What to Put on in MACAU • What to Pack & Finest Time to Go to

Flying to Macau soon? If so, you’re probably wondering: What’s the weather going to be like in summer, spring, winter or fall? How hot or cold would it be? What clothes should you pack and wear? And most importantly, when is the best time to visit? In this article, we’ll answer all these questions!

Macau is situated just below the Tropic of Cancer. Despite that, it enjoys a humid subtropical climate, similar to neighboring Hong Kong and Southern China. It goes through a four-season cycle, but summer and winter are much longer. Spring and autumn and their interchange periods are very brief.

• Summer: May – September
• Autumn: October-November
• Winter: December-February
• Spring: March-April

Note that the May to October is also the typhoon season, but it doesn’t mean that it’d going to be stormy every single day.

MACAU IN WINTER

Winter in Macau is from December to February. As someone who spent most of my life in the tropics, I prefer traveling to Macau in the winter season. These are the driest months, so rain showers are unlikely.

It can get really cold at times, but don’t expect to see snowfall.

• Winter Mean Daily Temperature:
  15.2 – 16.9 °C
  59.4 – 62.4 °F

I really like Macanese winter. In general, you can get away with just a hoodie and jeans in December or sweater and thicker jackets or coat in January and February. But I never really had to wear thermal innerwear or gloves.

However, due to climate change, it can still get tricky at times. Our most recent trip coincided with a so-called “freak week” because it was so cold, it felt freezing. Even the locals were so perplexed by it.

By the way, Macau is not crowded in winter. The only exception is the period surrounding the Chinese New Year, which draws throngs of tourists from Hong Kong, mainland China, and other Asian countries.

Macau in January

Here are some photos of Macau taken in January, the coldest month in Macau. Check out what people are wearing to give you an idea on what to pack for your trip.

Macau in February

Here are some pics from a February Macau trip. It’s still pretty chilly but not as cold as January.

MACAU IN SUMMER

Summer is said to be the cheapest period to visit Macau, something that budget travelers can take advantage of. But we try to avoid it when possible because not only is it the hottest season, it is also the wettest, with both temperatures and rainfall peaking in June to August.

The mean temperature plays within the 27 to 28 degrees celsius range or 82 to 84 degrees fahrenheit. And on really hot days, it reaches up to 38.9 degrees Celsius or 102 degrees Fahrenheit.

• June-August Mean Daily Temperature
  27.8 – 28.4° C
  (82 – 83.1°F)

So nope, we haven’t visited Macau in June, July, or August because we are consciously trying to avoid the heat and the rain.

But we have been there in September, on the tail end of the summer season.

Macau in September

Here are some images we shot in September. Again, notice what people are wearing to give you an idea. As you can see, we were wearing light shirt and shorts because it was still pretty warm, but not unbearable. It was quite pleasant, especially at night.

And yes, September is also within the typhoon season. But it doesn’t mean that you’re guaranteed to be hot, bothered, and wet when you visit. As you all know, weather is fickle and unpredictable, especially these days.

In fact, it didn’t even rain during our visit, not even a drizzle, not even once. It’s always nice when the weather cooperates.

MACAU IN AUTUMN

Autumn (October-November) is widely regarded to be the best time to visit Macau. This is when the air is getting cooler and it’s much more comfortable to walk around in the streets.

If you dream of Macau because you want to witness the Macau Grand Prix, know that it usually happens on the second or third week of November. Established in 1954, the Macau Grand Prix is the only street circuit racing event in the world that is open to both cars and motorcycles! This is one of the biggest events of the year in Macau, and the mood during the entire race weekend is very festive. It’s a great time to experience Macau.

However, because of the demand, know that hotel prices tend to go up within this period.

If you don’t like big crowds, then this might not be for you. Also try to avoid the days around the National Day (October 1), which drives more tourists, crowding key attractions.

Macau in November

Here are some photos from one of our November trips in Macau. Again, check out what they’re wearing. I was wearing a beanie in this photo because it did shower very lightly at one point, but it didn’t last long.

What is the best time to visit Macau?

Most publications recommend October to December. The Macanese autumn sees fine weather and comfortable temperatures.

But I really prefer the winter months – December to February. It can get a lot chillier, but at least I don’t need to worry about the rain or typhoons. Most of my favorite spots in Macau are outdoors – the Senado Square, the Ruins of St. Paul’s, and its many relaxing gardens! And the rain can put a damper on your plans.

Whatever month you choose, book your accommodations in advance. Don’t search for accommodations at the last minute, especially if visiting around the Macau Grand Prix dates and national holidays like Chinese New Year and National Day. We made that mistake once, and we had a tough time looking for cheap rooms because most are sold out and the ones that had vacancies were super expensive.

Where to Stay in Macau

Here are some of the top hotels in Macau.

Search for more Macau Hotels!

How to Get to Macau

Philippine Airlines offers direct flights from Manila to Macau! So if you haven’t booked a ticket yet, consider flying with PAL. One thing I love about PAL is the generous baggage allowance that automatically comes with each booking. For Macau flights, check-in baggage can weigh 25 kg maximum for Economy passengers.

That’s on top of the 7-kg carry-on baggage allowance. Often, although some flights with low-cost carriers really do appear cheap, when you start adding baggage allowance, the total cost gets close (sometimes even exceeding) PAL’s prices.

Another reason we prefer PAL is its four-star service and delicious inflight meals and unlimited drinks on board, which are already included in the booking.

Visit philippineairlines.com to search for flights to Macau!

Updates Log & Acknowledgment

2024 • 02 • 15 – Original posting