The best eSIM for Macau is a data plan sized to your days there and installed before you travel. A SimOptions Macau eSIM does that. It supports 4G/5G, is data only, activates automatically when you arrive in Macau and comes in sizes from 1 GB for 3 days to 100 GB for 180 days. It has no Macau phone number, so you call and message through apps. Visiting Hong Kong too? Our Macau plans cover Macau only, so add a Hong Kong eSIM for that part of the trip.
Which is the best eSIM for Macau?
Short on time? These Macau plans support 4G/5G and are data only. Pick the size from the days you stay.
Macao 5GB (7 days) · 10GB (7 days) · 20GB (15 days) · data only · 4G/5G · See all eSIMs for Macau · All destinations
What to look for in an eSIM for Macau
- Coverage: check that Macau is on the country list. Macau and Hong Kong are separate on most plans. When we checked, our Macau plans covered Macau only, and our Asia plans did not list Macau or Hong Kong.
- Data and days: both are on the plan page. A small plan fits a day or two between the historic centre and Cotai. For a week with maps, bus routes, taxi apps and photos, look at a bigger one.
- Speed: the plan details say whether you get 4G/LTE or 5G. Our Macau plans support 4G/5G.
- Calls: most travel eSIMs are data only. You call and message through apps over data.
- Setup before you travel: you get a QR code by email and install it on Wi-Fi at home. Your phone must support eSIM and be unlocked (see how to check eSIM compatibility).
Our eSIMs for Macau: the details
Here is what the plan details on our Macau eSIM page say:
- Sizes: 1 GB or 3 GB for 3 days, 5 GB or 10 GB for 7 days, 20 GB for 15 days, 50 GB for 30 days, 60 GB for 90 days and 100 GB for 180 days.
- Speed: 4G/5G.
- Phone number: no. The plans are data only, with no calls or SMS.
- Activation: once installed, the eSIM activates automatically when you arrive in Macau. Your days start then.
- Top-ups: available, so you can add data instead of buying a new eSIM.
- Expiry: if you don't use the eSIM within a year, it becomes invalid.
Every plan is prepaid with no contract.
How much data do you need in Macau?
It depends on how long you stay and how you use your phone. As a rough guide:
- 1 to 3 days: Macao 1GB or 3GB, both for 3 days. Enough for maps, messages, bus routes and a taxi app.
- Up to a week: Macao 5GB or 10GB, both for 7 days. Maps, social media and photos from the old town to Taipa and Coloane.
- Two weeks: Macao 20GB, for 15 days. Room for some video and sharing your connection.
- A month or more: Macao 50GB for 30 days, Macau 60GB for 90 days or Macau 100GB for 180 days.
Not sure how much you need? Pick the bigger size. Our guide to eSIM data plans shows how to estimate it, and how to reduce data usage abroad helps you stretch it. Macau also has free public Wi-Fi: the Macao Government Tourism Office says hotspots with "FreeWiFi.MO" in the network name are free to use (MGTO: Practical info).
Is there an eSIM for a day trip to Macau?
Yes. If you come over from Hong Kong for a day or two, our smallest Macau plans fit: they last 3 days, so a day trip is covered with time to spare. You get data for maps, messages and tickets without paying for a week.
Is there an eSIM for a month or longer in Macau?
Yes. For a long stay or work from your phone, Macao 50GB lasts 30 days, Macau 60GB lasts 90 days and Macau 100GB lasts 180 days. All three are data only and can be topped up.
Is there one eSIM for Hong Kong and Macau?
Not with our plans. When we checked, our Macau plans covered Macau only, our Hong Kong plans covered Hong Kong only, and our Asia plans listed neither. So for a trip to both, install a Macau eSIM and a Hong Kong eSIM before you go, and switch between them when you cross. Each one activates when you arrive in the place it covers.
Hong Kong 3GB (3 days) · 5GB (7 days) · 10GB (7 days) · data only · 4G/5G · See all eSIMs for Hong Kong
Flying into Hong Kong and going straight on to Macau? The Macao Government Tourism Office says ferries run from Hong Kong International Airport to Macau without you passing through Hong Kong immigration, in about 70 minutes. Shuttle buses also cross the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (MGTO: Travelling to Macao). If you only change at the airport, a Macau plan may be all you need. More on Hong Kong in our guides to the best eSIM for Hong Kong and eSIM providers in Hong Kong.
Local SIM or travel eSIM?
You can also get a line from a Macau operator. Apple lists CTM and China Telecom Macau among the carriers in Macao that support eSIM on iPhone through a QR code or a carrier app, and CTM among those offering prepaid plans for international travelers (Apple: carriers that offer eSIM on iPhone). The tourism office lists information lines for CTM (1000), Hutchison Telecom (1118) and China Telecom (Macau) (1888) (MGTO: Practical info). Packages change, so check them with the operator.
A local line gives you a Macau number for calls. A travel eSIM is different: you buy it online, scan a QR code at home and have data the moment you arrive.
Choose a local SIM if you need a Macau number. Choose a travel eSIM if you want data on arrival and a plan you can compare and pay for before the trip. Your home SIM can stay on your phone next to it, so you keep getting texts and bank codes on your usual number, see how to set up a dual eSIM. More on calls with a data-only plan: phone calls with a data-only eSIM.
Getting around Macau with your phone
You don't need a different eSIM for each area. A Macau plan works on the Macau Peninsula, Taipa and Coloane alike. The tourism office's own app, Experience Macao, has bus route information, maps with navigation, a taxi fare reference and offline data download (MGTO: Mobile app). Buses link the peninsula, Taipa and Coloane, and you can book a special radio taxi through the "Macao Taxi" app (MGTO: Local transportation).
Mind which apps you use. The UK Foreign Office says Uber is illegal in Macao and that the police take action against drivers and passengers of unlicensed taxi services. It also says the typhoon season normally runs from May to November (FCDO: Macao safety and security). Data on your phone helps you follow local weather warnings and changes to ferries and flights.
Before you travel: entry rules
Macao is part of China but a Special Administrative Region with its own immigration controls. The UK Foreign Office says British citizens can visit for up to 6 months without a visa for tourism, and that you must stay in licensed accommodation (FCDO: Macao entry requirements). The same page says that to go on from Macao to mainland China on a British passport, you must get a Chinese visa before you reach the border. Rules differ by passport, so check your own government's advice before you book, and again before you travel.
Going on to the mainland? Mainland China needs its own plan: see our guide to the best eSIM for China, or browse all plans on our destinations page.
How do you get an eSIM for Macau?
- Check your phone: it must support eSIM and be carrier unlocked. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > About and look for "No SIM restrictions" next to Carrier Lock (Apple: Unlock your iPhone).
- Buy and install on Wi-Fi: you get a QR code by email (Apple: Set up eSIM on iPhone). Our install guide walks you through it on iPhone and Android.
- When you arrive, use the travel eSIM for data: Apple notes that you might still pay roaming fees on your home line, so turn off data roaming on it (Apple: Use eSIM while traveling).
No signal after you arrive? Our guide on what to do when your eSIM is not activating covers the usual causes. New to buying one? Read how to buy an eSIM online. Not sure what an eSIM is? See what is an eSIM.
FAQ
What is the best eSIM for Macau?
It depends on your trip. For data, a Macau eSIM sized to your days is a simple choice: 1 GB or 3 GB for a short trip, 5 GB or 10 GB for a week, 20 GB for two weeks, and 50 GB, 60 GB or 100 GB for a month or more. If you need a Macau number, a local line fits better.
Can I get an eSIM for Macau before I travel?
Yes. Buy it online, install the QR code on Wi-Fi at home, and it activates when you arrive in Macau.
Is there an eSIM for 1 day in Macau?
Our shortest Macau plans last 3 days, with 1 GB or 3 GB. That covers a day trip from Hong Kong with time to spare.
Does a travel eSIM for Macau include a phone number?
No. Our Macau plans are data only, with no calls or SMS. Use calling and messaging apps over data, or get a line from a local operator for a Macau number.
Does my Hong Kong eSIM work in Macau?
Not with our plans. When we checked, our Hong Kong plans covered Hong Kong only. Install a Macau eSIM as well; you can set up both before you travel.
Does the Macau eSIM have 5G?
Yes. Our Macau plans support 4G/5G.
Does my phone need to be unlocked?
Yes. A carrier-locked phone may not accept an eSIM from another provider. Ask your carrier to unlock it before you travel.
