Hong Kong to Macau ferry — TurboJET & Cotai Water Jet

Macau is not a place you explore by ferry — it is a place you reach by one. The compact peninsula-and-islands Special Administrative Region has no domestic ferry network of its own; instead its terminals are among the busiest fast-ferry gateways of the Pearl River Delta, linking Macau to Hong Kong, mainland Shenzhen and Hong Kong International Airport across the estuary of the Pearl River.

The Hong Kong–Macau fast ferries

The signature crossing is the roughly one-hour dash between Hong Kong and Macau, run around the clock by high-speed catamarans and jetfoils. TurboJET serves the Macau Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal on the peninsula, close to the historic centre and the older casino district, while Cotai Water Jet serves the Taipa Ferry Terminal beside the Cotai strip of integrated resorts. Between them the two operators keep sailings running through the day and, on the Outer Harbour route, overnight — see the Hong Kong ferry guide for the full picture of the crossing.

Choosing your terminal

Which Macau terminal you want depends on where you are headed. Outer Harbour puts you near the Macau peninsula, Senado Square and the Ruins of St Paul's; Taipa is the gateway to the Cotai casino resorts and sits next to Macau International Airport. Both terminals also handle cross-boundary services to mainland Shenzhen and shuttle links to Hong Kong International Airport's SkyPier for transfer passengers.

Ferries and the bridge

Since the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge opened in 2018, some travellers now cross the delta by road, but the fast ferries remain a core link — direct, frequent and dropping you in the heart of Macau rather than at a distant border post. For a day trip from Hong Kong, the round-the-clock Outer Harbour service is still the classic way to arrive.

Visa and entry

Macau sets its own entry rules, separate from both Hong Kong and mainland China, and grants visa-free entry to well over 140 nationalities for stays of 30 to 90 days — most European, North American, Australasian and many Asian travellers included. Because Macau is a distinct immigration zone, you clear passport control on arrival, so carry your passport for the ferry from Hong Kong even though both are Chinese SARs. Always check your own nationality's allowance before travelling.