Macau is a Special Administrative Region of China on the Pearl River Delta, about 60 km west of Hong Kong. Its compact peninsula and the islands of Taipa and Coloane combine a UNESCO-listed Portuguese colonial old town, Cantonese temples and street food, and the glittering casino resorts of the Cotai Strip.
Macau has a humid subtropical monsoon climate with hot, wet summers (May-Sep, highs 29-32°C, high humidity and most of the roughly 2,000 mm annual rain) and mild, dry winters (Dec-Feb, 13-20°C). Autumn (Oct-Nov) is the sunniest and most comfortable season. Typhoon season runs from June to October, peaking July-September. Monthly figures below are long-term approximations for the Macau Peninsula and Taipa; check smg.gov.mo for current forecasts.
Best time to visit
Overall Best: October to early December
Reasons:
- Sunny, drier days of 20-28°C and lower humidity make walking the old town pleasant
- The typhoon risk drops sharply after October
- Events include the Fireworks Contest, Grand Prix and Light Festival
- Winter (Dec-Feb) is cool and dry but sometimes grey; July-August is hot, wet and has the cheapest rooms
Summary: Visit in October-November for the best weather; December for the lights; avoid June-September if heat, humidity and typhoons are a concern.
Month-by-month weather
Typical conditions throughout the year.
January
16°C/61°F
Cool, dry and sunny; clear skies and lower hotel prices before Chinese New Year
February
16°C/61°F
Cool, damp and often overcast; Chinese New Year lanterns and crowds fall in Jan-Feb
March
20°C/68°F
Warm and humid with fog and drizzle; hazy skies but pleasant for walking the old town
April
24°C/75°F
Warm and humid; A-Ma Festival and Drunken Dragon Festival bring processions and crowds
May
26°C/79°F
Hot, very wet start of the monsoon; thunderstorms, high humidity, Macau Arts Festival
June
28°C/82°F
Hot and wet with the first typhoon risks; Dragon Boat Festival races on the harbour
July
30°C/86°F
Hottest and humid; typhoon risk and thunderstorms, but cheap hotel rates
August
30°C/86°F
Hot, humid and stormy; peak typhoon risk and heavy showers
September
28°C/82°F
Still hot and humid, drier by month end; fireworks contest and lingering typhoon risk
October
26°C/79°F
Best weather: sunny, drier, warm and less humid; fireworks contest near National Day
November
22°C/72°F
Cool, dry and sunny; Macau Grand Prix weekend brings crowds and high hotel prices
December
17°C/63°F
Mild and dry; Macau Light Festival, Christmas lights and the International Parade
The seasons
What to expect in each part of the year.
Spring
Months: Mar-May
Warming (18-29°C) with rising humidity, fog and drizzle in March-April and heavy thunderstorms in May. The A-Ma Festival and the Feast of the Drunken Dragon fall in this season.
Summer
Months: Jun-Aug
Hot, humid and wet, with highs of 31-32°C, a heat index often above 38°C, frequent thunderstorms and typhoon risk. Hotel rates are lowest and air-conditioned resorts are comfortable.
Fall
Months: Sep-Nov
September is still hot with typhoon risk; October and November are the best months, with sunny, drier days of 19-28°C. The International Fireworks Display Contest and Macau Grand Prix fall in this season.
Winter
Months: Dec-Feb
Cool and dry with temperatures of 13-20°C, occasional cold fronts below 10°C and grey drizzle in February. Chinese New Year brings crowds and lanterns, and the Macau Light Festival lights the old town.
Crowds & peak times
When to expect tourists and when to avoid them.
- High Season
- Chinese New Year (Jan/Feb), Labour Day holiday (1-5 May), National Day holiday week (1-7 Oct), Grand Prix weekend (mid-Nov), and every Friday-Sunday
- Shoulder Season
- Mar-Apr, late Oct-Nov, Dec (outside Christmas)
- Low Season
- Jun-Aug midweek (heat and rain, lowest hotel rates) and January outside Chinese New Year
Major events & festivals
Time your visit around what matters.
Chinese New Year
Lion dances, lantern displays and fireworks around Senado Square and Cotai; hotels fill and some small shops close for a few days
Lantern Festival
The final day of Chinese New Year celebrations, with lantern displays and temple events on the peninsula
A-Ma Festival
Procession and ceremonies at A-Ma Temple honoring the goddess Tin Hau, protector of fishermen, with firecrackers and lion dances
Feast of the Drunken Dragon
A procession through the old town around Buddha's Birthday, with dancers carrying a dragon; verify the date each year
Macau Arts Festival
Performing arts festival with international and local performers at venues across the peninsula and Taipa
Dragon Boat Festival
Dragon boat races on Nam Van Lake and in Taipa; zongzi rice dumplings sold across the city
Macau International Fireworks Display Contest
Teams from several countries launch competitive displays over Nam Van Lake on several evenings around National Day; verify dates with the Macao Government Tourism Office
Macau Grand Prix
Race weekend on the Guia Circuit with Formula 3, GT World Cup and motorcycle races; streets close and hotels sell out
Macau Light Festival
Light installations projected onto heritage buildings, including the Ruins of St. Paul's and Taipa Houses; free to see; verify dates
Macau International Parade
Street parade with dancers and floats through the old town on a weekend in December; verify the schedule