lunch nearby!
4. 🥢 Of course, we ate! Right across from the counter was a restaurant called Tasty Congee & Noodle Wantun Shop so we grabbed our first taste of Hong Kong food: wonton noodle soup, red bean milk tea, a red bean drink, and turnip cake! Everything was so good that we were already off to a delicious start. 😋
5. 🚶 Time to find our bus! After lunch, we followed the counter staff's instructions, went down the escalator, and followed the signs to the bus terminal. Thankfully, everything was clearly marked, so the transfer was pretty straightforward.
6. 🧳 Here's something interesting we noticed! Our luggage tags had been changed from Cambodia Airways tags to bus tags with QR codes. Before boarding, the bus conductor scanned the codes. It was a smooth handover from plane to bus, and we were ready to go!
7. 🌉 Crossing the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge! The bus was almost full! After taking photos of the bridge, we tried to catch some sleep during the 40-minute ride. Imagine crossing one of the world's most impressive sea-crossing structures while travelling to a brand-new destination!
8. 🇲🇴 And finally… MACAU! Seeing the signs welcoming us to Macau made everything feel real. We were so excited! Best of all, the entire journey from the airport to Macau had gone smoothly. If you're planning the same route, this was a promising start!
9. 🚕 Bus or taxi to the hotel? At the station, we could take a public bus or a taxi to Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16. The bus was cheaper, but with three suitcases in tow, we chose convenience. Our taxi ride took around 22 minutes and cost HK$83 (approximately US$10.60). Sometimes, especially when travelling with kids and luggage, convenience wins!
10. 🏨 Our hotel looked like it belonged in Europe! From the outside, Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 didn't look like a typical hotel. Its architecture reminded us of an old European building, and we actually had to double-check that we were in the right place! But once we stepped into the lobby, everything changed. Modern, elegant, and luxurious. What a contrast!
11. 🛏️ A quick check-in, then off we went! Luckily, our room was ready when we arrived. We dropped our bags, checked out the room, took a quick breather, and headed straight out. We had limited time to explore, and we weren't about to waste our first afternoon in Macau!
12. 📍 Location was one of the reasons we chose this hotel. Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 is within walking distance of Senado Square and the Ruins of St. Paul's, two of Macau's most famous historic attractions. We love staying somewhere that lets us explore on foot! We'll share a separate review of our hotel soon, so watch this space.
13. 👀 Our first impression of Macau? At first, it reminded us of Hong Kong, with Chinese signs everywhere. But the neighbourhood around our hotel felt different. Instead of towering skyscrapers and busy shopping districts, we saw residential buildings and small local businesses tucked along the streets: restaurants, pharmacies, and neighbourhood shops. We were excited to see what else Macau had in store for us!
14. 🥧 First Macau food stop: egg tarts! We spotted a Koi Kei Bakery selling them, and how could we resist? Macau's Portuguese-style egg tarts are a must-try. We enjoyed them, although we still have a soft spot for the Portuguese egg tarts we tried in Lisbon! Have you tried both? Which do you prefer? Then we spotted a shop selling milk dessert with red bean toppings: we thought it was soy milk but turned out it was cow’s milk! Do you know why there’s plenty of cow’s milk here? Because it’s Ma-cao! Haha let’s see who’ll really read all our captions and find this joke!
15. 🏛️ Hello, Senado Square! This beautiful historic square is one of Macau's most iconic landmarks, known for its pastel-coloured European-style buildings and distinctive black-and-white wave-patterned pavement. The moment we saw the pavement, we were reminded of Portugal! Macau was under Portuguese administration from the mid-16th century until 1999, and its influence is still visible in the architecture, food, and languages. It's fascinating to see European and Chinese cultures come together in one place!
16. 💊 One thing we couldn't help noticing: so many pharmacies! Alongside Western shops like Giordano and Skechers, pharmacies seemed to be everywhere. Macau has a busy medicine retail market, with visitors from mainland China among its customers. It's a reminder that every destination has its own shopping culture and local industries!
17. 🍪 Warning: don't walk these streets on a full stomach! As we made our way through the alleys towards the Ruins of St. Paul's, shopkeepers offered us free samples of crispy pork jerky (bakkwa) and almond cookies. One sample turned into another, and before we knew it, we were practically full! 😂 If you love trying local food, this stretch is a delicious little adventure.
18. 🇵🇭 And a little piece of home! We noticed many Filipinos working in Macau, from shops and restaurants to security jobs. Hearing familiar accents and seeing fellow Filipinos working abroad always gives us that little feeling of connection, even when we're thousands of kilometres from home.
19. ⛪ Finally, the famous Ruins of St. Paul's! We arrived in the afternoon, and wow, it was hot and crowded! But seeing this iconic landmark in person made the walk worthwhile. It's one of those places you've seen in photos countless times, yet standing right in front of it feels completely different.
20. 📸 Photos first, then a little history lesson! We climbed the steps, posed for photos, and walked around the famous façade. At the back, we discovered a museum that we could enter for free, where we saw a crypt and religious relics. It was a nice reminder that this isn't just a photogenic landmark; it also has a fascinating history.
21. ☕ Time for a snack break! After all that walking under the afternoon heat, we spotted McDonald's and decided to stop for coffee, fries, and a burger. Sometimes, familiar comfort food is exactly what you need when you're travelling with a child!
22. 🙏 Then came an unexpected blessing. We noticed a church right across from McDonald's and went inside. Luckily, Mass was ongoing! It was in Portuguese, but that didn't matter. We were still able to attend Mass, just as we usually do on Saturdays back in Phnom Penh. It was a beautiful little moment in the middle of our sightseeing day.
23. 🥟 One last taste of Portugal before heading back! On our way to the hotel, we spotted a Portuguese restaurant called Fabrica de Bifanas selling traditional snacks. We ordered a bifana, a Portuguese pork sandwich, and pastéis de bacalhau, delicious codfish fritters. We enjoyed them before finally returning to Sofitel for some much-needed rest.
24. ❤️ And that wraps up our first day in Macau! From the flight and bridge crossing to egg tarts, historic squares, church visits, and local snacks, we packed so much into one afternoon. We were tired, our feet had done plenty of walking, but we were already falling in love with Macau's unique mix of Chinese and Portuguese influences.
25. 🎭 Tomorrow, the adventure continues! We're heading to watch the spectacular House of Dancing Water show! What should you expect from this famous production? Stay tuned for Day 2 of our Macau–Hong Kong adventure. Follow Team Tala Travels for more family travel stories, tips, and discoveries! ❤️✈️
