Best Time to Visit Macau

Cool and dry: October to February

This is the stretch to aim for. Days are mild, the air feels lighter, and December is the driest month, with only 24 mm of rain. You can walk the old streets around Senado Square and the Ruins of St. Paul's without a sticky shirt. The climb up to Guia Fortress is pleasant too.

Late autumn has the clearest skies, and October has the most sun of the year. In January and February it's cooler, and the evenings suit a bowl of congee or a late egg tart in Taipa Village. Expect crowds around Chinese New Year, usually in late January or February, when hotel rooms fill up. The Macau Grand Prix runs in November and brings big crowds and road closures near the circuit. The Macau International Fireworks Contest is held in the autumn too, and it's worth catching if your dates line up.

Foggy and damp: March and April

Spring is the odd one out. Rain isn't heavy yet, but March has 10 rainy days and April has 13. Humidity sits near 88%, and the sky is often grey and misty. It's still fine for museums, casinos and long meals. Hiking the Coloane trails gets muddy, though.

Holiday weeks can be busy. Easter and the Labour Day break at the start of May bring visitors from mainland China, so the area around St. Paul's gets packed. Travelling with kids? Aim for a weekday.

Hot and wet: May to September

Be honest with yourself here. It's hot, heavy and rainy, with rain on 18 to 24 days a month. June is the wettest at 308 mm, with May and August close behind. July and August are the hottest, at 30°C by day and barely cooler at night. Typhoons can hit in this season, and ferries and some attractions may shut for a day or two.

The upside is lower hotel prices and fewer people outdoors. You'll spend your time in air-conditioned places like the Venetian, the Macau Museum and covered walkways between the casinos. If you hate crowds and don't mind a damp afternoon, it can work for a short city break. For beaches, such as Hac Sa on Coloane, you're better off visiting in autumn.