Is Macau safe? Typhoons, hospitals, dengue and the laws to know

Travel advice: what the three governments say

None of the UK, German or French governments advises against travel to Macau or to any part of it. Germany describes the situation as stable and issues no travel warning, and France places the whole Chinese territory, which for its advice includes Macau, at its normal level of vigilance, apart from Xinjiang. The advice covers all of Macau, a Special Administrative Region of China with its own entry and visa rules. Other governments may draw their own lines; check your own country's advice before you book.

Crime levels are low, and although there is no recent history of terrorism in Macau, attacks cannot be ruled out.

Macau does not recognise dual nationality, and the UK warns that British nationals who also hold Chinese nationality may be treated as Chinese citizens.

Prices and times checked 8 November 2026

Emergency numbers and the tourism hotline

Save these before you land:

• 999: the emergency number; for an ambulance, dial 999 and ask for one, and use the same number after a road accident.
• 28 333 000 (+853 28 333 000 from abroad): the 24-hour tourism hotline, with an operator or a recorded message in Cantonese, Mandarin, English, Portuguese and Japanese. It is also the 24-hour line of the Macao Tourism Crisis Management Office.
• +853 8988 9315: the Consumer Council, for shopping disputes.
• Your own embassy or consulate: save its number before you go, as some countries cover Macau from Hong Kong; Germany, for example, has no mission in Macau, and its Consulate General in Hong Kong is responsible.

Prices and times checked 8 November 2026

Hospitals, health centres and insurance

Visitors may go to any hospital or health centre in Macau for treatment or a consultation. Two hospitals run 24-hour emergency services: the government's Hospital Centre S. Januário on Estrada do Visconde de S. Januário (+853 2831 3731) and the private Kiang Wu Hospital on Estrada Coelho do Amaral (+853 2837 1333). In Taipa, the private University Hospital stands in Block H of the Macau University of Science and Technology on Avenida Wai Long (+853 2882 1819); it is not listed as running a 24-hour emergency department, so in an emergency dial 999. For less urgent problems any health centre on the peninsula, in Taipa or in Coloane will see you; the most central is the Tap Seac Health Centre on Avenida Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida (+853 2852 2232).

Medical care in Macau is good, and specialists and hospitals in Hong Kong are quickly reached, but medical services in both places are extremely expensive. The tourism office's hospital list gives no fees for visitors, so plan on your insurer paying rather than on a set charge, and carry proof of your cover. Take out travel health insurance that includes repatriation for the whole stay, and check before you go that it pays for local treatment and an unexpected medical evacuation, and that it covers your itinerary and planned activities; this is particularly important if you have a health condition or are pregnant. If you are referred to a medical facility for treatment, contact your insurer quickly. Add the premium to the figures in our Macau trip cost guide.

Bring all the medicines you think you might need, over-the-counter ones included, plus extra in case a typhoon or other delay extends the trip. For British travellers, prescriptions issued by UK doctors are not valid in Macau, so anyone who runs out needs to see a local doctor for a new prescription. For pharmacies, the tourism office points visitors to the website of the Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau. The UK Foreign Office keeps a list of medical providers in Macau where some staff speak English.

Prices and times checked 8 November 2026

Vaccines, dengue, chikungunya and bites

For a short city visit the list is short. Check your vaccines at least eight weeks before the trip and make sure routine courses, tetanus among them, are up to date, measles protection in particular. The US CDC recommends hepatitis A for unvaccinated travellers aged one year or older and hepatitis B for unvaccinated travellers of all ages. There is no malaria and no yellow fever in Macau, but TravelHealthPro lists a certificate rule, presumed to match mainland China's: proof of yellow fever vaccination for travellers aged nine months or over arriving from a risk country, or after more than 12 hours in transit at an airport in one.

Dengue is the mosquito risk to plan for: the Aedes mosquitoes that spread it throughout Macau bite by day, so protect yourself against bites especially in daytime. Macau also reported eight locally acquired chikungunya cases in 2025 (by 12 October 2025).

Rabid dogs are not commonly found in Macau, but avoid contact with all animals, and after any bite or scratch clean the wound thoroughly and get an urgent medical assessment, even if it looks trivial. For a long stay, special exposure or onward travel into China or South-East Asia, ask your doctor about dengue, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, tuberculosis (BCG) and typhoid vaccines, which are recommended for some travellers. Japanese encephalitis risk is thought to be year-round, highest between May and October, and short trips (usually less than a month), especially to urban areas only, are considered lower risk. Mainland China needs its own entry check; this site does not cover it.

Prices and times checked 8 November 2026

Tap water, heat and humidity

Macau's water comes directly from mainland China and is purified, with chlorine added, but drink only water from a safe source, never tap water. That is easy to follow: distilled drinking water is supplied in all hotel rooms and in restaurants.

The climate is subtropical, with mild, changeable winters and hot, humid summers. It is rather humid all year, with an average relative humidity of 79%; temperatures climb from April, and the heat is most intense from May to September, which the tourism office also gives as the rainy season. A summer day walking the Historic Centre's streets and squares or the Coloane hiking trails is where the heat matters: heat stroke can be deadly, so eat and drink regularly, wear loose and lightweight clothing, limit physical activity in high temperatures, and on many hours outside eat salty snacks and drink water. If a health problem makes you more vulnerable to air pollution, check local air quality data and adjust your activities when pollution is high. Our guide to the best time to visit Macau compares the months.

Prices and times checked 8 November 2026

Typhoons, ferries and storm surges

The typhoon season runs from May to November, and Germany warns that typhoons hit Macau regularly in the rainy season from April to October; they can cause flooding and landslides; public offices shut when Typhoon Signal No. 8 is issued, and from Signal No. 3 you should stay away from the shore and avoid water activities. Follow the signals and the instructions of local security forces. July, August and September are the most seriously affected months, and the southern Chinese coast, Hong Kong and Macau included, sees about ten typhoons a year on average between May and November.

Signal No. 1 means a tropical cyclone is centred within 800 km of Macau and may affect it. Once Signal No. 8 is up, stay indoors as far as possible and suspend all outdoor and marine activities; the cross-sea bridges can be closed at any time. TurboJET suspends all its Hong Kong–Macau ferry services until further notice when Signal No. 8 is issued, and Cotai Water Jet suspends all sailings at Signal No. 8 or higher and may suspend service for safety reasons at Strong Wind Signal No. 3. With the ferries stopped and the bridges liable to close, leave a spare day before an onward flight in the typhoon months. If a storm surge warning reaches orange, red or black, stay in a safe, high-lying place, keep away from basements and underground car parks, and do not use lifts.

Prices and times checked 8 November 2026

Roads, taxis and Uber

Traffic drives on the left, and the roads are often narrow and congested, so look right first when you cross. On foot, use pavements and marked crossings and watch the traffic, especially in crowded areas. After a road accident, call 999. To drive, UK licence holders need a 1949 international driving permit, obtained before travel; other licence holders should check their own government's advice.

Unlicensed taxi services, including Uber, are illegal in Macau, and the police act against both drivers and passengers. Use licensed taxis or public transport; our Macau transport guide covers the buses, the LRT and the taxis.

Prices and times checked 8 November 2026

Crime, casinos, scams and the laws that catch visitors out

Pickpocketing and bag snatching happen in and around Macau's casinos, especially late at night; carry only the cash you need for the day and keep your wallet and passport secure. The airport and other tourist places are hotspots too, so keep passports, cards and money close in crowded areas, and take particular care of your belongings when you check out of a hotel. Be sceptical of unusual emails, phone calls, prize notices, offers and requests for help from supposed acquaintances: share no personal data, check the story in person or contact the police. Our first-trip guide to Macau plans the rest of the visit.

When you shop, check the return terms and ask for a valid receipt with the seller's details; for a dispute, call the Consumer Council (number above). If you join a tour, book it through a licensed travel agency: only licensed agencies and tour guides may receive tour groups in Macau, and licensed guides wear a card issued by the Macao Government Tourism Office.

Macau's national security law applies to foreign visitors and to activities inside and outside Macau, and political statements, including on social media, can fall within it and lead to criminal charges. The police can access social media and private communications to gather evidence of national security offences.

Macau applies zero tolerance to drugs: bringing in or possessing any illegal drug, cannabis included, can lead to a long prison sentence. Sentences can run to about ten years, a quarter longer in aggravating circumstances, possibly with a fine. Leave vapes at home: bringing e-cigarettes and related products into Macau is prohibited and fined, and our guide to Macau entry requirements lists exactly which products the ban covers and when it applies. Carrying weapons or weapon-like items, including stun guns and pepper spray, is strictly prohibited in Macau and can lead to prison; do not photograph military installations.

Selling alcohol to anyone under 18 is banned. Alcohol is otherwise on free sale, but drunkenness is punished if it disturbs public order or is indecent.

Prices and times checked 8 November 2026